BNED

Company Overview — What Does Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. Do?

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. operates bookstores for college and university campuses, and K-12 institutions in the United States. It operates in three segments: Retail, Wholesale, and Digital Student Solutions. The company sells and rents new and used print textbooks, digital textbooks, and publisher hosted digital courseware through physical and virtual bookstores, as well as directly to students through Textbooks.com. It also offers First Day and First Day Complete access programs; BNC OER+, a turnkey solution for colleges and universities, that offers digital content, such as videos, activities, and auto-graded practice assessments; and general merchandise, including collegiate and athletic apparel, school spirit products, lifestyle products, technology products, supplies, and convenience items. In addition, the company sells hardware and a software suite of applications that provides inventory management and point-of-sale solutions; direct-to-student subscription-based writing services; and bartleby, a direct-to-student subscription-based offering that includes textbook solutions, expert questions and answers, AI-based writing assistance, and tutoring services. As of June 29, 2021, it operated 769 physical college and university bookstores; and 648 virtual bookstores. The company also operates 148 True Spirit e-commerce websites; pop-up retail locations; and 77 customized cafés and 12 stand-alone convenience stores. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) is classified as a small-cap stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, specifically within the Retail industry. The company is led by CEO Michael P. Huseby and employs approximately 4,600 people, headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. With a market capitalization of $302M, BNED is one of the notable companies in the Consumer Discretionary sector.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) Stock Rating — Reduce (April 2026)

As of April 2026, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 31.7/100 and 2 out of 5 stars from the Blank Capital Research quantitative model.BNED ranks #2,632 out of 4,446 stocks in our coverage universe. Within the Consumer Discretionary sector, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. ranks #276 of 442 stocks, placing it in the lower half of its Consumer Discretionary peers. The rating is generated by a multi-factor model that weighs quality (30%), momentum (25%), value (15%), investment (10%), stability (10%), and short interest (10%).

BNED Stock Price and 52-Week Range

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) currently trades at $9.76. The 52-week high for BNED is $12.21, which means the stock is currently trading -20.1% from its annual peak. The 52-week low is $5.90, putting the stock 65.4% above its annual trough. Recent trading volume was 154K shares, suggesting relatively thin trading activity.

Is BNED Overvalued or Undervalued? — Valuation Analysis

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) carries a value factor score of 55/100 in the Blank Capital model, indicating fair valuation relative to historical norms. The trailing price-to-earnings ratio is 10.59x, compared to the Consumer Discretionary sector average of 24.47x — a discount of 57%. The price-to-book ratio stands at 1.14x, versus the sector average of 1.99x. The price-to-sales ratio is 0.17x, compared to 0.27x for the average Consumer Discretionary stock. On an enterprise value basis, BNED trades at 5.65x EV/EBITDA, versus 4.91x for the sector.

Overall, BNED's valuation appears roughly in line with sector benchmarks, suggesting the market is pricing the stock fairly given its current fundamentals and growth trajectory. Neither deep value nor significantly overpriced, the stock occupies a middle ground on valuation.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. Profitability — ROE, Margins, and Quality Score

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) earns a quality factor score of 10/100, signaling below-average profitability metrics relative to the broader market. The return on equity (ROE) is 10.8%, compared to the Consumer Discretionary sector average of 6.2%, which is within a healthy range. Return on assets (ROA) comes in at 2.8% versus the sector average of 2.5%.

On a margin basis, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. reports gross margins of 19.6%, compared to 36.9% for the sector. The operating margin is 1.3% (sector: 3.8%). Net profit margin stands at 0.7%, versus 2.1% for the average Consumer Discretionary stock. Revenue growth is running at -14.4% on a trailing basis, compared to 3.3% for the sector. Profitability is below benchmark levels, which may reflect industry headwinds, elevated reinvestment, or structural challenges.

BNED Debt, Balance Sheet, and Financial Health

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.0%, compared to the Consumer Discretionary sector average of 89.0%. The low leverage indicates a conservative balance sheet with significant financial flexibility. The current ratio is 1.42x, suggesting adequate working capital coverage. Total debt on the balance sheet is $138M.

BNED has a beta of 1.50, meaning it is more volatile than the broader market — a $10,000 investment in BNED would be expected to move 50.0% more than the S&P 500 on any given day. The stability factor score for Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. is 37/100, suggesting elevated price swings that may be unsuitable for conservative portfolios.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. Revenue and Earnings History — Quarterly Trend

In TTM 2026, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. reported revenue of $1.91B and earnings per share (EPS) of $0.19. Net income for the quarter was $31M. Gross margin was 19.6%. Operating income came in at $51M.

In Q3 2026, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. reported revenue of $515M and earnings per share (EPS) of $0.19. Net income for the quarter was $7M. Gross margin was 18.7%. Revenue grew 11.3% year-over-year compared to Q3 2025. Operating income came in at $15M.

In Q2 2026, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. reported revenue of $644M and earnings per share (EPS) of $0.73. Net income for the quarter was $25M. Gross margin was 20.2%. Revenue grew 7.0% year-over-year compared to Q2 2025. Operating income came in at $41M.

In Q1 2026, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. reported revenue of $288M and earnings per share (EPS) of $-0.54. Net income for the quarter was $-18M. Gross margin was 19.2%. Revenue grew 9.4% year-over-year compared to Q1 2025. Operating income came in at $-23M.

Over the past 8 quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. has demonstrated a growth trajectory, with revenue expanding from $263M to $1.91B. Investors analyzing BNED stock should weigh these quarterly trends alongside the valuation and quality metrics discussed above.

BNED Dividend Yield and Income Analysis

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) does not currently pay a dividend. This is common among smaller companies in the Retail industry that prefer to reinvest cash flows into business expansion rather than returning capital to shareholders. Income-focused investors looking for Consumer Discretionary dividend stocks may want to explore other Consumer Discretionary stocks or use the stock screener to filter by dividend yield.

BNED Momentum and Technical Analysis Profile

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) has a momentum factor score of 33/100, signaling weak relative price performance. Stocks with low momentum scores have historically tended to continue underperforming in the near term. The investment factor score is 37/100, which measures capital allocation efficiency and asset growth patterns. The short interest score of 47/100 reflects moderate short selling activity.

BNED vs Competitors — Consumer Discretionary Sector Ranking and Peer Comparison

Within the Consumer Discretionary sector, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) ranks #276 out of 442 stocks based on the Blank Capital composite score. This places BNED in the lower half of all Consumer Discretionary stocks in our coverage universe. Key competitors and sector peers include MONARCH CASINO & RESORT INC (MCRI) with a score of 50.5/100, CASEYS GENERAL STORES INC (CASY) with a score of 57.3/100, INGLES MARKETS INC (IMKTA) with a score of 51.0/100, FIVE BELOW, INC (FIVE) with a score of 51.6/100, and TARGET CORP (TGT) with a score of 52.6/100.

Comparing BNED against the S&P 500 benchmark is also instructive for understanding relative performance. Investors can view the full BNED vs S&P 500 (SPY) comparison to assess how Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. stacks up against the broader market across all factor dimensions.

BNED Next Earnings Date

No upcoming earnings date has been announced for Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) at this time. Check the earnings calendar for the latest scheduling updates across all stocks in our coverage universe.

Should You Buy BNED? — Investment Thesis Summary

The quantitative profile for Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. suggests caution. The quality score of 10/100 flags below-average profitability. Momentum is weak at 33/100, a headwind for near-term performance. High volatility (stability score 37/100) increases portfolio risk.

In summary, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) earns a Reduce rating with a composite score of 31.7/100 as of April 2026. The rating is derived from the Blank Capital Research methodology, which combines six factor dimensions into a single quantitative ranking. Investors should consider these quantitative signals alongside their own fundamental research, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon before making buy or sell decisions on BNED stock.

Related Resources for BNED Investors

Explore more research and tools: BNED vs S&P 500 comparison, top Consumer Discretionary stocks, stock screener, our methodology, quality factor explained, value factor explained, momentum factor explained. Compare BNED head-to-head with peers: BNED vs MCRI, BNED vs CASY, BNED vs IMKTA.