BNED Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. - Fundamental Analysis
BEARISH
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BNED Stock | Fundamental Analysis & Investment Insights
NYSE
Consumer Cyclical
Specialty Retail
Current Price
Live
$9.15
52W High
$12.21
52W Low
$5.9
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
Updated Jan 24, 2026
Market cap
$311.59M
P/E
12.89
ROE
0.7%
Profit margin
0.1%
Debt/Equity
1.1
Dividend yield
N/A
AI Analysis
Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms
Confidence Score
85%
Analysis Accuracy
The Advanced Deterministic Scorecard reveals a weak financial health profile with a Piotroski F-Score of 4/9, indicating borderline stability, and no Altman Z-Score available, leaving bankruptcy risk unconfirmed but concerning given high leverage. Despite a low current P/E of 12.89 compared to sector average of 53.76, the negative forward P/E (-0.25) and collapsing earnings growth (-62% YoY) signal deteriorating profitability. The stock trades above the Graham Number of $11.53 but well above the intrinsic value of $4.97, suggesting overvaluation on a conservative basis. Persistent negative earnings surprises, declining ROE, and weak insider sentiment (40/100) further undermine confidence in a near-term turnaround.
Key Strengths
Revenue growth of 7.0% YoY outpaces sector average of 7.72%, showing resilience in core operations
Operating margin of 6.33% is healthy for a retail company in a competitive environment
Current ratio of 1.41 indicates short-term liquidity is manageable
Price/Sales ratio of 0.19 is extremely low, suggesting potential undervaluation on revenue basis
Recent 1-week price performance (+4.6%) shows minor positive momentum
Key Risks
Piotroski F-Score of 4/9 indicates weak financial health with risks in profitability and leverage
Earnings growth collapsing at -62% YoY and -87.7% Q/Q, signaling severe profit deterioration
Debt/Equity ratio of 1.10 is high, especially for a company with negative earnings momentum
Forward P/E of -0.25 confirms unprofitable forward outlook, raising sustainability concerns
History of consistent earnings misses: only 1 beat in last 4 quarters with an average surprise of -2.6%
AI Fair Value Estimate
Based on comprehensive analysis
$6.25
-31.7% below current price
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Overall
26
Weak
45
20
30
35
0
AI Verdict
High-risk, structurally challenged company with limited near-term catalysts
Key drivers: Low Piotroski score, Negative earnings growth, High debt burden, Poor earnings predictability, Overvaluation relative to intrinsic models
Confidence
88%
Value
45/100
Ref P/E, PEG, Graham Number
Positives
- Low P/E relative to sector
- Very low Price/Sales ratio
Watchpoints
- Stock trades above Graham Number ($11.53) and significantly above intrinsic value ($4.97)
- Price/Book of 1.10 offers no margin of safety
Future
20/100
Ref Growth rates
Positives
- Revenue growth remains positive at 7%
Watchpoints
- Forward P/E negative
- Earnings growth plunging YoY and Q/Q
- No analyst coverage or target prices available
Past
30/100
Ref Historical trends
Positives
- Some quarters showed strong positive surprises (e.g., +91.7% in 2025-03-10)
Watchpoints
- Long history of earnings misses, including multiple -100%+ surprise events
- Extreme volatility in quarterly results with no consistent trend
Health
35/100
Ref Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score
Positives
- Current ratio of 1.41 supports short-term solvency
Watchpoints
- Piotroski F-Score of 4/9 indicates weak financial health
- Debt/Equity of 1.10 is elevated
- Quick ratio of 0.62 suggests illiquid current assets
Dividend
0/100
Ref Yield, Payout
Positives
No standout positives identified.
Watchpoints
- No dividend yield
- Dividend strength score of 0/100
- Payout ratio is 0%, but no capacity to pay
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Current Price
$9.15
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for BNED and closest competitors.
Updated 2026-01-23
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BNED
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.
Primary
|
-98.3% | -95.9% | -17.0% | -1.0% | -3.6% | +4.6% |
|
BRLT
Brilliant Earth Group, Inc.
Peer
|
-89.6% | -61.7% | -18.5% | +12.4% | -8.7% | -9.2% |
|
BARK
BARK, Inc.
Peer
|
-93.4% | -50.5% | -52.6% | -9.8% | +41.8% | +0.8% |
|
AHMA
Ambitions Enterprise Management Co. L.L.C
Peer
|
+11.4% | +11.4% | +11.4% | +11.4% | -26.9% | -12.9% |
|
AKA
a.k.a. Brands Holding Corp.
Peer
|
-89.8% | -31.8% | -26.7% | +11.4% | +6.0% | +3.1% |
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Historical data shows last 12 quarters (3 years)
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
P/E Ratio
12.89
Forward P/E
-0.25
PEG Ratio
N/A
P/B Ratio
1.1
P/S Ratio
0.19
EV/Revenue
0.36
EV/EBITDA
9.4
Market Cap
$311.59M
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Profit Margin
0.1%
Operating Margin
6.33%
Gross Margin
20.84%
ROE
0.69%
ROA
1.89%
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Revenue Growth
+7.0%
Earnings Growth
-62.0%
Q/Q Revenue Growth
N/A
Q/Q Earnings Growth
-49.7%
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Debt/Equity
1.1
Moderate
Current Ratio
1.41
Good
Quick Ratio
0.62
Poor
Cash/Share
$0.34
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
2026-03-05
$N/A
2025-09-17
$N/A
2025-03-10
$0.23
+91.7% surprise
2024-12-09
$1.87
-96.9% surprise
Consumer Cyclical Sector Comparison
Comparing BNED against 94 companies in the Consumer Cyclical sector
(5 bullish, 49 neutral, 40 bearish)
P/E Ratio
12.89
This Stock
vs
42.97
Sector Avg
-70.0%
(Discount)
Return on Equity (ROE)
0.69%
This Stock
vs
6.02%
Sector Avg
-88.6%
(Below Avg)
Profit Margin
0.1%
This Stock
vs
0.78%
Sector Avg
-87.2%
(Weaker)
Debt to Equity
1.1
This Stock
vs
1.65
Sector Avg
-33.2%
(Less Debt)
Revenue Growth
7.0%
This Stock
vs
7.65%
Sector Avg
-8.4%
(Slower)
Current Ratio
1.41
This Stock
vs
1.88
Sector Avg
-24.8%
(Weaker)
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BNED
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $311.59M | 12.89 | 0.7% | 0.1% | $9.15 | |
|
BRLT
Brilliant Earth Group, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $158.18M | - | -2.6% | -0.1% | $1.58 | |
|
BARK
BARK, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $157.87M | - | -33.6% | -7.8% | $0.92 | |
|
AHMA
Ambitions Enterprise...
|
BEARISH | $153.98M | 129.5 | 19.1% | 5.9% | $5.18 | |
|
AKA
a.k.a. Brands Holding Corp.
|
BEARISH | $133.06M | - | -21.3% | -4.4% | $12.27 |
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning BNED from our newsroom.
Newest → oldest
No matching news yet.