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Side-by-side financial comparison of Alight, Inc. (ALIT) and Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Alight, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($653.0M vs $598.2M, roughly 1.1× Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.2% vs -142.7%, a 146.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.9% vs -4.0%). Alight, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($99.0M vs $61.9M). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs 8.1%).
Alight Solutions is an American information technology and consulting company that provides cloud-based systems, outsourcing and consultancy related to human resource. They provide platforms and outsourcing for large companies to manage their human capital this includes health benefit administration, financial management and retirement planning.
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.
ALIT vs BNED — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q2 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $653.0M | $598.2M |
| Net Profit | $-932.0M | $25.0M |
| Gross Margin | 36.8% | 21.7% |
| Operating Margin | -114.9% | 6.8% |
| Net Margin | -142.7% | 4.2% |
| Revenue YoY | -4.0% | 6.9% |
| Net Profit YoY | -11750.0% | -49.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $-1.77 | $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.
| Q4 25 | $653.0M | $598.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $533.0M | $274.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $528.0M | $233.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $548.0M | $419.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $680.0M | $559.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $555.0M | $250.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $538.0M | $192.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $559.0M | $415.4M |
| Q4 25 | $-932.0M | $25.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-1.1B | $-18.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-1.1B | $-23.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-25.0M | $17.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.0M | $43.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-74.0M | $-103.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $23.0M | $-41.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-114.0M | $-9.3M |
| Q4 25 | 36.8% | 21.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 33.4% | 20.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 33.3% | 30.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 31.2% | 22.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 39.9% | 23.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 31.4% | 17.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 31.0% | 28.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 32.6% | 24.2% |
| Q4 25 | -114.9% | 6.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | -248.0% | -8.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -191.3% | -4.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -1.5% | 4.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.5% | 8.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | -7.6% | -15.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | -9.7% | -16.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | -7.2% | 0.4% |
| Q4 25 | -142.7% | 4.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | -200.2% | -6.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | -203.2% | -9.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -4.6% | 4.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.2% | 7.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | -13.3% | -41.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.3% | -21.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | -20.4% | -2.2% |
| Q4 25 | $-1.77 | $0.72 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-2.02 | $-0.54 | ||
| Q2 25 | $-2.03 | $2.97 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.05 | $0.59 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.02 | $1.63 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-0.14 | $-7.69 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.04 | $-15.68 | ||
| Q1 24 | $-0.21 | $-3.49 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $273.0M | $11.7M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $2.0B | $122.5M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $1.0B | $283.2M |
| Total Assets | $4.6B | $1.1B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 1.92× | 0.43× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $273.0M | $11.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $205.0M | $7.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $227.0M | $9.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $223.0M | $9.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $343.0M | $11.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $300.0M | $8.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $183.0M | $10.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | $256.0M | $8.1M |
| Q4 25 | $2.0B | $122.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.0B | $170.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.0B | $103.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.0B | $141.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.0B | $177.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.0B | $221.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.8B | $196.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.8B | $30.2M |
| Q4 25 | $1.0B | $283.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.0B | $256.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.1B | $272.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $4.2B | $292.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $4.3B | $211.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.3B | $149.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.5B | $80.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $4.5B | $121.5M |
| Q4 25 | $4.6B | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $5.5B | $950.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $6.8B | $790.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $7.9B | $1.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.2B | $1.0B | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.3B | $973.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.5B | $909.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $10.7B | $1.2B |
| Q4 25 | 1.92× | 0.43× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.00× | 0.66× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.65× | 0.38× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.48× | 0.48× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.47× | 0.84× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.47× | 1.48× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.62× | 2.44× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.62× | 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $124.0M | $66.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $99.0M | $61.9M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 15.2% | 10.4% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 3.8% | 0.7% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | 2.65× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $250.0M | $-4.6M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $124.0M | $66.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $77.0M | $-67.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $86.0M | $52.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $73.0M | $-41.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $118.0M | $47.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-24.0M | $-143.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $58.0M | $81.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $100.0M | $-35.8M |
| Q4 25 | $99.0M | $61.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $49.0M | $-71.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $58.0M | $49.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | $44.0M | $-44.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $92.0M | $44.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-52.0M | $-147.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $22.0M | $79.1M | ||
| Q1 24 | $69.0M | $-39.0M |
| Q4 25 | 15.2% | 10.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 9.2% | -26.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 11.0% | 21.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 8.0% | -10.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 13.5% | 7.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | -9.4% | -58.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.1% | 41.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | 12.3% | -9.4% |
| Q4 25 | 3.8% | 0.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 5.3% | 1.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.3% | 1.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 5.3% | 0.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.8% | 0.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 5.0% | 1.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 6.7% | 1.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.5% | 0.8% |
| Q4 25 | — | 2.65× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -2.34× | ||
| Q4 24 | 14.75× | 1.10× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.52× | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
ALIT
| Recurring | $607.0M | 93% |
| Projects | $46.0M | 7% |
BNED
| Course Materials Product | $459.3M | 77% |
| General Merchandise Product | $112.9M | 19% |
| Serviceand Other | $26.1M | 4% |
