Martha Stewart nears deal to sell fading empire

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. is close to selling itself to Sequential Brands Group Inc., an acquisitive retail-licensing company, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

A deal could be announced in the coming days.

Stewart, 73, used TV and magazines to grow her independent publishing and housewares conglomerate, though it was briefly interrupted in 2004 when she served nearly five months in jail for obstructing a government investigation into a stock sale.

Read more from the Wall Street Journal.