Barnes & Noble is likely to take itself off the market after an unsuccessful search for a buyer for the company, according to Bloomberg. Both private equity and strategic buyers have found the nation’s largest book chain unappealing, with some citing the company’s unproven status in the e-book market, according to the report. The search for a buyer will reportedly continue for a few more weeks before it is ended. 

 

Barnes & Noble put itself up for sale last summer in the midst of a bruising proxy and legal battle with investor Ron Burkle, who was seeking to get the company to take steps to increase its value (see “Bookstores in Turmoil”).