Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio -4.5x · EV/EBITDA 12.3x · ROE -37.3%. (2013–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $390M | $272M | $541M | $3.3B | $6.3B | $15.7B | $3.4B | $8.1B | $13.4B | $19.5B | $17.4B |
| Enterprise Value | $664M | $547M | $945M | $3.7B | $6.8B | $16.2B | $3.9B | $8.3B | $13.6B | $19.6B | $17.4B |
| P/E Ratio → | -4.55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 94.64 | 5200.00 |
| P/S Ratio | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.35 | 2.12 | 4.21 | 11.17 | 1.86 | 4.00 | 6.10 | 10.39 | 9.62 |
| P/B Ratio | 1.10 | 1.00 | 6.73 | 25.03 | 27.58 | 53.63 | 8.23 | 18.06 | 28.74 | 27.28 | 24.57 |
| P/FCF | — | — | — | 49.16 | — | 2946.25 | — | 107.95 | 780.42 | 584.47 | 538.87 |
| P/OCF | — | — | — | 35.71 | 5425.08 | 477.73 | — | 66.81 | 223.99 | 286.41 | 209.45 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 0.34 | 0.60 | 2.41 | 4.57 | 11.49 | 2.10 | 4.06 | 6.18 | 10.46 | 9.61 |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.33 | 10.15 | 139.70 | — | — | — | 167.66 | 210.04 | — | 293.28 | 303.13 |
| EV / EBIT | 41.70 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1446.90 | 3757.99 |
| EV / FCF | — | — | — | 55.96 | — | 3030.02 | — | 109.54 | 790.88 | 588.69 | 537.99 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 21.0% | 21.0% | 22.0% | 22.6% | 22.9% | 16.4% | 23.9% | 25.9% | 25.3% | 24.5% | 25.1% |
| Operating Margin | 1.0% | 1.0% | -2.2% | -4.3% | -4.1% | -12.0% | -2.3% | -1.4% | -11.9% | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Net Profit Margin | -4.1% | -4.1% | -4.8% | -6.6% | -4.6% | -9.9% | -2.1% | -1.2% | -11.5% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | -37.3% | -37.3% | -71.7% | -56.7% | -26.4% | -39.3% | -8.8% | -5.3% | -42.7% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| ROA | -7.7% | -7.7% | -8.0% | -9.9% | -6.5% | -12.8% | -3.6% | -2.5% | -21.6% | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| ROIC | 2.3% | 2.3% | -4.7% | -7.4% | -6.1% | -15.8% | -4.5% | -3.4% | -26.2% | 1.3% | 0.5% |
| ROCE | 3.4% | 3.4% | -7.1% | -11.3% | -9.2% | -24.0% | -6.6% | -4.8% | -34.7% | 1.6% | 0.6% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 1.04 | 1.04 | 5.15 | 3.57 | 2.38 | 1.55 | 1.09 | 0.30 | 0.42 | 0.22 | — |
| Debt / EBITDA | 5.26 | 5.26 | 61.20 | — | — | — | 19.58 | 3.40 | — | 2.39 | — |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 1.01 | 5.02 | 3.46 | 2.34 | 1.53 | 1.07 | 0.27 | 0.39 | 0.20 | -0.04 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 5.09 | 5.09 | 59.65 | — | — | — | 19.22 | 3.04 | — | 2.10 | -0.50 |
| Debt / FCF | — | — | — | 6.80 | — | 83.78 | — | 1.59 | 10.46 | 4.22 | -0.88 |
| Interest Coverage | -2.53 | -2.53 | -1.61 | -3.44 | -6.00 | -20.87 | -5.75 | -2.83 | -25.49 | 3.91 | 2.47 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 1.67 | 1.67 | 1.10 | 1.16 | 1.28 | 1.34 | 1.44 | 1.45 | 1.50 | 1.46 | 1.73 |
| Quick Ratio | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.31 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.51 | 0.28 | 0.30 | 0.31 | 0.28 | 0.33 |
| Cash Ratio | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.11 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 2.04 | 1.72 | 1.57 | 1.40 | 1.36 | 1.60 | 2.15 | 2.12 | 1.44 | 1.69 |
| Inventory Turnover | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.28 | 3.38 | 3.56 | 3.80 | 3.00 | 3.22 | 3.35 | 2.91 | 3.75 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 22.01 | 22.72 | 21.33 | 32.63 | 30.67 | 17.76 | 16.49 | 14.99 | 14.27 | 10.28 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Payout Ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| FCF Yield | — | — | — | 2.0% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.9% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $26M | $27M | $21M | $21M | $20M | $19M | $19M | $19M | $19M | $19M |
Liquidity and insolvency risk
According to recent market data, BNED trades at a forward EV/EBITDA of 5.53x, a multiple that suggests investors are pricing in significant execution risk rather than growth, especially when compared to the broader specialty retail sector and the company's own historical valuation ranges.
The forward P/E of 59.74x appears disconnected from the company's thin operating margins, implying that the market is struggling to anchor a valuation on normalized earnings. This valuation gap suggests that investors should monitor whether the 'First Day' program can drive sufficient scale to justify a premium over traditional distressed retail multiples.
Based on reported financial statements, BNED's ROIC has fluctuated between -12.3% and 5.6% over the last ten quarters, indicating that the company is currently failing to consistently generate returns above its cost of capital, a trend that warrants further investigation into asset efficiency.
The erratic nature of ROIC suggests that the company's capital allocation is heavily influenced by seasonal working capital swings rather than long-term value creation. Without sustained positive returns, the company may continue to struggle with its ability to reinvest in digital initiatives without further diluting existing shareholders.
As reported in recent filings, BNED's cash conversion cycle has shown extreme volatility, peaking at 133 days in 2025Q4, which highlights the significant pressure that inventory management and seasonal student demand place on the company's ability to efficiently convert assets into liquid cash.
The high DIO, which reached 215 days in 2024Q4, suggests that inventory obsolescence remains a material risk as the academic market shifts toward digital courseware. Investors should monitor whether the company can reduce its reliance on physical inventory to improve its cash conversion efficiency and lower its working capital burden.
Based on the provided figures, BNED's debt-to-EBITDA ratio has been highly unstable, reaching as high as 48.34x in 2024Q3, which indicates that the company's ability to service its debt obligations is extremely sensitive to even minor fluctuations in operating performance and seasonal revenue generation.
The interest coverage ratio, which has dipped into negative territory in recent periods, suggests that the company's financial flexibility is severely constrained. This leverage profile appears to leave little room for error, making the company highly vulnerable to any disruption in its credit facility or institutional contract renewals.
As indicated by the company's reported figures, the Debt/Equity ratio is frequently misapplied to BNED, as it fails to account for the massive off-balance-sheet lease obligations that function as debt-like commitments, thereby obscuring the true extent of the company's financial leverage and insolvency risk.
Analysts should instead focus on lease-adjusted leverage metrics to gain a clearer picture of the company's fixed-cost burden. Relying solely on the reported D/E ratio may lead to an underestimation of the company's structural risk, particularly given the high fixed costs associated with its 800+ physical locations.
Includes 30+ ratios · 13 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BNED stock.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s current P/E ratio is -4.5x. The historical average is 94.6x.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 12.3x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 10.1x.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is -37.3%. The historical average is -21.3%.
Based on historical data, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. is trading at a P/E of -4.5x. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. has 21.0% gross margin and 1.0% operating margin.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s Debt/EBITDA ratio is 5.3x, indicating high leverage. A ratio above 4x may signal elevated financial risk.