Barnes & Noble Education Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (BNED)
Barnes & Noble Education reported $33.9M in free cash flow for fiscal 2026, an increase of $132.2M from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of 2.16%.
View full Barnes & Noble Education company overviewBarnes & Noble Education free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2026-05-02 | $33.9M | $132.2M | — | +2.16% |
| 2025 | 2025-05-03 | −$98.3M | −$79.1M | — | −6.72% |
| 2024 | 2024-04-27 | −$19.2M | −$85.8M | — | −1.34% |
| 2023 | 2023-04-29 | $66.6M | $99.0M | — | +4.31% |
| 2022 | 2022-04-30 | −$32.4M | −$37.8M | — | −2.17% |
| 2021 | 2021-05-01 | $5.3M | $50.2M | — | +0.38% |
| 2020 | 2020-05-02 | −$44.9M | −$120.2M | — | −2.42% |
| 2019 | 2019-04-27 | $75.4M | $58.1M | +337.36% | +3.70% |
| 2018 | 2018-04-28 | $17.2M | −$16.1M | −48.27% | +0.78% |
| 2017 | 2017-04-29 | $33.3M | $1.0M | +3.17% | +1.78% |
| 2016 | 2016-04-30 | $32.3M | $63.0M | — | +1.79% |
| 2015 | 2015-05-02 | −$30.7M | −$43.2M | — | −1.73% |
| 2014 | 2014-05-03 | $12.5M | — | — | +0.71% |
Barnes & Noble Education quarterly free cash flow
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 2026 | 2026-05-02 | $76.4M | $26.9M | +54.27% | +34.70% |
| Q3 2026 | 2026-01-31 | −$33.1M | $11.6M | — | −7.02% |
| Q2 2026 | 2025-11-01 | $61.9M | $17.6M | +39.62% | +10.35% |
| Q1 2026 | 2025-08-02 | −$71.3M | $76.1M | — | −26.02% |
| Q4 2025 | 2025-05-03 | $49.5M | −$29.6M | −37.43% | +21.25% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-01-25 | −$44.7M | −$5.7M | — | −10.66% |
| Q2 2025 | 2024-10-26 | $44.4M | −$23.7M | −34.82% | +7.92% |
| Q1 2025 | 2024-07-27 | −$147.5M | −$20.1M | — | −58.77% |
| Q4 2024 | 2024-04-27 | $79.1M | −$31.7M | −28.62% | +79.74% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-01-27 | −$39.0M | −$2.2M | — | −8.55% |
| Q2 2024 | 2023-10-28 | $68.0M | $39.0M | +134.03% | +11.15% |
| Q1 2024 | 2023-07-29 | −$127.3M | −$90.8M | — | −48.21% |
| Q4 2023 | 2023-04-29 | $110.9M | $117.8M | — | +46.18% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-01-28 | −$36.8M | −$8.3M | — | −8.41% |
| Q2 2023 | 2022-10-29 | $29.1M | −$2.6M | −8.24% | +4.76% |
| Q1 2023 | 2022-07-30 | −$36.5M | −$7.9M | — | −14.34% |
| Q4 2022 | 2022-04-30 | −$7.0M | $3.0M | — | −3.09% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-01-29 | −$28.5M | $31.4M | — | −7.08% |
| Q2 2022 | 2021-10-30 | $31.7M | −$103.7M | −76.60% | +5.05% |
| Q1 2022 | 2021-07-31 | −$28.7M | $31.5M | — | −11.91% |
| Q4 2021 | 2021-05-01 | −$9.9M | $100.1M | — | −5.08% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-01-30 | −$59.9M | $17.1M | — | −14.56% |
| Q2 2021 | 2020-10-31 | $135.4M | −$55.4M | −29.02% | +22.74% |
| Q1 2021 | 2020-08-01 | −$60.2M | −$11.7M | — | −29.51% |
| Q4 2020 | 2020-05-02 | −$110.0M | −$41.3M | — | −42.83% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-01-25 | −$77.0M | −$7.8M | — | −15.34% |
| Q2 2020 | 2019-10-26 | $190.7M | −$58.3M | −23.40% | +24.70% |
| Q1 2020 | 2019-07-27 | −$48.6M | −$13.0M | — | −15.19% |
| Q4 2019 | 2019-04-27 | −$68.8M | $24.3M | — | −20.57% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-01-26 | −$69.3M | −$2.8M | — | −12.64% |
| Q2 2019 | 2018-10-27 | $249.0M | $8.1M | +3.36% | +30.56% |
| Q1 2019 | 2018-07-28 | −$35.6M | $28.5M | — | −10.55% |
| Q4 2018 | 2018-04-28 | −$93.0M | −$7.8M | — | −26.01% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-01-27 | −$66.5M | −$23.2M | — | −11.02% |
| Q2 2018 | 2017-10-28 | $240.9M | $47.7M | +24.67% | +27.17% |
| Q1 2018 | 2017-07-29 | −$64.1M | −$32.7M | — | −18.03% |
| Q4 2017 | 2017-04-29 | −$85.2M | −$33.1M | — | −24.85% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-01-28 | −$43.3M | −$70.8M | — | −8.31% |
| Q2 2017 | 2016-10-29 | $193.3M | $134.1M | +226.72% | +25.08% |
| Q1 2017 | 2016-07-30 | −$31.4M | −$29.2M | — | −13.12% |
| Q4 2016 | 2016-04-30 | −$52.1M | $64.0M | — | — |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-01-30 | $27.5M | $105.1M | — | +5.30% |
| Q2 2016 | 2015-10-31 | $59.1M | −$147.4M | −71.36% | +7.83% |
| Q1 2016 | 2015-08-01 | −$2.2M | $41.3M | — | −0.92% |
| Q4 2015 | 2015-05-02 | −$116.1M | — | — | −42.39% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-01-31 | −$77.6M | — | — | −14.87% |
| Q2 2015 | 2014-11-01 | $206.5M | — | — | +27.47% |
| Q1 2015 | 2014-08-02 | −$43.5M | — | — | −19.29% |
Barnes & Noble Education free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow grew from $5.3M to $33.9M, a compound annual growth rate of 44.72%. Barnes & Noble Education's latest reported quarter, Q4 2026, generated $76.4M in free cash flow, an increase of 54.27% year over year.
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as SEC-reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
Review Barnes & Noble Education filings at SEC.gov ↗