As Microsoft and the bookseller’s founder consider bids, upcoming fourth-quarter results are perfect place to start the company’s next chapter

If Barnes & Noble sells the Nook now, in five years it's going to feel like the guy Ringo Starr replaced.

By Lutz Muller:March 18, 2010, promised to be a great day for William Lynch. It was a nice New York morning, 60 degrees, sunny, and the Board of Directors of Barnes & Noble (BKS) were about to announce his appointment to CEO, replacing the founder of

Microsoft has poured a lot of money into Nook Media, the publishing company that Barnes and Noble spun out in October, 2012—$300 million. Now Microsoft is rumored to be buying the entire company, for $1 billion. In light of the declin

Why is Microsoft reportedly bidding $1 billion to purchase Barnes & Noble's troubled Nook Media segment?

The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Thursday May 9, 2013:Microsoft May Buy Nook Media Assets for $1BThe Rumor:Shares of Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) surged higher Thursday on a report from

Microsoft may have ambitions to carve out a bigger corner of the e-book market. Or so Barnes & Noble investors hope.

* Barnes & Noble leaps after TechCrunch reports Microsoft interest

* Barnes & Noble leaps after TechCrunch reports Microsoftinterest

* Fate of college bookstores up in the air (Adds date of documents, possible reasons for deal)

* Barnes & Noble leaps after TechCrunch reports Microsoft interest

* Barnes & Noble leaps after TechCrunch reports Microsoftinterest

* Barnes & Noble leaps after TechCrunch reports Microsoft interest

TechCrunch reports that Microsoft may spend $1 billion to buy Nook outright from Barnes & Noble. In the pre-market Barnes & Noble stock moved up as much as 30% and was still higher by nearly 20% on the day in the afternoon. Microsoft has an e

Shares in the bookstore chain Barnes and Noble have shot up after reports Microsoft was planning to buy its Nook e-reader.

Usually when we hear one big company is interested in buying out another big company, there’s an element of “Hmm, didn’t see that one coming…” But in the case of Microsoft reportedly toying with the idea of paying $1 bil

* Barnes & Noble soars after TechCrunch report of Microsoft interest

* Barnes & Noble soars after TechCrunch report of Microsoftinterest

* Barnes & Noble soars after TechCrunch report of Microsoft interest

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 18 percent on Thursday after a report that Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire the tablet and e-book business of B&N's Nook Media unit.

Microsoft is reportedly considering a purchase of Barnes & Noble's Nook e-book business, sending the bookseller's stock soaring.

Shares of Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) rocketed up 20 percent in early trading Thursday, following a report by tech website TechCrunch that Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT

Microsoft is offering $1 billion for Nook Media, the digital arm of Barnes & Nobel, reports TechCrunch. This comes from leaked documents that outline the proposal as well as Nook Media's plan to stop using Android by early 2015 as it transitions

* Barnes & Noble soars after TechCrunch report of Microsoft interest

* Barnes & Noble soars after TechCrunch report of Microsoftinterest

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- U.S. markets were trading sideways Thursday despite a report that Microsoft may buy Nook Media LLC, its digital book and college book joint venture with Barnes & Noble , and an encouraging labor market report. Barnes & Noble w

Word that Microsoft is willing to pay $1 Billion for Barnes & Noble's struggling Nook business. Click to view a price quote on BKS. Click to research the Specialty Retail industry.    

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 23 percent on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 23 percent on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 23 percent on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

Microsoft Corp. shares slipped by 14 cents a share to $32.82, on reports that the company is offering to pay $1 billion to acquire the digital assets of the Nook Media digital book and college book joint venture it has with Barnes & Noble {s: bks].

NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged lower on Thursday despite stronger-than-expected data on the labor market, with Wall Street coming off a sustained rally that took the S&P 500 to record closing highs for five straight sessions.

NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged lower on Thursday despite stronger-than-expected data on the labor market, with Wall Street coming off a sustained rally that took the S&P 500 to record...

NEW YORK, May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged lower onThursday despite stronger-than-expected data on the labormarket, with Wall Street coming off a sustained rally that tookthe S&P 500 to record closing highs for five straight sessions.

Microsoft is said to have offered to take over the Nook unit's e-books and devices operations, but it is unclear whether there are any current talks on a possible deal.

Shares of Barnes & Noble Inc. soared 23% in premarket trade on Thursday, after TechCrunch reported that Microsoft Corp. is considering an offer to pay $1 billion for the digital assets of Nook Media, a joint venture with the U.S. bookseller.

(Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 32 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital...

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose32 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report thatits partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer toacquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Barnes & Noble Inc.soared 23% in premarket trade on Thursday, after TechCrunch reported that Microsoft Corp.is considering an offer to pay $1 billion for the digital assets of Nook Media, a joint venture with the U.S

Barnes & Noble is reportedly considering selling the remaining stake in its tablet business to Microsoft, setting up an interesting couple of questions. What exactly would be left for Barnes & Noble--and wouldn't it bare an uncomfortable

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is in talks to offer $1 billion for the digital assets of Nook Media LLC, the software company's e-book joint venture with Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) and other investors, TechCrunch reported Thursday, citing internal documen

(Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 27 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 32 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report that its partner...

(Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 27 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is...

May 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Barnes & Noble Inc rose 27 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after a report that its partner Microsoft Corp is considering an offer to acquire all of Nook Media's digital assets.

Barnes & Noble got a lot of buzz a few days ago when it released a big new software update for its Nook HD tablet. The software update adds the Google Play store, which is the online shop for Android phones where Google sells apps, music, movies,

Barnes & Noble's Nook Media may need more than a Google Map to find profitability.