B&N 8-K: Microsoft Paying $180M Advance On Nook For Windows 8, $125M For Content, Tech Acquisition

Microsoft really wants to make sure it can compete against Amazon and Apple in the e-books space -- and it's putting its money where its mouth is. In addition to the $300 million Microsoft is investing for a 17.6 percent stake in Newco, the un-named subsidiary that will now house B&N's Nook and other digital businesses, it looks like it is putting other money towards the venture, according to the 8-K form filed by Barnes & Noble earlier today. A section called "Commercial Agreement" notes that Microsoft will be paying the Barnes & Noble subsidiary $180 million in connection with revenue sharing on the Nook app that B&N will make for the Windows 8 platform. This is nonrefundable, the filing notes. Microsoft is also paying $125 million (equal to $25 million over five years) "for purposes of assisting NewCo in acquiring local digital reading content and technology development." This, too, looks to be nonrefundable.

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