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Judge Favors Toy Chain Over Amazon A New Jersey Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Toys R Us in their suit against Amazon and severed the 10-year agreement (signed in 2000) between the two companies, allowing the toy retailer to go form its own internet store. (No monetary damages were awarded.) But Amazon spokesperson Patty Smith said the company “strongly disagrees with the judge’s ruling in this case’ and is considering an appeal. MSNBC Greenspan Speaks There is no convention-wide keynote speaker for this year’s BEA (that slot usually was featured at the end of the day Thursday) but […]

Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Joe McGinniss Jr.’s first novel THE DELIVERY MAN, a portrait of today’s […]

Please Note Today is parents’ today and then I’m on the road, so this meal is being served early. We’ll have updates at the PublishersMarketplace.com home page as appropriate later in the day. Similar to this scoop that we posted there last night: It’s Almost Perseus Yesterday evening, after a long day of meetings, Perseus reports that AMS and the creditors committee informed them that they will recommend the Perseus bid to Judge Sontchi for his approval at a hearing scheduled for 11:30 today. (Also scheduled for consideration today is the bid procedures and other elements of the filing related […]

Harcourt — The Next Play The newest entry under this year’s theme of “everything is for sale” is the Harcourt Education business, as owner Reed Elsevier masked a shortfall in analysts’ expectations for their fiscal year-end report by announcing that Harcourt will be sold in the coming year. Harcourt as a whole has turned in weak results for the past two years, with sales for the just-closed fiscal 2006 of 889 million pounds, or $1.739 million, (down from 901 million pounds, or $1.763 million) and operating profit of 121 million pounds, or $237 million, down from 161 million pounds or […]

B&T’s Offer In papers filed with the bankruptcy court Baker & Taylor has officially been designated by the debtors as a “stalking horse bidder,” setting the bar for competitive — and not necessarily directly comparable — offers. The variations come because likely no party will be bidding to acquire AMS in its entirety; the bidders will all come with different visions (and prices) for the particular bones that they want to pick. Baker & Taylor’s offer provides for a purchase price estimated at $76.25 million, according to the revised letter of intent filed with the bankruptcy court. The components provide […]

Thursday You’ll Know Yesterday in Delaware bankruptcy court, the judge decided to hold over a decision on the sale of PGW until Thursday. He gave NBN until the close of business tomorrow to return with formal purchase agreement documents. If they satisfy the judge’s conditions, he will convene an auction on Thursday between the two bidders; if not, he will approve the sale to Perseus. NBN head Jed Lyons says “we’re going to deliver to the court tomorrow by 5 pm a final offer,” indicating that “the only thing missing yesterday was the legal documentation of all aspects of the […]