News Corp. closes deal for Houghton Mifflin books, media division

News Corp., the parent of HarperCollins Publishers, has closed on its acquisition of Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co.'s books and media division, the companies said Monday. News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWS) acquired the division for $349 million in cash. After transaction fees, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Nasdaq: HMHC), which is focusing on edtech through its digital learning offerings, is receiving $337 million. "This divestiture enables us to focus singularly on serving the large and growing…