CEO John Giamatteo just sold BlackBerry stock: here's why you shouldn't

BlackBerry (NYSE: BB) is pushing aggressively to the upside on April 9^th after the cybersecurity and IoT firm posted a strong Q4 and issued impressive guidance for its fiscal 2027.

The post-earnings rally helped BB break above its 100-day moving average (MA) –  a significant technical development that often signals shifting momentum in favor of the bulls.  

The quarterly print brings much-needed reprieve to BlackBerry stock that has otherwise been struggling to find a bottom in 2026. Following the rally, it looks headed to print a new year-to-date high.

Why CEO sale isn’t bearish for Blackberry stock

Despite a strong release, CEO John Giamatteo’s recent sale of 27,066 BB shares for about $96,354 remains somewhat of a psychological overhang on the NYSE-listed firm.

To the uninitiated, an insider sale during a turnaround can look like a lack of confidence. But here’s the context: this transaction was mostly to cover withholding taxes related to the vesting of 66,372 Restricted Share Units (RSUs).

This is a common practice where executives sell a portion of their newly vested shares to pay the IRS.

Moreover, the sale represented less than 3% of Giamatteo’s total holdings; with him still owning nearly 90,000 shares, his “skin in the game” remains substantial – and so does his “confidence” in what the future holds for BlackBerry.

Why else are BB shares worth owning in 2026

In Q4, the company’s QNX division generated a record US$78.7 million (approx. $137.7 million) in revenue – up some 20% year-over-year – while the royalty backlog swelled to a staggering US$950 million (approx. $1.7 billion).

This proves Blackberry has now evolved from a meme stock surviving on retail hype into a high-margin software powerhouse.

By achieving the “Rule of 40” – a gold standard in software where combined growth and profit margin exceed 40% - BB has confirmed it’s matured into a legitimate industrial AI and automotive play.

BlackBerry shares are now attractive for disciplined investors as well, given the company appears to be embedded in the high-growth robotics and medical sectors in 2026 – moving far beyond its legacy handset reputation.

How to play BlackBerry after Q4 earnings

All in all, the headline numbers were undeniable: US$156 million (approx. $273 million) in revenue and an adjusted EPS of $0.06, both crushing analyst expectations.

For the full fiscal year 2027, management issued guidance of US$584 million (approx. $1 billion) to US$611 million (approx. $1.1 billion) in revenue and an adjusted EBITDA of up to US$130 million (approx. $227.5 million).

Most impressively, BlackBerry expects to generate US$100 million (approx. $175 million) in operating cash flow.

This financial discipline, combined with eight consecutive quarters of GAAP improvement, provides a margin of safety that BB stock hasn’t seen in a decade.

With a massive royalty backlog and a dominant position in the “Software Defined Vehicle” market, the narrative for BlackBerry is no longer about survival – it's about accelerating growth.