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Side-by-side financial comparison of AAR CORP (AIR) and Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AAR CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($795.3M vs $598.2M, roughly 1.3× Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.). AAR CORP runs the higher net margin — 4.4% vs 4.2%, a 0.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AAR CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (15.9% vs 6.9%). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($61.9M vs $6.2M).

AAR Corp. is an American provider of aircraft maintenance services to commercial and government customers worldwide. The company is headquartered in Wood Dale, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. The company employs about 6,000 people, operating in about 30 different countries. John Holmes is the current CEO.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 700+ retail stores across the United States.

AIR vs BNED — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AIR
AIR
1.3× larger
AIR
$795.3M
$598.2M
BNED
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AIR
AIR
+9.0% gap
AIR
15.9%
6.9%
BNED
Higher net margin
AIR
AIR
0.2% more per $
AIR
4.4%
4.2%
BNED
More free cash flow
BNED
BNED
$55.7M more FCF
BNED
$61.9M
$6.2M
AIR

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q2 FY2026

Metric
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Revenue
$795.3M
$598.2M
Net Profit
$34.6M
$25.0M
Gross Margin
19.7%
21.7%
Operating Margin
6.0%
6.8%
Net Margin
4.4%
4.2%
Revenue YoY
15.9%
6.9%
Net Profit YoY
213.1%
-49.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.90
$0.72

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$795.3M
$598.2M
Q3 25
$739.6M
$274.2M
Q2 25
$233.0M
Q1 25
$419.7M
Q4 24
$559.7M
Q3 24
$250.9M
Q2 24
$192.7M
Q1 24
$415.4M
Net Profit
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$34.6M
$25.0M
Q3 25
$34.4M
$-18.3M
Q2 25
$-23.0M
Q1 25
$17.9M
Q4 24
$43.2M
Q3 24
$-103.9M
Q2 24
$-41.9M
Q1 24
$-9.3M
Gross Margin
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
19.7%
21.7%
Q3 25
18.1%
20.2%
Q2 25
30.3%
Q1 25
22.3%
Q4 24
23.0%
Q3 24
17.9%
Q2 24
28.7%
Q1 24
24.2%
Operating Margin
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
6.0%
6.8%
Q3 25
6.4%
-8.4%
Q2 25
-4.9%
Q1 25
4.5%
Q4 24
8.4%
Q3 24
-15.4%
Q2 24
-16.3%
Q1 24
0.4%
Net Margin
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
4.4%
4.2%
Q3 25
4.7%
-6.7%
Q2 25
-9.9%
Q1 25
4.3%
Q4 24
7.7%
Q3 24
-41.4%
Q2 24
-21.7%
Q1 24
-2.2%
EPS (diluted)
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$0.90
$0.72
Q3 25
$0.95
$-0.54
Q2 25
$2.97
Q1 25
$0.59
Q4 24
$1.63
Q3 24
$-7.69
Q2 24
$-15.68
Q1 24
$-3.49

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$75.6M
$11.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$952.7M
$122.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$283.2M
Total Assets
$3.2B
$1.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.61×
0.43×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$75.6M
$11.7M
Q3 25
$80.0M
$7.3M
Q2 25
$9.1M
Q1 25
$9.2M
Q4 24
$11.6M
Q3 24
$8.2M
Q2 24
$10.5M
Q1 24
$8.1M
Total Debt
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$952.7M
$122.5M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$170.0M
Q2 25
$103.1M
Q1 25
$141.2M
Q4 24
$177.6M
Q3 24
$221.9M
Q2 24
$196.3M
Q1 24
$30.2M
Stockholders' Equity
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$1.6B
$283.2M
Q3 25
$1.2B
$256.5M
Q2 25
$272.2M
Q1 25
$292.9M
Q4 24
$211.4M
Q3 24
$149.8M
Q2 24
$80.4M
Q1 24
$121.5M
Total Assets
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$3.2B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$950.8M
Q2 25
$790.3M
Q1 25
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.0B
Q3 24
$973.2M
Q2 24
$909.9M
Q1 24
$1.2B
Debt / Equity
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
0.61×
0.43×
Q3 25
0.82×
0.66×
Q2 25
0.38×
Q1 25
0.48×
Q4 24
0.84×
Q3 24
1.48×
Q2 24
2.44×
Q1 24
0.25×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$13.6M
$66.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.2M
$61.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.8%
10.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.9%
0.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.39×
2.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-4.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$13.6M
$66.2M
Q3 25
$-44.9M
$-67.6M
Q2 25
$52.6M
Q1 25
$-41.9M
Q4 24
$47.4M
Q3 24
$-143.5M
Q2 24
$81.7M
Q1 24
$-35.8M
Free Cash Flow
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
$6.2M
$61.9M
Q3 25
$-53.6M
$-71.3M
Q2 25
$49.5M
Q1 25
$-44.7M
Q4 24
$44.4M
Q3 24
$-147.5M
Q2 24
$79.1M
Q1 24
$-39.0M
FCF Margin
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
0.8%
10.4%
Q3 25
-7.2%
-26.0%
Q2 25
21.3%
Q1 25
-10.7%
Q4 24
7.9%
Q3 24
-58.8%
Q2 24
41.1%
Q1 24
-9.4%
Capex Intensity
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
0.9%
0.7%
Q3 25
1.2%
1.4%
Q2 25
1.3%
Q1 25
0.7%
Q4 24
0.5%
Q3 24
1.6%
Q2 24
1.4%
Q1 24
0.8%
Cash Conversion
AIR
AIR
BNED
BNED
Q4 25
0.39×
2.65×
Q3 25
-1.31×
Q2 25
Q1 25
-2.34×
Q4 24
1.10×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AIR
AIR

Commercial Customer$268.1M34%
Repair And Engineering$244.5M31%
Integrated Solutions$175.8M22%
Government And Defense Customer$85.5M11%
Expeditionary Services$21.4M3%

BNED
BNED

Course Materials Product$459.3M77%
General Merchandise Product$112.9M19%
Serviceand Other$26.1M4%

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