Home 
Today's Top Picks 
Top Performers 
Watchlist 
My Robo Portfolios 
ETF Zone 
Help & Tutorial 
Cancel anytime
- Chart
- Upturn Summary
- Highlights
- Revenue
- Valuation
Upturn AI SWOT - About
Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)
- BUY Advisory
- SELL Advisory (Profit)
- SELL Advisory (Loss)
- Profit
- Loss
- Pass (Skip investing)
Stock price based on last close (see disclosures)
- ALL
- YEAR
- MONTH
- WEEK
Upturn Advisory Summary
07/11/2025: BNED (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
Upturn Star Rating
Not Recommended Performance
These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.
Number of Analysts
1 Analysts rated it
Very few follow this stock; limited insights, higher-risk early investing.
1 Year Target Price $0.75
1 Year Target Price $0.75
| 0 | Strong Buy |
| 0 | Buy |
| 1 | Hold |
| 0 | Sell |
| 0 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -54.75% | Avg. Invested days 20 | Today’s Advisory WEAK BUY |
Upturn Star Rating | Upturn Advisory Performance  1.0 | Stock Returns Performance  1.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 07/11/2025 |
Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 379.70M USD | Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price 0.75 |
Price to earnings Ratio - | 1Y Target Price 0.75 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 1 | Beta 1.84 | 52 Weeks Range 7.85 - 14.40 | Updated Date 07/12/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 7.85 - 14.40 | Updated Date 07/12/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) -12.1 |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Earnings Date
Report Date - | When - | Estimate - | Actual - |
Profitability
Profit Margin -4.47% | Operating Margin (TTM) 3.65% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 1.85% | Return on Equity (TTM) -36.83% |
Valuation
Trailing PE - | Forward PE - | Enterprise Value 734612394 | Price to Sales(TTM) 0.24 |
Enterprise Value 734612394 | Price to Sales(TTM) 0.24 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.47 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 97.34 | Shares Outstanding 34053800 | Shares Floating 19203645 |
Shares Outstanding 34053800 | Shares Floating 19203645 | ||
Percent Insiders 9.54 | Percent Institutions 73.94 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Barnes & Noble Education Inc
Company Overview
History and Background
Barnes & Noble Education Inc. (BNED) was founded in 1873. Initially, it was a bookstore, evolving into a provider of educational products and services, especially for the higher education market. It separated from Barnes & Noble, Inc. in 2015 to focus on the education sector.
Core Business Areas
- Retail: Operates physical and virtual bookstores for colleges and universities, offering textbooks (new, used, rental), course materials, school-branded apparel, technology, and supplies.
- Wholesale: Distributes used textbooks to bookstores and other retailers.
- Digital Student Solutions (DSS): Provides digital learning platforms and resources, including bartleby, a direct-to-student learning service offering homework help, writing tools, and textbook solutions.
Leadership and Structure
Michael P. Huseby serves as CEO. The company has a board of directors and operates with distinct business segments, each with its own management team.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Textbooks (New, Used, Rental): Provides textbooks in various formats. Market share within higher education textbook retail is estimated to be significant, though specific percentages fluctuate. Competitors include Amazon, Follett Higher Education Group, and independent campus bookstores.
- bartleby: A direct-to-student learning platform that provides homework help, writing tools, and textbook solutions. Subscription-based revenue. Competitors include Chegg, Course Hero, and Quizlet.
- School Apparel & Supplies: Offers school-branded clothing, gifts, and other supplies, contributing to overall retail revenue. This offering competes with Amazon, Fanatics, and local campus shops.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The higher education retail market is evolving with increasing digital adoption, declining physical textbook sales, and growing demand for affordable learning solutions. Online learning and open educational resources are also reshaping the landscape.
Positioning
BNED is a leading operator of college bookstores. It aims to transform into a digital education solutions provider through its bartleby platform and partnerships with institutions.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The TAM for higher education course materials and related services is estimated to be billions of dollars annually. BNED is positioned to capture a portion of this TAM through its retail operations and digital platforms.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Established relationships with colleges and universities
- Extensive retail network
- Growing digital platform (bartleby)
- Brand recognition
Weaknesses
- High debt levels
- Declining physical textbook sales
- Exposure to seasonality
- Dependence on college enrollment trends
Opportunities
- Expansion of digital learning solutions
- Partnerships with educational institutions
- Growth in online learning
- Increased demand for affordable course materials
Threats
- Competition from online retailers
- Shift to open educational resources
- Declining college enrollment
- Economic downturns
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- AMZN
- CHGG
- PRGS
Competitive Landscape
BNED holds an advantage through its established college bookstore network but faces intense competition from online retailers (AMZN) and digital learning platforms (CHGG, PRGS).
Major Acquisitions
Student Brands
- Year: 2017
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 58.5
- Strategic Rationale: Acquired Student Brands to enhance digital capabilities and expand the bartleby platform.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Historical growth has been inconsistent due to industry shifts and financial challenges.
Future Projections: Future growth depends on the success of digital initiatives, cost management, and overall industry trends.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives include expanding the bartleby platform, renegotiating contracts with colleges, and focusing on cost reduction.
Summary
Barnes & Noble Education is transitioning from a traditional bookstore model to a digital education provider with its bartleby platform. The company faces challenges with high debt and declining textbook sales. Success will depend on the growth of its digital solutions and effective cost management. BNED is still a very weak and risky stock to invest in.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Barnes & Noble Education Inc. Annual Reports
- SEC Filings
- Industry Reports
- Market Research Reports
Disclaimers:
This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Market data and analyst estimates are subject to change.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Barnes & Noble Education Inc
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters Basking Ridge, NJ, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 2015-08-03 | CEO - | ||
Sector Consumer Cyclical | Industry Specialty Retail | Full time employees 2520 | Website https://www.bned.com |
Full time employees 2520 | Website https://www.bned.com | ||
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. operates bookstores for college and university campuses, and K-12 institutions primarily in the United States. It operates in two segments, Retail and Wholesale. 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. In addition, it offers First Day and First Day Complete access programs; and general merchandise, including collegiate and athletic apparel, school spirit products, lifestyle and wellness products, technology products, supplies, graduation products, and convenience items. Further, the company sources, sells, and distributes new and used textbooks; and sells hardware and a software suite of applications that provides inventory management and point-of-sale solutions to college bookstores. Additionally, it offers direct-to-student services. The company operates physical college and university bookstores; virtual bookstores; True Spirit e-commerce websites; pop-up retail locations; customized cafés and stand-alone convenience stores; and a media channel for brands targeting the college demographic. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
Note: This website is maintained by Upturn Corporation, which is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Investing in securities has risks. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. No assurance is provided as to any particular investment return, and you may lose money using our services. You are strongly advised to consult appropriate counsel before making any investments in companies you learn about through our services. You should obtain appropriate legal, tax, investment, accounting, and other advice that takes into account your investment portfolio and overall financial situation. You are solely responsible for conducting due diligence on a potential investment. We do not affect trades for you. You will select your own broker through which to transact. Investments are not FDIC insured, they are not guaranteed, and they may lose value. Please see the Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and Disclosure for more information.