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

Liberty Energy Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.0B vs $598.2M, roughly 1.7× Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.2% vs 2.2%, a 2.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.9% vs 4.5%). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs -6.2%).

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.

Liberty Energy Inc. is a North American energy services provider specializing in hydraulic fracturing and well completion solutions for oil and gas operators. It serves clients across major U.S. shale basins, offering low-emission equipment and tailored support to optimize well productivity.

BNED vs LBRT — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LBRT
LBRT
1.7× larger
LBRT
$1.0B
$598.2M
BNED
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
BNED
BNED
+2.4% gap
BNED
6.9%
4.5%
LBRT
Higher net margin
BNED
BNED
2.0% more per $
BNED
4.2%
2.2%
LBRT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
BNED
BNED
Annualised
BNED
20.0%
-6.2%
LBRT

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Revenue
$598.2M
$1.0B
Net Profit
$25.0M
$22.6M
Gross Margin
21.7%
Operating Margin
6.8%
2.2%
Net Margin
4.2%
2.2%
Revenue YoY
6.9%
4.5%
Net Profit YoY
-49.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.72
$0.14

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
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$1.0B
Q4 25
$598.2M
$1.0B
Q3 25
$274.2M
$947.4M
Q2 25
$233.0M
$1.0B
Q1 25
$419.7M
$977.5M
Q4 24
$559.7M
$943.6M
Q3 24
$250.9M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$192.7M
$1.2B
Net Profit
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$22.6M
Q4 25
$25.0M
$13.7M
Q3 25
$-18.3M
$43.1M
Q2 25
$-23.0M
$71.0M
Q1 25
$17.9M
$20.1M
Q4 24
$43.2M
$51.9M
Q3 24
$-103.9M
$73.8M
Q2 24
$-41.9M
$108.4M
Gross Margin
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
21.7%
20.6%
Q3 25
20.2%
18.7%
Q2 25
30.3%
22.1%
Q1 25
22.3%
22.1%
Q4 24
23.0%
21.4%
Q3 24
17.9%
26.2%
Q2 24
28.7%
27.9%
Operating Margin
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
2.2%
Q4 25
6.8%
1.9%
Q3 25
-8.4%
-0.3%
Q2 25
-4.9%
3.6%
Q1 25
4.5%
1.9%
Q4 24
8.4%
2.6%
Q3 24
-15.4%
9.4%
Q2 24
-16.3%
12.2%
Net Margin
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
2.2%
Q4 25
4.2%
1.3%
Q3 25
-6.7%
4.5%
Q2 25
-9.9%
6.8%
Q1 25
4.3%
2.1%
Q4 24
7.7%
5.5%
Q3 24
-41.4%
6.5%
Q2 24
-21.7%
9.3%
EPS (diluted)
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$0.14
Q4 25
$0.72
$0.08
Q3 25
$-0.54
$0.26
Q2 25
$2.97
$0.43
Q1 25
$0.59
$0.12
Q4 24
$1.63
$0.31
Q3 24
$-7.69
$0.44
Q2 24
$-15.68
$0.64

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$11.7M
$699.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$122.5M
$7.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$283.2M
$1.9B
Total Assets
$1.1B
$4.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.43×
0.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$699.1M
Q4 25
$11.7M
$27.6M
Q3 25
$7.3M
$13.5M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$19.6M
Q1 25
$9.2M
$24.1M
Q4 24
$11.6M
$20.0M
Q3 24
$8.2M
$23.0M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$30.0M
Total Debt
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$7.1M
Q4 25
$122.5M
$246.6M
Q3 25
$170.0M
Q2 25
$103.1M
Q1 25
$141.2M
Q4 24
$177.6M
$190.5M
Q3 24
$221.9M
Q2 24
$196.3M
Stockholders' Equity
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$283.2M
$2.1B
Q3 25
$256.5M
$2.1B
Q2 25
$272.2M
$2.0B
Q1 25
$292.9M
$2.0B
Q4 24
$211.4M
$2.0B
Q3 24
$149.8M
$2.0B
Q2 24
$80.4M
$1.9B
Total Assets
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
$4.4B
Q4 25
$1.1B
$3.6B
Q3 25
$950.8M
$3.5B
Q2 25
$790.3M
$3.4B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$3.4B
Q4 24
$1.0B
$3.3B
Q3 24
$973.2M
$3.3B
Q2 24
$909.9M
$3.2B
Debt / Equity
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
0.00×
Q4 25
0.43×
0.12×
Q3 25
0.66×
Q2 25
0.38×
Q1 25
0.48×
Q4 24
0.84×
0.10×
Q3 24
1.48×
Q2 24
2.44×

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
LBRT
LBRT
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$66.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$61.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
10.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.7%
13.1%
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
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$66.2M
$195.4M
Q3 25
$-67.6M
$51.5M
Q2 25
$52.6M
$170.6M
Q1 25
$-41.9M
$192.1M
Q4 24
$47.4M
$177.3M
Q3 24
$-143.5M
$244.5M
Q2 24
$81.7M
$248.2M
Free Cash Flow
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$61.9M
$-10.0M
Q3 25
$-71.3M
$-67.2M
Q2 25
$49.5M
$33.1M
Q1 25
$-44.7M
$58.2M
Q4 24
$44.4M
$-26.2M
Q3 24
$-147.5M
$77.9M
Q2 24
$79.1M
$112.2M
FCF Margin
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
10.4%
-1.0%
Q3 25
-26.0%
-7.1%
Q2 25
21.3%
3.2%
Q1 25
-10.7%
6.0%
Q4 24
7.9%
-2.8%
Q3 24
-58.8%
6.8%
Q2 24
41.1%
9.7%
Capex Intensity
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
13.1%
Q4 25
0.7%
19.8%
Q3 25
1.4%
12.5%
Q2 25
1.3%
13.2%
Q1 25
0.7%
13.7%
Q4 24
0.5%
21.6%
Q3 24
1.6%
14.6%
Q2 24
1.4%
11.7%
Cash Conversion
BNED
BNED
LBRT
LBRT
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.65×
14.28×
Q3 25
1.20×
Q2 25
2.40×
Q1 25
-2.34×
9.55×
Q4 24
1.10×
3.42×
Q3 24
3.31×
Q2 24
2.29×

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%

LBRT
LBRT

Segment breakdown not available.

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