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Side-by-side financial comparison of Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (BNED) and INNOVATE Corp. (VATE). 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 $382.7M, roughly 1.6× INNOVATE Corp.). Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.2% vs -1.9%, a 6.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, INNOVATE Corp. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (61.7% vs 6.9%). Over the past eight quarters, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (20.0% CAGR vs 10.2%).

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.

Innovate Corp. is an American public financial services company founded in 1994.

BNED vs VATE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
BNED
BNED
1.6× larger
BNED
$598.2M
$382.7M
VATE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
VATE
VATE
+54.9% gap
VATE
61.7%
6.9%
BNED
Higher net margin
BNED
BNED
6.1% more per $
BNED
4.2%
-1.9%
VATE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
BNED
BNED
Annualised
BNED
20.0%
10.2%
VATE

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Revenue
$598.2M
$382.7M
Net Profit
$25.0M
$-7.4M
Gross Margin
21.7%
15.4%
Operating Margin
6.8%
3.7%
Net Margin
4.2%
-1.9%
Revenue YoY
6.9%
61.7%
Net Profit YoY
-49.7%
55.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.72
$-0.57

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
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$598.2M
$382.7M
Q3 25
$274.2M
$347.1M
Q2 25
$233.0M
$242.0M
Q1 25
$419.7M
$274.2M
Q4 24
$559.7M
$236.6M
Q3 24
$250.9M
$242.2M
Q2 24
$192.7M
$313.1M
Q1 24
$415.4M
$315.2M
Net Profit
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$25.0M
$-7.4M
Q3 25
$-18.3M
$-8.9M
Q2 25
$-23.0M
$-19.8M
Q1 25
$17.9M
$-24.5M
Q4 24
$43.2M
$-16.6M
Q3 24
$-103.9M
$-15.0M
Q2 24
$-41.9M
$14.4M
Q1 24
$-9.3M
$-17.4M
Gross Margin
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
21.7%
15.4%
Q3 25
20.2%
14.3%
Q2 25
30.3%
18.8%
Q1 25
22.3%
16.6%
Q4 24
23.0%
19.6%
Q3 24
17.9%
19.9%
Q2 24
28.7%
21.0%
Q1 24
24.2%
15.4%
Operating Margin
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
6.8%
3.7%
Q3 25
-8.4%
1.8%
Q2 25
-4.9%
2.0%
Q1 25
4.5%
1.2%
Q4 24
8.4%
1.1%
Q3 24
-15.4%
2.4%
Q2 24
-16.3%
9.2%
Q1 24
0.4%
0.9%
Net Margin
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
4.2%
-1.9%
Q3 25
-6.7%
-2.6%
Q2 25
-9.9%
-8.2%
Q1 25
4.3%
-8.9%
Q4 24
7.7%
-7.0%
Q3 24
-41.4%
-6.2%
Q2 24
-21.7%
4.6%
Q1 24
-2.2%
-5.5%
EPS (diluted)
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$0.72
$-0.57
Q3 25
$-0.54
$-0.71
Q2 25
$2.97
$-1.67
Q1 25
$0.59
$-1.89
Q4 24
$1.63
$-0.72
Q3 24
$-7.69
$-1.18
Q2 24
$-15.68
$1.03
Q1 24
$-3.49
$-2.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$11.7M
$112.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$122.5M
$80.3M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$283.2M
$-240.1M
Total Assets
$1.1B
$950.1M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.43×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$11.7M
$112.1M
Q3 25
$7.3M
$35.5M
Q2 25
$9.1M
$33.4M
Q1 25
$9.2M
$33.3M
Q4 24
$11.6M
$48.8M
Q3 24
$8.2M
$51.0M
Q2 24
$10.5M
$80.2M
Q1 24
$8.1M
$38.4M
Total Debt
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$122.5M
$80.3M
Q3 25
$170.0M
$97.3M
Q2 25
$103.1M
$160.1M
Q1 25
$141.2M
$139.9M
Q4 24
$177.6M
$500.6M
Q3 24
$221.9M
$502.4M
Q2 24
$196.3M
$638.3M
Q1 24
$30.2M
$641.5M
Stockholders' Equity
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$283.2M
$-240.1M
Q3 25
$256.5M
$-233.3M
Q2 25
$272.2M
$-224.8M
Q1 25
$292.9M
$-204.2M
Q4 24
$211.4M
$-180.4M
Q3 24
$149.8M
$-163.1M
Q2 24
$80.4M
$-149.0M
Q1 24
$121.5M
$-184.4M
Total Assets
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$1.1B
$950.1M
Q3 25
$950.8M
$913.2M
Q2 25
$790.3M
$890.9M
Q1 25
$1.1B
$868.0M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$891.1M
Q3 24
$973.2M
$897.2M
Q2 24
$909.9M
$898.9M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$943.5M
Debt / Equity
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
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
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$66.2M
$101.1M
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
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$66.2M
$101.1M
Q3 25
$-67.6M
$19.2M
Q2 25
$52.6M
$40.4M
Q1 25
$-41.9M
$-14.1M
Q4 24
$47.4M
$41.4M
Q3 24
$-143.5M
$-28.4M
Q2 24
$81.7M
$21.5M
Q1 24
$-35.8M
$-25.4M
Free Cash Flow
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$61.9M
Q3 25
$-71.3M
$19.0M
Q2 25
$49.5M
Q1 25
$-44.7M
$-18.8M
Q4 24
$44.4M
$34.2M
Q3 24
$-147.5M
$-31.5M
Q2 24
$79.1M
$18.4M
Q1 24
$-39.0M
$-31.0M
FCF Margin
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
10.4%
Q3 25
-26.0%
5.5%
Q2 25
21.3%
Q1 25
-10.7%
-6.9%
Q4 24
7.9%
14.5%
Q3 24
-58.8%
-13.0%
Q2 24
41.1%
5.9%
Q1 24
-9.4%
-9.8%
Capex Intensity
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
0.7%
Q3 25
1.4%
0.1%
Q2 25
1.3%
Q1 25
0.7%
1.7%
Q4 24
0.5%
3.0%
Q3 24
1.6%
1.3%
Q2 24
1.4%
1.0%
Q1 24
0.8%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
BNED
BNED
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
2.65×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
-2.34×
Q4 24
1.10×
Q3 24
Q2 24
1.49×
Q1 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%

VATE
VATE

Commercial Revenue$126.1M33%
Industrial Revenue$87.5M23%
Transportation Revenue$58.4M15%
Healthcare Revenue$48.4M13%
Government Revenue$44.3M12%
Energy Revenue$8.0M2%
Broadcast Station Revenue$5.7M1%
Systems And Consumables Revenue$3.1M1%
Leisure Revenue$200.0K0%

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