Companhia das Letras in Brazil announced last week that they took 100 percent control of Zahar, based in Rio de Janeiro and focused on books devoted to the human and social sciences. Luiz Schwarcz says in the announcement that founder Jorge Zahar “was a master when it came to publishing books that would stay the course…. I have had no greater honor in my life than being chosen to carry forth a legacy that changed the history of book publishing in Brazil.” Penguin Random House owns 70 percent of Companhia, and ceo Markus Dohle adds, “It’s an enormous privilege for all […]
M&A
People, Etc.
Luana Horry has been promoted to editor at HarperCollins Children’s. Jennifer Udden joins New Leaf Literary & Media as literary agent; she was previously agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary. Kate Sullivan joins as senior content development manager; she was senior editor at Delacorte. Meredith Barnes joins as business development manager; she was publicity manager at Harper Collins. Monica Odom has founded Odom Media Management, a literary agency focused on “voices and stories that have been historically hushed.” She will continue to represent nonfiction, literary fiction and illustrated titles for both children and adults, including her existing client list. She was […]
Elliott Advisors Officially Acquires Barnes & Noble
August 6 was the closing date for the tender offer for Barnes & Noble shares, and Elliott Advisors reports that approximately 82 percent of all shares outstanding were tendered. Those shares — and with it the entire BN — are paid for today, August 7, and Barnes & Noble has officially become a “privately held, indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Elliott.” The bookseller’s shares will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange. In the announcement, Elliott reiterates that it “seeks to build upon this strong foundation as it addresses the significant challenges facing the bricks and mortar book retail […]
Shareholder Sues Over Barnes & Noble Sale; F+W UK Books Business Sold
Investor Richard Scarantino filed suit in a Delaware Federal Court against Barnes & Noble, seeking class action status on behalf of stockholders, arguing that the company’s tender offer solicitation “omits material information with respect to the Proposed Transaction, which renders the Solicitation Statement false and misleading.” From a Google search, filing lawsuits just like this one is the primary activity for which Scarantino is known. In particular, he charges that the statement left out “material information regarding the company’s financial projections” for the future. As well, he alleges it left out certain details about the financial analyses performed by financial […]
Investor Sues Barnes & Noble Education Over Blocked Board Nominations, Rejected Buyout Offers
Barnes & Noble Education, which has worked hard to perform even more poorly than the Barnes & Noble retail operation since the two split apart almost 4 years ago, now finds itself the focus of its own strange potential sale. Bay Capital Finance, which appears to be focused on real estate development, says it has been trying trying to acquire the company outright since earlier this year. On Monday, they filed suit in Delaware’s Chancery Court, asking for their nominations of five independent directors to the BNED board to be put before shareholders at the annual meeting. Bay Capital says […]
Quad’s Request For Speed Is Denied, Antitrust Trial Set for November
Judge Charles R. Norgle denied Quad’s request for an expedited trial in the DOJ’s antitrust lawsuit against the company’s planned merger with rival printer LSC. Instead, Norgle only slightly modified the Department of Justice’s proposed schedule, setting November 14 as the trial’s start date. That could be delayed, however, as he noted that “there are multiple criminal cases involving incarcerated defendants scheduled for jury trial during the fall of 2019; in the events of a scheduling conflict, these criminal trials may take priority over the bench trial in this matter.” Quad had asked the court to schedule the trial in […]