The worst case scenario would likely be a merger, though I would suspect NOK would pop on that and the other half would get dragged down, but it depends on the partner, maybe ERIC, or MSFT who would want a cheap price after taking it in the shorts on the handsets, but anyone who wants in the 5g hardware space would be on this. MSFT has had a great run, and maybe taking over NOK would represent the top in the stock. Also worth noting that trying to catch NOK may be the foolish pick in the 5g space, as ERIC is every bit as competitive, and its price action is better. So far ERIC is the winner, I own it and will add. I view these as very long holds, 5-10 yrs likely.
China tensions are tailwinds for both these stocks. I have zero interest in any China stocks right now due to escalating unrest, rising tariffs, security concerns, and massive China debt. There is not a lot of competition in this space, and both companies are winning contracts on a steady basis. 5g is a certainty. ERIC is showing positive price action, NOK broken for now.