Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), one of the largest contract operators of physical and virtual bookstores for higher education and K-12 institutions across the United States, one of the largest textbook wholesalers, and a leading provider of digital education services, today reported sales and earnings for the fourth quarter and full year for fiscal 2017.

Fourth quarter 2017 results include 9 weeks of operations from MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC (“MBS”), which BNED acquired on February 27, 2017. As a result of the consummation of the acquisition, the Company will now report financial information for two reportable segments: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC (“BNC”) and MBS.

Financial highlights for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2017:

• Consolidated fourth quarter sales of $342.8 million increased 16.3%, as compared to the prior year period; fiscal full year sales of $1,874.4 million increased 3.7%, as compared to the prior year period.
• Fourth quarter comparable store sales increased 1.4% for BNC, as compared to the prior year period; fiscal full year comparable store sales decreased 3.0% for BNC, as compared to the prior year period, and decreased by 1.8% when excluding community colleges.
• Consolidated fourth quarter GAAP net income of $0.2 million, as compared to a net loss of $2.8 million in the prior year period; full year net income of $5.4 million, as compared to $0.1 million in the prior year period.
• Consolidated fourth quarter non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA of $25.6 million, an increase of $6.8 million, as compared to the prior year period; full year non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA of $78.3 million, a decrease of $2.2 million, as compared to the prior year period. The Adjusted EBITDA is $82.5 million for the full fiscal year, an increase of $2.0 million, excluding MBS and intercompany eliminations.
  • BNC fourth quarter non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $29.8 million, an increase of $11.0 million, as compared with the prior year period; full year non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $82.5 million, an increase of $2.0 million, as compared with the prior year period.
  • MBS fourth quarter and full year non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $(3.6) million.
• Consolidated fourth quarter non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings of $4.5 million, as compared to Adjusted Earnings of $3.0 million in the prior year period; full year non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings of $12.3 million, as compared to $15.5 million in the prior year period.

Operational highlights for fiscal year 2017:

• BNC opened 38 new stores with estimated annual sales of $118 million, bringing the total stores operated to 769 locations as of April 30, 2017. The Company currently has contracts to open 23 new stores with estimated annual sales of $50 million in fiscal 2018.
• Completed the acquisition of MBS Textbook Exchange, the largest contract operator of virtual bookstores, one of the largest used college textbook wholesalers, bookstore system providers and distributors of direct-to-student course materials in the nation. The acquisition expands the Company’s addressable market to include higher education institutions and K-12 schools that need virtual bookstore solutions, enables BNED to optimize its textbook sourcing and expands its customer base for digital courseware and analytics. BNED now operates 1,481 physical and virtual bookstores, including 712 MBS stores, and serves more than 6 million students enrolled in higher education and K-12 institutions.
• MBS opened 80 virtual stores with estimated annual sales of $17 million in fiscal 2017 and has contracts to open 46 virtual stores with estimated annual sales of $8 million in fiscal 2018.
• Announced partnership with Unizin, a nonprofit consortium focused on promoting affordability, access, and student success in digital education, to provide Unizin’s 22 member universities with BNED LoudCloud's predictive analytics solution, LoudSight.

“In fiscal 2017, we successfully executed upon our strategy to expand our distribution and content platform. As a result, we continue to improve our competitive position to deliver value for shareholders and partners with our comprehensive solution for education institutions -- flexible physical or virtual store operations, including our acquisition of MBS; the most robust, affordable textbook inventory; and a sophisticated learning management solution comprised of LoudSight learning analytics, advanced OER courseware, and competency learning solutions,” said Max J. Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. “Our complete end-to-end platform makes us the ideal partner for schools as they seek to meet student success and close the affordability and accessibility gap for students with increasingly personalized learning solutions. Our strong market position continues to be built with new business wins, textbook sales and rentals, analytic platform adoptions and OER content adoptions. Existing and prospective customers alike are responding positively to our enhanced offerings, and we expect new store contracts and digital business wins to make important contributions as we continue to navigate challenging near-term enrollment trends in an increasingly competitive market.”

Consolidated fourth quarter sales of $342.8 million increased $48.0 million, or 16.3%, as compared to the prior year period. The Company reported consolidated net income of $0.2 million.

Fiscal full year consolidated sales were $1,874.4 million, an increase of $66.4 million, or 3.7%, as compared to the prior year period. The Company reported consolidated net income of $5.4 million, which includes transaction costs of $9.6 million and restructuring costs of $1.8 million. Non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings were $12.3 million compared to $15.5 million for the prior year period.

Comparable store sales increased 1.4% for BNC for the quarter. As disclosed in the Company’s third quarter fiscal 2017 earnings release, the Spring Rush period extended into the fourth quarter due to later school openings and a continued pattern of students buying course materials later in the semester.

Comparable store sales decreased 3.0% for BNC for fiscal year 2017, driven by the enrollment declines at community colleges, increased consumer purchases directly with publishers and other online providers, and overall unfavorable retail trends. The 3.0% decline in comparable store sales was approximately $50.6 million of sales for BNC, of which $27.4 million is attributable to two-year community colleges. Comparable store sales excluding two-year community colleges decreased by 1.8% year to date.

BNC opened 38 new stores with estimated annual sales of $118 million in fiscal 2017, bringing the total stores operated by BNC to 769 locations as of April 29, 2017.

MBS sales for the two months following the acquisition, a seasonally low period, were $34.1 million, with approximately $14.1 million for Wholesale sales and $20.0 million for Direct sales.

The Company’s non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $25.6 million for the quarter, as compared to $18.8 million in the prior year period, due primarily to increased sales and expense leveraging. The Company’s non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $78.3 million for the full year as compared with $80.5 million in the prior year period.

Fourth quarter consolidated net income was $0.2 million, or $0.0 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $(2.8) million, or $(0.06) per diluted share, in the prior year period. The current year’s fiscal fourth quarter has 46.9 million diluted shares outstanding, while the prior year period had 47.2 million diluted shares outstanding. The Company reported non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings of $4.5 million during the quarter, compared with non-GAAP Adjusted Earnings of $3.0 million in the prior year period.

Outlook

For fiscal year 2018, the Company expects sales at BNC to be relatively flat, while BNC comparable store sales are projected to decline in the low- to mid-single digit percentage point range year over year. In addition, the Company expects consolidated sales to be in the range of $2.25 billion to $2.35 billion before intercompany eliminations. Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $50 million, an increase from fiscal 2017 due to new store growth at BNC.

Conference Call

A conference call with Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. senior management will be webcast at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 and can be accessed at the Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. corporate website at www.bned.com.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. expects to report fiscal 2018 first quarter results on or about September 6, 2017.

About Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), one of the largest contract operators of physical and virtual bookstores for higher education and K-12 institutions across the United States, one of the largest textbook wholesalers, and a leading provider of digital education services, enhances the academic and social purpose of educational institutions. Through its Barnes & Noble College and MBS subsidiaries, Barnes & Noble Education operates 1,481 physical and virtual bookstores and serves more than 6 million students, delivering essential educational content and tools within a dynamic retail environment. Through LoudCloud, its digital education platform, Barnes & Noble Education offers a suite of digital software, content and services that include predictive analytics, OER courseware, competency-based solutions and a learning management system. Barnes & Noble Education acts as a strategic partner to drive student success; provide value and support to students and faculty; and create loyalty and improve retention, all while supporting the financial goals of college and university partners.

General information on Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the Company's corporate website: www.bned.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and information relating to us and our business that are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management. When used in this communication, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “forecasts,” “projections,” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events and trends discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, the outcome of which is subject to certain risks, including, among others: general competitive conditions, including actions our competitors may take to grow their businesses; a decline in college enrollment or decreased funding available for students; decisions by colleges and universities to outsource their physical and/or online bookstore operations or change the operation of their bookstores; the general economic environment and consumer spending patterns; decreased consumer demand for our products, low growth or declining sales; our ability to continue to successfully integrate the operations of MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC into our Company, while facing competition from not only physical bookstore operations but also virtual solutions; the strategic objectives, anticipated synergies, and/or other expected potential benefits of the MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC acquisition may not be fully realized or may take longer than expected; the integration of MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC’s operations into our own may also increase the risk of our internal controls being found ineffective; risks associated with operation or performance of MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC’s point-of-sales systems that are sold to college bookstore customers; implementation of our digital strategy may not result in the expected growth in our digital sales and/or profitability; risk that digital sales growth does not exceed the rate of investment spend; the performance of our online, digital and other initiatives, integration of and deployment of, additional products and services, and enhancements higher education digital products, and the inability to achieve the expected cost savings; our ability to successfully implement our strategic initiatives including our ability to identify, compete for and execute upon additional acquisitions and strategic investments; technological changes; risks associated with counterfeit and piracy of digital and print materials; our international operations could result in additional risks; our ability to attract and retain employees; changes to purchase or rental general terms, payment terms, return policies, the discount or margin on products or other terms with our suppliers; risks associated with data privacy, information security and intellectual property; trends and challenges to our business and in the locations in which we have stores; non-renewal of managed bookstore, physical and/or online store contracts and higher-than-anticipated store closings; disruptions to our information technology systems, infrastructure and data due to computer malware, viruses, hacking and phishing attacks, resulting in harm to our business and results of operations; disruption of or interference with third party web service providers and our own proprietary technology; work stoppages or increases in labor costs; the risk of price reduction or change in format of course materials by publishers, which could negatively impact revenues and margin; possible increases in shipping rates or interruptions in shipping service, obsolete or excessive inventory; product shortages, including risks associated with merchandise sourced indirectly from outside the United States; changes in law or regulation; enactment of laws which may restrict or prohibit our use of emails or similar marketing activities; the amount of our indebtedness and ability to comply with covenants applicable to any future debt financing; our ability to satisfy future capital and liquidity requirements; our ability to access the credit and capital markets at the times and in the amounts needed and on acceptable terms; adverse results from litigation, governmental investigations or tax-related proceedings or audits; changes in accounting standards; and the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in Part I - Item 1A of the Form 10-K for the 52 weeks ended April 29, 2017, which is expected to be filed on or about July 12, 2017. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those described as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release.

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