The story hit the Boston Globe yesterday with the headline "Deal reported close for Houghton Mifflin." No new information really reported other than the figure changed from $5 Billion as originally reported in the UK Times to $3.5 Billion. According to the article, "Industry analysts said such a merger could make sense. Riverdeep is the largest publisher of K-12 educational software in the United States, and Houghton Mifflin is the fourth largest publisher of K-12 textbooks, supplements, and standardized tests, according to Simba Information, a publishing industry market research firm in Stamford, Conn.
The merger would provide Riverdeep with extensive sales channels to US schools and state education departments, while giving Houghton Mifflin the chance to expand its digital products, industry analysts said."
