∞ RIM cuts profit outlook, stock price plummets

RIM on Thursday issued a warning to Wall Street that the company would not meet guidance for the first fiscal quarter of 2012.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]RIM said the cause for the projected shortfall in Q1 is because of lower shipments of BlackBerrys. The company said shipments are now expected in the lower end of the 13.5 million to 14.5 million forecasted in March.

Although they didn’t give a number, RIM says shipments of PlayBooks is “in line with our previous expectations.”

Fully diluted earnings per share for Q1 are expected to be in the range of $1.30-$1.37, lower than the range of $1.47-$1.55 previously forecasted by the company.

RIM stock has taken a hit in after-hours trading, falling $5.39 or 9.52 percent. It is currently trading at $51.20.