Science and medical publishing giant Reed Elsevier has announced that is putting Reed Business Information (RBI), the largest business-to-business publisher in the US, up on the auction block. The sale will include New Scientist.

Although Reed Elsevier also owns The Lancet and Cell, among other journals, as well as science and medical textbooks, none of those titles are for sale.

RBI also publishes Variety and other consumer-oriented magazines and trade publications. According to analysts, the sale of RBI could fetch more than $2.5 billion.

Reed Elsevier CEO Sir Crispin Davis, said on the company's website that "today we have announced a further major step with the planned divestment of Reed Business Information ("RBI"). RBI is a well-managed high quality business as evidenced by the success of its online growth and the control of costs. Its advertising revenue model and the inherent cyclicality fit less well however with the subscription-based information and workflow solutions focus of Reed Elsevier's strategy."

The announcement to sell RBI came today (Feb 21) among a broader cost-saving plan and news that Reed Elsevier has purchased ChoicePoint Inc., the largest US provider of information to the insurance industry, for about $4.1 billion.