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Side-by-side financial comparison of Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) and MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC (MLI). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($962.4M vs $598.2M, roughly 1.6× Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.). MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC runs the higher net margin — 16.0% vs 4.2%, a 11.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.9% vs 4.2%). MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($121.4M vs $61.9M). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs 6.4%).
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.
Mueller Industries is an American manufacturing company that specializes in piping, industrial metals and climate machinery. It was founded in 1917 and is included on the Fortune 1000 list in 2022. The head office of the company is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Mueller Industries, Inc. is a multi-billion dollar revenue company that is publicly traded.
BNED vs MLI — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $598.2M | $962.4M |
| Net Profit | $25.0M | $153.7M |
| Gross Margin | 21.7% | — |
| Operating Margin | 6.8% | 17.9% |
| Net Margin | 4.2% | 16.0% |
| Revenue YoY | 6.9% | 4.2% |
| Net Profit YoY | -49.7% | 11.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.72 | $1.37 |
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 | $962.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $274.2M | $1.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $233.0M | $1.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $419.7M | $1.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $559.7M | $923.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $250.9M | $997.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $192.7M | $997.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $415.4M | $849.7M |
| Q4 25 | $25.0M | $153.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-18.3M | $208.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $-23.0M | $245.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $17.9M | $157.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $43.2M | $137.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-103.9M | $168.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-41.9M | $160.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-9.3M | $138.4M |
| Q4 25 | 21.7% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 20.2% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 30.3% | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 22.3% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 23.0% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 17.9% | 27.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 28.7% | 27.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 24.2% | 28.4% |
| Q4 25 | 6.8% | 17.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | -8.4% | 25.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | -4.9% | 26.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.5% | 20.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.4% | 18.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | -15.4% | 20.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | -16.3% | 21.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.4% | 21.6% |
| Q4 25 | 4.2% | 16.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | -6.7% | 19.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | -9.9% | 21.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.3% | 15.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.7% | 14.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | -41.4% | 16.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | -21.7% | 16.1% | ||
| Q1 24 | -2.2% | 16.3% |
| Q4 25 | $0.72 | $1.37 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-0.54 | $1.88 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.97 | $2.22 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.59 | $1.39 | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.63 | $1.21 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-7.69 | $1.48 | ||
| Q2 24 | $-15.68 | $1.41 | ||
| Q1 24 | $-3.49 | $1.21 |
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 | $1.4B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $122.5M | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $283.2M | $3.2B |
| Total Assets | $1.1B | $3.7B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.43× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $11.7M | $1.4B | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.3M | $1.3B | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.1M | $1.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $9.2M | $873.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $11.6M | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.2M | $969.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $10.5M | $825.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $8.1M | $1.4B |
| Q4 25 | $122.5M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $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 | — |
| Q4 25 | $283.2M | $3.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $256.5M | $3.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $272.2M | $2.9B | ||
| Q1 25 | $292.9M | $2.7B | ||
| Q4 24 | $211.4M | $2.8B | ||
| Q3 24 | $149.8M | $2.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $80.4M | $2.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $121.5M | $2.4B |
| Q4 25 | $1.1B | $3.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | $950.8M | $3.7B | ||
| Q2 25 | $790.3M | $3.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.1B | $3.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.0B | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $973.2M | $3.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $909.9M | $3.1B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.2B | $2.9B |
| Q4 25 | 0.43× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $66.2M | $141.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $61.9M | $121.4M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 10.4% | 12.6% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 0.7% | 2.1% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 2.65× | 0.92× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $-4.6M | $686.6M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $66.2M | $141.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-67.6M | $310.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $52.6M | $190.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-41.9M | $113.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $47.4M | $140.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-143.5M | $231.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $81.7M | $100.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-35.8M | $173.6M |
| Q4 25 | $61.9M | $121.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-71.3M | $291.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $49.5M | $176.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-44.7M | $97.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $44.4M | $111.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-147.5M | $205.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $79.1M | $91.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-39.0M | $157.2M |
| Q4 25 | 10.4% | 12.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | -26.0% | 27.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 21.3% | 15.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | -10.7% | 9.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.9% | 12.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | -58.8% | 20.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 41.1% | 9.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | -9.4% | 18.5% |
| Q4 25 | 0.7% | 2.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.4% | 1.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.3% | 1.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.7% | 1.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.5% | 3.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.6% | 2.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.4% | 0.9% | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.8% | 1.9% |
| Q4 25 | 2.65× | 0.92× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.49× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.78× | ||
| Q1 25 | -2.34× | 0.72× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.10× | 1.02× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.37× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.63× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 1.25× |
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% |
MLI
| Tube And Fittings | $484.6M | 50% |
| Industrial Metals | $252.2M | 26% |
| Valves And Plumbing Specialties | $122.5M | 13% |
| Flex Duct And Other HVAC Components | $80.8M | 8% |
| Other Products | $14.9M | 2% |
