Barnes & Noble’s Tablet Exit Might Accelerate Breakup

Barnes & Noble Inc.’s decision to stop competing in the tablet business potentially will accelerate a break-up of the largest U.S. bookstore chain.

With its Nook Media digital unit racking up more losses in its fiscal fourth quarter -- sending the shares down the most in almost two years yesterday -- the company said that to cut costs and limit inventory risk it will stop making tablets and partner with electronics manufacturers.