Dive Brief:
- Barnes and Noble Education, formerly the Barnes and Noble College Division, is officially an independent, publicly traded company following a spinoff from its parent corporation.
- The company has plans to grow its digital presence through greater investment in its e-textbook Yuzu app as well as new products.
- As a division within the parent company, Barnes and Noble College Division could only grow through expanding the number of college bookstores it ran; now it will be able to consider mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.
Dive Insight:
Barnes and Noble College Division has long provided an outlet for colleges and universities interested in getting out of the campus bookstore business. These institutions have outsourced management responsibilities and handed over the reins of their stores. According to The Street, Barnes and Noble added 48 new college bookstores to its portfolio in 2014 and has added another 24 in 2015. As Barnes and Noble Education, the new company will have access to additional capital to continue its physical bookstore expansion on college campuses, as well as the reach of its digital product line.