Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / BNED

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Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$12.72 -1.47% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $12.66

Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) carries a Roarable Rating of C (Hold) with 62/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 62/100 (C) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.7% avg 90D alpha vs SPY) →

ROARABLE C • HOLD / WATCH Cap $440.9M

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on BNED Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is BNED stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-02, Barnes & Noble Education Inc (NYSE: BNED) is rated C (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 62/100 at a spot price of $12.72 (-1.47% 1D, market cap $440.9M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 12/20, Executive Insider Alignment 12/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 11/20, and SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 15/20. Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, BNED ranks #306 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does BNED compare to HVT and SGU in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Other Specialty Stores), BNED carries a Roarable C (62/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 26.1x, gross margin of 23.4%, and ROIC of 10.3%. By comparison, HVT (Haverty Furniture Companies Inc.) holds a C+ grade (69/100 RQD, P/E 23.2x, ROIC 6.4%, cap $458.6M) and SGU (Star Group L.P.) posts a C grade (62/100 RQD, P/E 5.8x, ROIC —, cap $423.9M). Among the 5-stock peer group, SGU leads on earnings multiple (5.8x) while BNED leads on capital efficiency (10.3% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for BNED?

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Per BNED's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2026-05-02, CIK 0001634117), Barnes & Noble Education Inc generated $1.56B in revenue (+6.9% YoY), $16.9M in net income, and $33.9M in free cash flow against $1.13B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.. Primary risk factors monitored: Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $12.66 (-0.45%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 12/20 (C-) • 2.2% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 62/100 (C) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.7% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 54.3% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw C · Rk D+

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+1.8% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for BNED)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±7.5%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (62/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY BNED SCORES 62/100 (C) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+15/20 pts (24% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 75% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+12/20 pts (19% of score)

SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 2.2% FCF Margin ($33.9M FCF) & 23.4% Gross Margin

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Macro Regime Fit11/20 pts (-9 pt drag)

Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (51.4) create a -9 pt regime headwind

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C-$12.42+3.9% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade C$12.90+5.6% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade C$13.62-6.6% Next Q

Current

Grade C$12.72+0.7% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C- (54) → C (62)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the BNED Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 62/100 (C) score, BNED faces multiple-compression risk if 26.1x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-2.08% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 20.9% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($12.06) or 200D SMA ($10.75) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($12.95) toward Bear Floor ($10.10).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $BNED• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “BNED Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Jan 30, 2027) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 62%NO 38%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMNEUTRAL RANGE

51.430 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDDISTRESS RISK (<1.8)

1.20>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCOREHIGH QUALITY (7–9)

7 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE77% OF RANGE

L: $6$12.72H: $15

1. Money & Cash Health● MIXED

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Decent core business (23% profit margin), though cash flow growth is moderate rather than explosive right now.

Factor Grade: C-RQD 12 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● NEUTRAL

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Big funds and company insiders are mostly holding steady without aggressive buying or panic selling.

Factor Grade: C+RQD 27 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WATCH

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

No major SEC filing blowups, though current interest rates and Fed liquidity call for normal position sizing.

Factor Grade: D+RQD 23 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground) on BNED

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

NEUTRAL (60)

10.3% ROIC with 23.4% gross margin and 7.68% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

NEUTRAL (60)

Altman-Z 1.20 and Piotroski 7/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

NEUTRAL (63)

27/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 11/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like BNED

✓Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Quantitative Research Desk

Scheduled RQD Strong Buys & Whale Accumulation Briefing (BNED Tape Review)

✓Breakdown of the highest-scoring RQD Green-Light breakouts across our 5,200+ rated universe
✓Forensic Red-Light accounting & dilution traps to review on your watchlist
✓Includes downloadable .ics calendar invite & nightly RQD rating-change email alerts

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?

Join Founding VIP Waitlist (No Card Required) →$100K Arena

BNED // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +26.69%📐 HORIZONTAL RANGE

2026-11-02O $12.91H $12.91L $12.72C $12.72VOL 166.4K

RES: $14.07SUP: $10.01SMA50: $12.06SMA200: $10.75

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

BNED Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 BNED Butterfly Map → + Track BNED →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor (#25)

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle (#30)

19.7%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +6.9% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger (#33)

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on BNED today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for BNED. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for BNED today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (BNED)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #306 of 1011 ⚔️ HVT vs BNED Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (BNED vs. HVT, SGU, TITN, WOOF)

Industry: Other Specialty Stores (42 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1011 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) ranks #306 by composite RQD confidence (62/100, grade C) and #600 by equity capitalization ($440.9M). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, SGU leads on earnings valuation at 5.8x trailing P/E, while BNED leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 10.3% ROIC and 23.4% gross margin. HVT currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 69/100 (C+) compared with BNED at 62/100 (C).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
BNED ACTIVE Barnes & Noble Education Inc	C	62/100	26.1x	23.4%	10.3%	-1.47%	$440.9M	Benchmark Subject
HVT Haverty Furniture Companies Inc.	C+	69/100	23.2x	60.7%	6.4%	+3.81%	$458.6M	/hvt-vs-bned →
SGU Star Group L.P.	C	62/100	5.8x	31.5%	—	-1.15%	$423.9M	/sgu-vs-bned →
TITN Titan Machinery Inc.	C-	60/100	—	15.8%	-0.7%	+3.59%	$577.5M	/titn-vs-bned →
WOOF Petco Health and Wellness Company Inc. (Class A)	D-	43/100	81.5x	38.7%	4.0%	+3.19%	$741.8M	/woof-vs-bned →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2026-05-02 • CIK 0001634117

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2026-05-02), Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) reported GAAP revenue of $1.56B (+6.9% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.46B , and +9.4% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $16.9M, operating cash flow of $50.1M, and free cash flow of $33.9M (+134.4% YoY). On the balance sheet, BNED closed FY2025 with $1.13B in total assets against $0 in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.20, Piotroski F-Score: 7/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2026-05-02	$1.56B	$16.9M	$50.1M	$33.9M	$1.13B	—
FY2024 (FY)	2025-05-03	$1.46B	-$65.8M	-$85.4M	-$98.3M	$1.09B	—
FY2023 (FY)	2024-04-27	$1.43B	-$75.7M	-$5.1M	-$5.1M	—	—

3. BNED Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is BNED stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does BNED compare to HVT and SGU in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for BNED?

Where is BNED trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

BNED last traded at $12.72 (-1.47% on volume of 166,418 shares), positioning the stock +5.47% above its 50-day simple moving average ($12.06) and +18.33% above its 200-day simple moving average ($10.75). Across its 52-week range of $5.90 to $14.75, BNED sits at the 77.1% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 51.4 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±7.5% ($11.77 to $13.67).

BNED Investor FAQ & Complete 8-Part Research Index

100% OPEN ACCESS • SEC EDGAR × CBOE × FRED

Should I buy, hold, or sell BNED stock right now?

Barnes & Noble Education Inc (BNED) currently earns a Roarable Rating of C (Hold — HOLD) with 62/100 RQD Confidence. Solid 23% profit margin (10% return on capital), mixed timing at 26x P/E—hold if owned, no rush to chase.

What is BNED's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

BNED's 12-month base price target is $12.95 (range $10.1 to $15.49), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Direct Sub-Reports: BNED RQD Cockpit BNED 12M Forecast BNED Earnings & Move BNED Dividends & DRIP BNED Insiders & 13F BNED Whale Options BNED Profit Sankey BNED News & Why