Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Nov 6, 2026: fair value (intrinsic value) of Barnes & Noble Education Inc stock $10.71, price $12.58, that is 14.9% below the price, quality 50 out of 100. Rating: overvalued. Calculated from audited financials with 24 of our 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceableSee the method →
Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year. As of Nov 5, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $6.12 – $1,185 · fair‑value band $8.03 – $14.57 · the $12.58 price screens above the $10.71 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). 3 fiscal years are left out: there the valuation rested on only a fraction of the usual models. As of Nov 5, 2026.
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Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. operates bookstores for college and university campuses, and K-12 institutions primarily in the United States.
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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.
It operates physical college and university bookstores; virtual bookstores; True Spirit e apparel and spirit shop 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 Florham Park, New Jersey.
Stock analysis
Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) currently trades at $12.58, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $10.71, 15% below the price, so the stock looks overvalued today.
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Valuation
Bull case: the Multiples group reads highest at a median of $13.63 per share, and 7 of the 24 models we run sit above the $12.58 price.
Bear case: the Asset-Based group reads lowest at $1.13, and 17 of the 24 models stay below the price. Data coverage for this calculation is high.
Scenario range: $8.03 (bear) to $14.57 (bull), the price of $12.58 sits inside it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.
Quality & growth
The Quality Score stands at 50/100 (solid quality), in the Consumer Cyclical sector.
Healthy Growth: Revenue growth appears healthy and is supported by profitability and cash-flow quality.
Barnes & Noble Education Inc reported revenue of $1.7B in FY2026 versus $1.5B in FY2022, a compound +3.5%/yr. Reported net income was $16.9M in FY2026.
Key figures
Market cap $435M Small · P/E ratio 19.7 · P/S ratio 0.25 · EPS (TTM) $0.6400 · Dividend yield 0.6% · Net margin 1.3% · Return on equity 8.3% · Return on assets (EBIT) −1.6% (5-year average).
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 21 out of 100 (medium confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 10% below its 52-week high and 106% above its 52-week low, currently above its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Consumer Cyclical peers we cover trades at −5% fair-value upside, at −15%, BNED screens richer than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear$8.03Fair Value $10.71Bull$14.57
Price $12.58 · Downside -14.9%
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above starts from their evidence-weighted blend, not from a single model. In cyclical trough or peak years, after dilution or a stock split it is adjusted afterwards, so it can sit above or below the models. Based on fiscal year 2026 figures (about 6 months old). Earnings retained since then ($0.2961 per share) are deliberately not added.Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target. If a model's bull case is above four times its base value, the table shows that limit with a > sign (like the overall Bull above): beyond it no assumption holds.Coverage ⓘCoverage = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
SaleJonathan SharCEO3× since Mar 13, 2026: 97,977 shares, avg. $12.28$1.2MSep 22, 2026
SaleJason SnaguskyCFO4× since Mar 13, 2026: 9,464 shares, avg. $12.35$116,927Jul 17, 2026
SaleChristopher NeumannEVP General Counsel, Secretary2,785 shares at $11.61$32,334Jul 10, 2026
Plus 10 other filings such as grants, option exercises or tax withholding. They are not market purchases or sales.
Sales are often planned (taxes, diversification, 10b5-1 plans). Purchases with their own money are seen as the stronger sign. For information only: not part of the quality score or Fair Value.
Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card.62/100
Revenue growth appears healthy and is supported by profitability and cash-flow quality.
Revenue growth 1 year
+6.5%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+3.6%
Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+4.0%
Start year 2021 (pandemic). Over 10 years: −0.5% a year
Revenue growth 15 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
−0.2%
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Profit margin (trend) ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.
−12.0% (2021) → 2.6% (2026)
Growth Forecast
A lot of optimism in the price
The price assumes more growth than the company has delivered so far.
What the price assumes ⓘThis turns our valuation around: instead of asking what the share is worth, it asks what growth the current price requires. It uses the cash the company keeps after all spending (free cash flow), the same discount rate as our models, five years of growth, then slowing evenly to 2 % a year by year ten. Compared with the analysts' sales forecasts extended to the same five years (at least three analysts, for context only, it does not enter the Fair Value): within 3 percentage points counts as "in line" (amber), below that little optimism (green), above that a lot of optimism (red).
+11.6%
Yearly growth needed for the next five years to justify today's price.
What forecasts expect
n/a
No analyst forecast available.
After inflation (USA: IMF forecast 2.4% a year to 2030, 3.1% from 2016 to 2025) that is about +9.0% a year for the price.
News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (80 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation.Hype
Recent news coverage is unusually upbeat, far more positive than stocks are typically covered.
Compare Barnes & Noble Education Inc with another stock
Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Specialty Retail · 203 stocks
Beats the industry median on 4/15 measures
Overall it trails its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score50 · Below median
Fair Value upside−14.9% · Below median
Profitability
Return on equity (12 months)8.3% · Above median
Return on assets2.3% · Below median
Net margin (12 months)1.3% · Below median
Operating margin (12 months)−5.9% · Bottom 25%
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth (quarter YoY)0.8% · Below median
Dividend yield (12 months)0.6% · Bottom 25%
Balance sheet
Debt / equity0.24× · Above median
Valuation Multiplesvs Specialty Retail median · lower = cheaper
P/E (12 months)19.7× · Pricier than median
P/B1.48× · Cheaper than median
P/S (12 months)0.25× · Cheapest 25%
Price / free cash flow (fiscal year)12.9× · Pricier than median
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Is Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Nov 5, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $10.71 versus a price of $12.58, about 15% lower (overvalued).
What is the fair value of BNED?
Our model-based fair value for Barnes & Noble Education Inc is $10.71 (as of Nov 5, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $12.58.
What is the quality score of BNED?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc has a Quality Score of 50/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of $10.71 (as of Nov 5, 2026) from 24 valuation models. Cautious scenario $8.03, optimistic scenario $14.57. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the Barnes & Noble Education Inc stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at $10.71, about 15% lower versus a price of $12.58 (overvalued). Cautious scenario $8.03, optimistic scenario $14.57. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $1.7B (latest available figure, as of Nov 5, 2026).
Does Barnes & Noble Education Inc pay a dividend?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc currently shows a dividend yield of 0.64% relative to its recent price (as of Nov 5, 2026).
How much is the dividend of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) and when is the ex-dividend date?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc pays a dividend of $0.08 per share a year, a dividend yield of 0.6%. The last ex-dividend date was Oct 14, 2026. The payout ratio is 12.5% of earnings. Free cash flow covers the dividend 12.21 times. Our assessment: Well covered. A low payout and the dividend is fully funded by free cash flow, a comfortable, sustainable dividend.
What growth is priced into Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
For today's price to be fair in a discounted-cash-flow model, Barnes & Noble Education Inc would have to grow free cash flow by +11.6 % per year for five years (discount rate 12.5 %, then slowing evenly to 2 % perpetual growth by year ten). Over the last 5 years revenue grew +4.0 % per year. As of Nov 5, 2026.
What discount rate (WACC) does the fair value of BNED use?
Our models discount Barnes & Noble Education Inc at 12.5 %: a base by market capitalisation (small), damped by beta 1.46, country premium for USA. The same rate applies in all 26 models.
What is a reverse DCF?
A reverse DCF turns the usual calculation around. Instead of deriving a value from assumptions, it takes today's price as given and asks: what free-cash-flow growth would a company have to deliver for exactly this price to be fair? The result is not a forecast but the expectation already priced in. For Barnes & Noble Education Inc that is +11.6 % per year for five years, then slowing evenly to 2 % by year ten, using the same discount rate (12.5 %) and the same formula as our fair value.
How much growth has Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) delivered so far?
Over the past 5 years revenue at Barnes & Noble Education Inc grew +4.0 % a year. The price currently implies free-cash-flow growth of +11.6 % per year. Comparing the two shows how much confidence is in the price: if it demands more than has been delivered, the business has to accelerate for the maths to work.
How fast is the sector of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) growing?
The median revenue growth in the sector is +4.7 % a year. That is the yardstick for the growth priced into Barnes & Noble Education Inc (+11.6 % per year): it shows whether the expectation is within the usual range or beyond it.
What is the free cash flow yield of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The free-cash-flow yield on the price is 7.79 %: that much free cash flow Barnes & Noble Education Inc produces per unit of market value. When it exceeds the discount rate of our models (12.5 %), the business already earns more than its cost of capital demands, and the price needs little additional growth.
What is the intrinsic value of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Barnes & Noble Education Inc it is $10.71 per share (as of Nov 5, 2026), against a price of $12.58. It is the blended result of 24 valuation models in 8 families (DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings).
Is Barnes & Noble Education Inc stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Nov 5, 2026, BNED trades above its calculated fair value: price $12.58, fair value $10.71, a gap of about −15% (overvalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of BNED?
No. The price is what the market pays today ($12.58); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($10.71). For Barnes & Noble Education Inc the two are $1.87 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is Barnes & Noble Education Inc worth?
The market values Barnes & Noble Education Inc at about $435M (market capitalisation, as of Nov 5, 2026). Per share that is $12.58; our models calculate a fair value of $10.71 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about BNED?
Our models span a range for Barnes & Noble Education Inc: cautious scenario $8.03, base $10.71, optimistic $14.57 per share (as of Nov 5, 2026, price $12.58). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the P/E ratio of BNED?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.7 (as of Nov 5, 2026). A P/E on its own says little: it compares the price with ONE year of profit, while our fair value of $10.71 is built from several models across several years. Other multiples: PEG 1.1, P/B 1.5, P/S 0.3, EV/EBITDA 6.7.
What is the PEG ratio of BNED?
The PEG ratio of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is 1.10 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Nov 5, 2026). That is above 1, so the growth is already paid for in the price.
How solid is the balance sheet of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Balance-sheet figures for Barnes & Noble Education Inc (as of Nov 5, 2026): return on equity 8.3%, debt of 0.24 per unit of equity. They feed the Quality Score of 50/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is BNED from its 52-week high?
Barnes & Noble Education Inc trades at $12.58, about 10% below its 52-week high of $13.95 and 106% above the low of $6.12 (as of Nov 6, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $10.71 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to Barnes & Noble Education Inc?
From the same area (Consumer Cyclical) we also value Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc, Williams-Sonoma, Inc, Ulta Beauty, Inc, Casey's General Stores, Inc, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is Barnes & Noble Education Inc stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Nov 5, 2026: price $12.58, calculated fair value $10.71 (−15%), Quality Score 50/100, from 24 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of BNED calculated?
We run Barnes & Noble Education Inc through 24 models from 8 families: DCF Models, Earnings-Based, Dividend Discount, Multiples, Asset-Based, Growth DCF, Economic Profit, Growth Earnings. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the fair value of $10.71 builds on their evidence-weighted average, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 13.3% above its aggregate fair value. Barnes & Noble Education Inc itself currently trades above fair value. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The closing price on Nov 6, 2026 was $12.58. Our model-based fair value is $10.71, about 15% lower (overvalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with Barnes & Noble Education Inc right now?
Solid but not exceptional quality (50/100) and above fair value, neither a clear bargain nor a standout compounder. A fairly wide model range ($8.03 to $14.57) leaves room in how you read the outcome.
Key figures of Barnes & Noble Education Inc
How large is the market capitalisation of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The market capitalisation of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is $435M. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The price-to-sales ratio of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is 0.25 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Earnings per share at Barnes & Noble Education Inc are $0.6400 (price ÷ EPS = P/E 19.7). Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the dividend yield of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The dividend yield of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is 0.6% (payout 12.5%). Yearly dividend relative to the share price. 3% pays 3 per 100 invested. Below: how much of profit is used for it.
What is the net margin of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The net margin of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is 1.3% (last twelve months). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The return on equity (ROE) of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is 8.3% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is −1.6% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
The operating margin of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is −5.9% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Revenue at Barnes & Noble Education Inc is growing +0.8% versus a year earlier (3y avg +3.6%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED)?
Earnings per share at Barnes & Noble Education Inc are growing −67.7% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much net debt does Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) carry?
The net debt of Barnes & Noble Education Inc is $215M (fiscal year 2026, ≈ 6.4 yrs of FCF). Debt minus cash on hand. The note shows how many years of free cash flow could in theory pay it off.
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Broad data
Nov 5, 2026