Barnes & Noble Education Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), a leading solutions provider for the education industry, today reported sales and earnings for the third quarter ended on January 27, 2024.

Financial Results for the Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2024:

• Consolidated third quarter GAAP sales of $456.7 million increased by $18.6 million, compared to $438.1 million in the prior year period. The third quarter sales increase is due to higher course material sales, primarily through the Company’s BNC First Day programs.

• Consolidated third quarter GAAP gross profit of $100.0 million increased by $3.0 million, compared to $97.0 million in the prior year period.

• Consolidated third quarter selling and administrative expenses of $79.8 million decreased by $12.1 million, compared to the prior year period.

• Consolidated third quarter GAAP net loss from continuing operations of $(9.9) million improved by $12.2 million, compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $(22.1) million in the prior year period. The decrease in third quarter GAAP net loss from continuing operations was due to a $3.0 million increase in gross profit and a $12.1 million decrease in selling and administrative expenses, partially offset by a $3.7 million increase in interest expense.

• Consolidated third quarter non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings from Continuing Operations of $(0.7) million increased by $11.3 million, compared to $(12.0) million in the prior year period.

• Consolidated third quarter non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations of $20.3 million increased by $15.1 million, compared to $5.2 million in the prior year period.

Operational Highlights for the Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2024:

• BNC First Day total revenue increased by $63 million to $184 million, compared to $121 million during the prior year period.

• First Day® Complete revenue grew by $43 million to $110 million, compared to $67 million in the prior year period.

• 160 campus stores are utilizing First Day® Complete in the Spring of 2024 representing enrollment of approximately 805,000 undergraduate and post graduate students*, an increase of approximately 39% compared to Spring of 2023.

• Total Retail segment gross comparable store sales increased by $38.1 million, or 8.8%, comprised of a 14.1% increase in course material gross comparable store sales, offset by a 4.6% decrease in general merchandise gross comparable store sales. For comparable store sales reporting purposes, logo general merchandise sales fulfilled by Lids and Fanatics are included on a gross basis.

• Ended the quarter with 1,272 physical and virtual stores, a net decrease of 116 stores, as compared to the prior year period, as the Company continues its focus on winding down under-performing, less profitable stores and satellite locations.

*As reported by National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Third Quarter 2024 and Year to Date Results

The Company has two reportable segments: Retail and Wholesale. Additionally, unallocated shared-service costs, which include various corporate level expenses and other governance functions, are not allocated to a specific reporting segment and are presented as “Corporate Services.” All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Our business is highly seasonal. For example, our retail business is seasonal, particularly with respect to textbook sales and rentals, with the major portion of sales and operating profit realized during the second and third fiscal quarters when college students generally purchase and rent textbooks for the upcoming semesters and lowest in the first and fourth fiscal quarters. Our quarterly results also may fluctuate depending on the timing of the start of the various schools’ semesters, the revenue impact of accounting principles with respect to the recognition of revenue associated with our equitable and inclusive access programs, the ability to secure inventory on a timely basis, as well as shifts in our fiscal calendar dates. These shifts in timing may affect the comparability of our results across periods. Additionally, as the concentration of digital product sales increases, revenue will be recognized earlier during the academic term as digital textbook revenue is recognized when the customer accesses the digital content compared to: (i) the rental of physical textbook where revenue is recognized over the rental period, and (ii) a la carte courseware sales where revenue is recognized when the customer takes physical possession of our products, which occurs either at the point of sale for products purchased at physical locations or upon receipt of our products by our customers for products ordered through our websites and virtual bookstores.

Results for the 13 and 39 weeks of fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023 are as follows:

Retail Segment Results

Third quarter Retail sales increased by $18.2 million to $439.4 million, compared to $421.2 million in the prior year period. Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales increased 8.8% for the quarter. Gross comparable course material sales increased 14.1% and gross comparable general merchandise decreased 4.6%. The increase in gross comparable course material product sales was due to growth from the Company’s BNC First Day models, which increased by $63 million to $184 million, compared to $121 million in the prior year period.

Third quarter Retail gross profit increased by $0.3 million to $89.2 million, compared to $88.9 million in the prior year period. Retail gross margin as a percentage of sales was 20.3% compared to 21.1% in the prior year period.

Retail Product and other gross margin as a percentage of sales was flat primarily from increased sales of $63.3 million from First Day Complete course material sales, and lower contract costs as a percentage of sales related to our college and university contracts as a result of the shift to digital and First Day models and lower performing school contracts not renewed, were partially offset by lower margin rates for course materials due to higher markdowns, including markdowns related to closed stores, and lower general merchandise sales, primarily from closed stores, a lower average commission rate and an unfavorable sales mix due to the shift to digital course materials.

Retail Rental gross margin as a percentage of sales decreased to 42.1% from 47.6% in the prior year period driven primarily by lower rental margin rates, higher markdowns and unfavorable rental mix, partially offset by lower contract costs as a percentage of sales related to our college and university contracts as a result of the shift to digital and First Day models and lower performing school contracts not renewed.

Third quarter Retail selling and administrative expenses decreased by $11.4 million to $71.4 million from $82.8 million in the prior year period. This decrease was primarily due to cost savings initiatives comprised of a $7.9 million decrease in comparable store payroll expense, new/closed store payroll expense and related operating costs, and a $3.4 million decrease in corporate payroll expense, infrastructure and product development costs.

Third quarter Retail non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $17.9 million, compared to $6.2 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA increased by $11.7 million primarily due to lower selling and administrative expenses.

Wholesale Segment Results (Before Intercompany Eliminations)

Wholesale third quarter sales decreased by $1.8 million to $37.2 million from $39.0 million in the prior year period. The decrease is primarily due to lower gross sales of $4.5 million, partially offset by lower returns and allowances of $2.7 million compared to the prior year period.

Wholesale third quarter gross profit was $8.0 million, or 21.5% of sales, compared to $6.7 million, or 17.1% of sales, in the third quarter of 2023. The gross margin rate increased in the third quarter of 2024 primarily due to lower returns and allowances and lower warehouse costs, partially offset by higher markdowns.

Third quarter Wholesale selling and administrative expenses decreased by $0.3 million to $3.3 million, compared to $3.6 million in the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to cost savings initiatives comprised of lower payroll expense of $0.4 million, partially offset by higher operating expenses of $0.1 million.

Wholesale non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter increased by $1.6 million to $4.7 million from $3.1 million in the prior year. The increase in Wholesale non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA is due to the higher gross margin and lower selling and administrative expenses in the third quarter of 2024.

Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and Refinancing Discussions

Cash flows used in operating activities from continuing operations during the 39 weeks ended January 27, 2024 were $(83.2) million compared to $(21.2) million during the 39 weeks ended January 28, 2023. This increase in cash flows used in operating activities from continuing operations of $62.0 million was primarily due to changes in working capital, including higher accounts receivables of $81.7 million and higher inventory levels of $88.2 million primarily related to our increased adoption of our BNC First Day equitable and inclusive access sales; higher payments for interest expense of $6.2 million; offset by higher payables of $78.0 million due to delayed payments to vendors for inventory purchases and expenses, as a result of borrowing capacity limitations under our credit facility.

Given the growth of our BNC First Day programs, the timing of cash collection from our school partners may shift to periods subsequent to when the revenue is recognized. When a school adopts our BNC First Day equitable and inclusive access offerings, cash collection from the school generally occurs after the institution’s drop/add dates, which is later in the working capital cycle, particularly in our third quarter given the timing of the Spring Term and our quarterly reporting period, as compared to direct-to-student point-of-sale transactions where cash is generally collected during the point-of-sale transaction or within a few days from the credit card processor. As a higher percentage of our sales shift to BNC First Day equitable and inclusive access offerings, we are focused on efforts to better align the timing of our cash outflows to course material vendors with cash inflows collected from schools.

As of January 27, 2024, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents were $8.1 million and total outstanding debt was $254.3 million, as compared to cash and cash equivalents of $9.4 million and total outstanding debt of $283.9 million in the prior year period.

The Company is engaged in advanced and ongoing discussions with third parties to evaluate a range of options to strengthen its liquidity and financial position. The potential options under consideration include among other things, a refinancing, in whole or in part, of the Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreements, as well as a potential equity offering, which would likely be conducted at a substantial discount to the current market price of the Company’s common stock. There can be no assurance that any refinancing, equity offering, or other transaction will occur or, if any transaction occurs, that it will ultimately be consummated, or that the Company’s effort to strengthen its liquidity and financial position will be achieved.

On March 12, 2024, the Company entered into an amendment to its credit agreement to amend certain financial covenants. For more details on the amendment, please refer to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on March 12, 2024.

Fiscal Year 2024 Outlook

The Company is maintaining its fiscal year 2024 guidance of approximately $40 million of consolidated non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations.

Conference Call

The Company will not host an earnings conference call due to the advanced and ongoing discussions with third parties to evaluate a range of options to strengthen its liquidity and financial position.

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a leading solutions provider for the education industry, driving affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Through its family of brands, BNED offers campus retail services and academic solutions, wholesale capabilities and more. BNED is a company serving all who work to elevate their lives through education, supporting students, faculty and institutions as they make tomorrow a better, more inclusive and smarter world. For more information, visit www.bned.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and information relating to us and our business that are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management. When used in this communication, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “forecasts,” “projections,” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, the outcome of which is subject to certain risks, including, among others: the amount of our indebtedness and ability to comply with covenants applicable to current and /or any future debt financing; our ability to satisfy future capital and liquidity requirements; our ability to continue as a going concern: our ability to access the credit and capital markets at the times and in the amounts needed and on acceptable terms; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity levels to support ongoing inventory purchases and related vendor payments in a timely manner; our ability to attract and retain employees; the pace of equitable access adoption in the marketplace is slower than anticipated and our ability to successfully convert the majority of our institutions to our BNC First Day^® equitable and inclusive access course material models or successfully compete with third parties that provide similar equitable and inclusive access solutions; the United States Department of Education has recently proposed regulatory changes that, if adopted as proposed, could impact equitable and inclusive access models across the higher education industry; the strategic objectives, successful integration, anticipated synergies, and/or other expected potential benefits of various strategic and restructuring initiatives, may not be fully realized or may take longer than expected; dependency on strategic service provider relationships, such as with VitalSource Technologies, Inc. and the Fanatics Retail Group Fulfillment, LLC, Inc. (“Fanatics”) and Fanatics Lids College, Inc. D/B/A “Lids” (“Lids”) (collectively referred to herein as the “F/L Relationship”), and the potential for adverse operational and financial changes to these strategic service provider relationships, may adversely impact our business; non-renewal of managed bookstore, physical and/or online store contracts and higher-than-anticipated store closings; decisions by colleges and universities to outsource their physical and/or online bookstore operations or change the operation of their bookstores; general competitive conditions, including actions our competitors and content providers may take to grow their businesses; the risk of changes in price or in formats of course materials by publishers, which could negatively impact revenues and margin; changes to purchase or rental terms, payment terms, return policies, the discount or margin on products or other terms with our suppliers; product shortages, including decreases in the used textbook inventory supply associated with the implementation of publishers’ digital offerings and direct to student textbook consignment rental programs; work stoppages or increases in labor costs; possible increases in shipping rates or interruptions in shipping services; a decline in college enrollment or decreased funding available for students; decreased consumer demand for our products, low growth or declining sales; the general economic environment and consumer spending patterns; trends and challenges to our business and in the locations in which we have stores; risks associated with operation or performance of MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC’s point-of-sales systems that are sold to college bookstore customers; technological changes, including the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies for educational content; risks associated with counterfeit and piracy of digital and print materials; risks associated with the potential loss of control over personal information; risks associated with the potential misappropriation of our intellectual property; disruptions to our information technology systems, infrastructure, data, supplier systems, and customer ordering and payment systems due to computer malware, viruses, hacking and phishing attacks, resulting in harm to our business and results of operations; disruption of or interference with third party service providers and our own proprietary technology; risks associated with the impact that public health crises, epidemics, and pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have on the overall demand for BNED products and services, our operations, the operations of our suppliers, service providers, and campus partners, and the effectiveness of our response to these risks; lingering impacts that public health crises may have on the ability of our suppliers to manufacture or source products, particularly from outside of the United States; changes in applicable domestic and international laws, rules or regulations, including, without limitation, U.S. tax reform, changes in tax rates, laws and regulations, as well as related guidance; changes in and enactment of applicable laws, rules or regulations or changes in enforcement practices including, without limitation, with regard to consumer data privacy rights, which may restrict or prohibit our use of consumer personal information for texts, emails, interest based online advertising, or similar marketing and sales activities; adverse results from litigation, governmental investigations, tax-related proceedings, or audits; changes in accounting standards; and the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Part I – Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 29, 2023. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those described as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

On May 31, 2023, we completed the sale of these assets related to our DSS Segment. The results of operations related to the DSS Segment are included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations as “Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax.” The cash flows of the DSS Segment are also presented separately in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

We have two reportable segments: Retail and Wholesale as follows:

• The Retail Segment operates 1,272 college, university, and K-12 school bookstores, comprised of 717 physical bookstores and 555 virtual bookstores. Our bookstores typically operate under agreements with the college, university, or K-12 schools to be the official bookstore and the exclusive seller of course materials and supplies, including physical and digital products. The majority of the physical campus bookstores have school-branded e-commerce websites which we operate independently or along with our merchant service providers, and which offer students access to affordable course materials and affinity products, including emblematic apparel and gifts. The Retail Segment offers our BNC First Day^® equitable and inclusive access programs, consisting of First Day Complete and First Day, which provide faculty required course materials on or before the first day of class at a discounted rate, as compared to the total retail price for the same course materials if purchased separately. The BNC First Day discounted price is offered as a course fee or included in tuition. Additionally, the Retail Segment offers a suite of digital content and services to colleges and universities, including a variety of open educational resource-based courseware.

• The Wholesale Segment is comprised of our wholesale textbook business and is one of the largest textbook wholesalers in the country. The Wholesale Segment centrally sources, sells, and distributes new and used textbooks to approximately 2,900 physical bookstores (including our Retail Segment’s 717 physical bookstores) and sources and distributes new and used textbooks to our 555 virtual bookstores. Additionally, the Wholesale Segment sells hardware and a software suite of applications that provides inventory management and point-of-sale solutions to approximately 325 college bookstores.

Corporate Services represents unallocated shared-service costs which include corporate level expenses and other governance functions, including executive functions, such as accounting, legal, treasury, information technology, and human resources.

All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash interest paid during the 39 weeks ended January 27, 2024 and January 28, 2023 was $19.6 million and $13.4 million, respectively.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, assets related to our Digital Student Solutions (“DSS”) Segment met the criteria for classification as Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations and is no longer a reportable segment. Certain assets and liabilities associated with the DSS Segment are presented in our condensed consolidated balance sheets as “Assets Held for Sale” and “Liabilities Held for Sale”. The results of operations related to the DSS Segment are included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations as “Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax.” The cash flows of the DSS Segment are also presented separately in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

On May 31, 2023, we completed the sale of these assets related to our DSS Segment for cash proceeds of $20,000, net of certain transaction fees, severance costs, escrow, and other considerations. During the 39 weeks ended January 27, 2024, we recorded a Gain on Sale of Business of $3,545 in Loss from Discontinued Operations, Net, related to the sale. Net cash proceeds from the sale were used for debt repayment and to provide additional funds for working capital needs under our Credit Facility. The following table summarizes the operating results of the discontinued operations for the periods indicated:

Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales

Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales variances by category for the 13 and 39 week periods are as follows:

To supplement the Total Sales table presented above, the Company uses Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales as a key performance indicator. Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales includes sales from physical and virtual stores that have been open for an entire fiscal year period and does not include sales from permanently closed stores for all periods presented. For Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales, sales for logo general merchandise fulfilled by Lids, Fanatics and digital agency sales are included on a gross basis in Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales compared to a net basis as commission revenue in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

We believe the current Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales calculation method reflects management’s view that such comparable store sales are an important measure of the growth in sales when evaluating how established stores have performed over time. We present this metric as additional useful information about the Company’s operational and financial performance and to allow greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by management for operating and financial decision-making. Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales are also referred to as “same-store” sales by others within the retail industry and the method of calculating comparable store sales varies across the retail industry. As a result, our calculation of comparable store sales is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies and is intended only as supplemental information and is not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with GAAP.

BNC First Day Sales

The following table summarizes our BNC First Day sales for the 13 and 39 weeks ended January 27, 2024 and January 28, 2023:

Adjusted EBITDA by Segment (non-GAAP) ^(a) – Continuing Operations

The following is Adjusted EBITDA by Segment for Continuing Operations for the 13 and 39 week periods: