In an interview with CNBC, Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch discussed the company’s possible spinoff of its Nook business, stating that “whatever we do... the Nook will continue to be Barnes & Noble’s e-reader.” He says that while there are many different options for separating the businesses, the Nook has benefited from B&N’s bookstore “showrooms” (and vice-versa), so it’s unlikely that any restructuring would untie B&N’s physical and virtual media businesses from a consumer standpoint.
Barnes & Noble CEO says the Nook will be B&N’s e-reader regardless of spinoff decision
is executive editor who has obsessed over headlines and internet speeds since 2011. He previously worked as an advocate for the National Park System.
While Lynch touted the success of the Nook, he offered no suggestion that the company is leaning one way or another on a potential spinoff, and said that the decision won’t necessarily be made quickly. To stave off concerns about the other side of B&N’s business, Lynch quoted strong annual growth of 4.5-percent for sales of physical media like books and newspapers, and said that “there will always be bookstores in this country.” Whether Barnes & Noble will be one of them remains to be seen.
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