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Side-by-side financial comparison of Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) and CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO (CENT). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($617.4M vs $598.2M, roughly 1.0× Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.2% vs 1.1%, a 3.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.9% vs -6.0%). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($61.9M vs $-81.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs -17.2%).
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.
Central Garden & Pet Co is a leading U.S.-headquartered supplier of pet supplies and garden products. Its portfolio includes pet food, treats, grooming tools, lawn care items, gardening accessories and pest control solutions, serving retail partners like mass merchants, independent pet stores and garden centers across North America with multiple well-known consumer brands in its two core segments.
BNED vs CENT — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $598.2M | $617.4M |
| Net Profit | $25.0M | $6.8M |
| Gross Margin | 21.7% | 30.9% |
| Operating Margin | 6.8% | 2.7% |
| Net Margin | 4.2% | 1.1% |
| Revenue YoY | 6.9% | -6.0% |
| Net Profit YoY | -49.7% | -51.2% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.72 | $0.11 |
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 | $598.2M | $617.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $274.2M | $678.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $233.0M | $960.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $419.7M | $833.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $559.7M | $656.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $250.9M | $669.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $192.7M | $996.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $415.4M | $900.1M |
| Q4 25 | $25.0M | $6.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-18.3M | $-9.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-23.0M | $95.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $17.9M | $63.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $43.2M | $14.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-103.9M | $-34.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-41.9M | $79.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-9.3M | $62.0M |
| Q4 25 | 21.7% | 30.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 20.2% | 29.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 30.3% | 34.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 22.3% | 32.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 23.0% | 29.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 17.9% | 25.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 28.7% | 31.8% | ||
| Q1 24 | 24.2% | 31.0% |
| Q4 25 | 6.8% | 2.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | -8.4% | -0.9% | ||
| Q2 25 | -4.9% | 14.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.5% | 11.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.4% | 4.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | -15.4% | -4.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | -16.3% | 11.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.4% | 10.4% |
| Q4 25 | 4.2% | 1.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -6.7% | -1.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | -9.9% | 9.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.3% | 7.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.7% | 2.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | -41.4% | -5.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | -21.7% | 8.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | -2.2% | 6.9% |
| Q4 25 | $0.72 | $0.11 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.54 | $-0.16 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.97 | $1.52 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.59 | $0.98 | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.63 | $0.21 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-7.69 | $-0.51 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-15.68 | $1.19 | ||
| Q1 24 | $-3.49 | $0.93 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $11.7M | $721.1M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $122.5M | $1.2B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $283.2M | $1.6B |
| Total Assets | $1.1B | $3.6B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.43× | 0.76× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $11.7M | $721.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.3M | $882.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.1M | $713.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $9.2M | $516.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $11.6M | $618.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.2M | $753.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.5M | $570.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $8.1M | $301.3M |
| Q4 25 | $122.5M | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $170.0M | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $103.1M | $1.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $141.2M | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $177.6M | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $221.9M | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $196.3M | $1.2B | ||
| Q1 24 | $30.2M | $1.2B |
| Q4 25 | $283.2M | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $256.5M | $1.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $272.2M | $1.6B | ||
| Q1 25 | $292.9M | $1.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $211.4M | $1.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $149.8M | $1.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $80.4M | $1.6B | ||
| Q1 24 | $121.5M | $1.5B |
| Q4 25 | $1.1B | $3.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $950.8M | $3.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $790.3M | $3.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.1B | $3.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.0B | $3.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $973.2M | $3.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $909.9M | $3.6B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.2B | $3.5B |
| Q4 25 | 0.43× | 0.76× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.66× | 0.75× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.38× | 0.75× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.48× | 0.77× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.84× | 0.78× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.48× | 0.76× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.44× | 0.75× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.25× | 0.79× |
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 | $66.2M | $-70.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $61.9M | $-81.0M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 10.4% | -13.1% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 0.7% | 1.8% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.65× | -10.26× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $-4.6M | $285.0M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $66.2M | $-70.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-67.6M | $182.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $52.6M | $265.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-41.9M | $-46.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $47.4M | $-68.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-143.5M | $203.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $81.7M | $286.1M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-35.8M | $-24.5M |
| Q4 25 | $61.9M | $-81.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-71.3M | $171.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $49.5M | $251.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-44.7M | $-57.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $44.4M | $-74.9M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-147.5M | $193.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $79.1M | $272.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-39.0M | $-33.9M |
| Q4 25 | 10.4% | -13.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -26.0% | 25.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 21.3% | 26.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | -10.7% | -6.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.9% | -11.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | -58.8% | 28.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 41.1% | 27.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | -9.4% | -3.8% |
| Q4 25 | 0.7% | 1.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.4% | 1.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.3% | 1.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.7% | 1.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.5% | 0.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.6% | 1.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.4% | 1.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Q4 25 | 2.65× | -10.26× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 2.79× | ||
| Q1 25 | -2.34× | -0.74× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.10× | -4.91× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 3.59× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | -0.40× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
BNED
| Course Materials Product | $459.3M | 77% |
| General Merchandise Product | $112.9M | 19% |
| Serviceand Other | $26.1M | 4% |
CENT
| Garden Products Segment | $201.6M | 33% |
| Dogand Cat Products | $157.0M | 25% |
| Other Pet Products | $117.8M | 19% |
| Manufactured Product Other | $102.5M | 17% |
| Wild Bird Products | $38.5M | 6% |
