Barnes & Noble Receives Subpoena on Options

Bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. said Tuesday that it received a subpoena from the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York requesting documents on its stock option practices.

Barnes & Noble is one of more than 80 companies that say they are being investigated in a quickly spreading scandal over stock options.

The operator of the bookstore chain said it received the subpoena Friday, making the statement in a brief regulatory filing. It had previously announced it was reviewing stock option practices and said the Securities and Exchange Commission was conducting an informal inquiry with respect to them.

Barnes & Noble said it was cooperating fully with the SEC and intended to cooperate fully in responding to the subpoena.

Shares of Barnes & Noble fell 17 cents to $35.10.