vs

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

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($598.2M vs $360.3M, roughly 1.7× Clearwater Paper Corp). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.2% vs -3.6%, a 7.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.9% vs -4.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs 2.3%).

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.

Clearwater Paper Corporation is an American pulp and paperboard manufacturer. The company was created on December 9, 2008, via a spin-off from Potlatch Corporation and is headquartered in Spokane, Washington.

BNED vs CLW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
BNED
BNED
1.7× larger
BNED
$598.2M
$360.3M
CLW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
BNED
BNED
+11.6% gap
BNED
6.9%
-4.7%
CLW
Higher net margin
BNED
BNED
7.7% more per $
BNED
4.2%
-3.6%
CLW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
BNED
BNED
Annualised
BNED
20.0%
2.3%
CLW

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Revenue
$598.2M
$360.3M
Net Profit
$25.0M
$-12.8M
Gross Margin
21.7%
-0.2%
Operating Margin
6.8%
Net Margin
4.2%
-3.6%
Revenue YoY
6.9%
-4.7%
Net Profit YoY
-49.7%
-103.2%
EPS (diluted)
$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
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$360.3M
Q4 25
$598.2M
$386.4M
Q3 25
$274.2M
$399.0M
Q2 25
$233.0M
$391.8M
Q1 25
$419.7M
$378.2M
Q4 24
$559.7M
$387.1M
Q3 24
$250.9M
$393.3M
Q2 24
$192.7M
$344.4M
Net Profit
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$-12.8M
Q4 25
$25.0M
$38.3M
Q3 25
$-18.3M
$-53.3M
Q2 25
$-23.0M
$2.7M
Q1 25
$17.9M
$-6.3M
Q4 24
$43.2M
$199.1M
Q3 24
$-103.9M
$5.8M
Q2 24
$-41.9M
$-25.8M
Gross Margin
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
-0.2%
Q4 25
21.7%
4.5%
Q3 25
20.2%
4.7%
Q2 25
30.3%
11.0%
Q1 25
22.3%
9.7%
Q4 24
23.0%
3.8%
Q3 24
17.9%
7.7%
Q2 24
28.7%
-0.6%
Operating Margin
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
6.8%
1.9%
Q3 25
-8.4%
-13.9%
Q2 25
-4.9%
2.5%
Q1 25
4.5%
-1.1%
Q4 24
8.4%
-4.0%
Q3 24
-15.4%
-0.3%
Q2 24
-16.3%
-13.6%
Net Margin
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
-3.6%
Q4 25
4.2%
9.9%
Q3 25
-6.7%
-13.4%
Q2 25
-9.9%
0.7%
Q1 25
4.3%
-1.7%
Q4 24
7.7%
51.4%
Q3 24
-41.4%
1.5%
Q2 24
-21.7%
-7.5%
EPS (diluted)
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.72
$2.36
Q3 25
$-0.54
$-3.30
Q2 25
$2.97
$0.17
Q1 25
$0.59
$-0.38
Q4 24
$1.63
$11.87
Q3 24
$-7.69
$0.35
Q2 24
$-15.68
$-1.55

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$11.7M
$36.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$122.5M
$361.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$283.2M
$813.8M
Total Assets
$1.1B
$1.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.43×
0.44×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$36.5M
Q4 25
$11.7M
$30.7M
Q3 25
$7.3M
$34.4M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$46.7M
Q1 25
$9.2M
$44.0M
Q4 24
$11.6M
$79.6M
Q3 24
$8.2M
$35.5M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$39.6M
Total Debt
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$361.1M
Q4 25
$122.5M
$346.8M
Q3 25
$170.0M
$337.0M
Q2 25
$103.1M
$330.1M
Q1 25
$141.2M
Q4 24
$177.6M
$283.4M
Q3 24
$221.9M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$196.3M
$1.1B
Stockholders' Equity
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$813.8M
Q4 25
$283.2M
$825.3M
Q3 25
$256.5M
$783.0M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$836.8M
Q1 25
$292.9M
$836.6M
Q4 24
$211.4M
$854.6M
Q3 24
$149.8M
$664.6M
Q2 24
$80.4M
$658.6M
Total Assets
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$950.8M
$1.6B
Q2 25
$790.3M
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$973.2M
$2.5B
Q2 24
$909.9M
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
0.44×
Q4 25
0.43×
0.42×
Q3 25
0.66×
0.43×
Q2 25
0.38×
0.39×
Q1 25
0.48×
Q4 24
0.84×
0.33×
Q3 24
1.48×
1.73×
Q2 24
2.44×
1.74×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

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

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$66.2M
$5.0M
Q3 25
$-67.6M
$34.0M
Q2 25
$52.6M
$-28.2M
Q1 25
$-41.9M
$1.5M
Q4 24
$47.4M
$-35.1M
Q3 24
$-143.5M
$16.2M
Q2 24
$81.7M
$21.1M
Free Cash Flow
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$61.9M
$-9.9M
Q3 25
$-71.3M
$15.7M
Q2 25
$49.5M
$-51.1M
Q1 25
$-44.7M
$-31.2M
Q4 24
$44.4M
$-68.1M
Q3 24
$-147.5M
$-30.8M
Q2 24
$79.1M
$3.0M
FCF Margin
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
10.4%
-2.6%
Q3 25
-26.0%
3.9%
Q2 25
21.3%
-13.0%
Q1 25
-10.7%
-8.2%
Q4 24
7.9%
-17.6%
Q3 24
-58.8%
-7.8%
Q2 24
41.1%
0.9%
Capex Intensity
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.7%
3.9%
Q3 25
1.4%
4.6%
Q2 25
1.3%
5.8%
Q1 25
0.7%
8.6%
Q4 24
0.5%
8.5%
Q3 24
1.6%
12.0%
Q2 24
1.4%
5.3%
Cash Conversion
BNED
BNED
CLW
CLW
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.65×
0.13×
Q3 25
Q2 25
-10.44×
Q1 25
-2.34×
Q4 24
1.10×
-0.18×
Q3 24
2.79×
Q2 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BNED
BNED

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

CLW
CLW

Segment breakdown not available.

Related Comparisons