BASKING RIDGE, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), a leading solutions provider for the education industry, today reported sales and earnings for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023, which ended on April 29, 2023.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023, the assets related to the Company’s Digital Student Solutions (“DSS”) segment met the criteria for classification as Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations. Results reported in this press release reflect results from Continuing Operations. On May 31, 2023, BNED completed the sale of its DSS segment for cash proceeds of $20 million, net of certain transaction fees, severance costs, escrow, and other considerations. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, the Company expects to record a Gain on Sale of Business in the range of $2.5 million to $4.5 million.
Fourth Quarter 2023 financial and operational highlights:
- Consolidated fourth quarter GAAP revenue of $241.8 million decreased by $9.3 million, or 3.7%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fourth quarter GAAP gross profit of $58.3 million decreased by $13.9 million, or 19.2%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fourth quarter selling and administrative expenses decreased by $3.4 million, or 4.3%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fourth quarter GAAP net loss from continuing operations was $(41.9) million, as compared to a net loss of $(9.3) million in the prior year period. The increase in net loss from continuing operations was primarily due to lower gross profit of $13.9 million, and increases in restructuring and other charges of $7.5 million, interest expense of $4.7 million and income tax expense of $10.0 million, primarily due to a $9.6 million income tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022.
- Consolidated fourth quarter non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations was $(18.2) million, as compared to $(7.7) million in the prior year period.
- Fourth quarter Total Retail gross comparable store sales increased by $2.1 million, or 0.9%, comprised of a 1.0% increase in course material sales, and a 0.9% increase in general merchandise sales. For comparable store sales reporting purposes, logo general merchandise sales fulfilled by Lids and Fanatics are included on a gross basis.
- BNC’s First Day® Complete revenue grew 60% to $24.4 million. 116 campus stores utilized BNC’s First Day® Complete courseware delivery program during the 2023 Spring Term, at institutions representing approximately 580,000* in total enrollment; up from 76 campus stores and approximately 380,000* in total enrollment in the 2022 Spring Term.
Fiscal Year 2023 financial and operational highlights:
- Consolidated fiscal year 2023 GAAP revenue of $1,543.2 million increased by $47.5 million, or 3.2%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fiscal year 2023 GAAP gross profit of $349.4 million increased by $6.6 million, or 1.9%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fiscal year 2023 selling and administrative expenses increased by $3.6 million, or 1.0%, as compared to the prior year period.
- Consolidated fiscal year 2023 GAAP net loss from continuing operations was $(90.1) million, as compared to a net loss of $(61.6) million in the prior year period. The increase in net loss from continuing operations was primarily due to increases in restructuring and other charges of $9.2 million, interest expense of $12.6 million and income tax expense of $10.2 million, primarily due to a $9.2 million income tax benefit recorded in fiscal year 2022. These increases in expense were partially offset by higher gross profit of $6.6 million.
- Consolidated fiscal year 2023 non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations was $(8.2) million, as compared to $(10.3) million in the prior year period.
- Total Retail segment gross comparable store sales increased by $48.0 million, or 3.2%, comprised of a 0.4% increase in course material sales, and an 8.6% increase in general merchandise sales. For comparable store sales reporting purposes, logo general merchandise sales fulfilled by Lids and Fanatics are included on a gross basis.
- Fiscal year 2023 First Day® Complete revenue grew by $93 million, or 88%, to $198 million, as compared to $105 million in the prior year period.
- 157 campus stores are committed to utilize First Day® Complete in the Fall of 2023 representing enrollment of nearly 800,000 undergraduate and post graduate students*, an increase of approximately 46% compared to Fall of 2022.
- Achieved approximately $17 million of run-rate cost savings in fiscal year 2023. The Company expects to achieve a total of $30 million to $35 million in annualized run-rate cost savings in fiscal year 2024 based on actions implemented in fiscal 2023. Additionally, the Company has identified opportunities to further reduce expenses and gross capital expenditures in fiscal year 2024.
- Ended the year with 1,366 physical and virtual stores, a net decrease of 61 stores, as compared to the prior year period, as the Company focuses on closing unprofitable stores.
*As reported by National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
“Fiscal 2023 proved to be a challenging year for BNED, as we continued to experience macro and market headwinds, particularly in our a la carte course material business. During the year we took significant and decisive actions to accelerate our strategy to unlock the value of BNED. We significantly reduced, and continue to reduce, our cost structure and streamlined our organization while taking steps to accelerate the adoption of our more predictable and profitable First Day® Complete equitable access model. We also divested our DSS segment to simplify our business and sharpen our focus on the large opportunities in our retail business,” said Michael P. Huseby, Chief Executive Officer, BNED. “We believe we are entering fiscal 2024 with a strong foundation and a substantial opportunity to further impact the higher education landscape. Our First Day® Complete equitable access model is gaining momentum. We are on track to achieve the previously announced $30 million to $35 million of cost reduction initiatives and we are executing on additional cost reduction opportunities that will impact Fiscal 2024. As a result, we expect to achieve sustainable, profitable growth in fiscal 2024 and beyond. Additionally, the amendment and extension of our credit facility and term loan earlier this week enhances our liquidity position and provides us with greater operational flexibility to execute on our key strategic initiatives to achieve BNED’s full potential.”
Fourth Quarter 2023 and Year to Date Results
During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023, assets related to the Company’s DSS Segment met the criteria for classification as Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations and is no longer a reportable segment. The Company has two reportable segments: Retail and Wholesale. Additionally, unallocated shared-service costs, which include various corporate level expenses and other governance functions, continue to be presented as “Corporate Services.” All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Retail Segment Results
Fourth quarter Retail sales of $235.4 million decreased by $10.2 million or 4.1%, as compared to the prior year period due to decreases in a la carte course material and supply product sales.
Total Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales increased by $2.1 million, or 0.9%, for the quarter. Course Material Comparable Store Sales increased by $0.9 million, or 1.0%, due to increased revenue from the Company’s BNC First Day models, offset by declines in the Company’s a la carte course material business. Gross Comparable Store Sales for general merchandise increased by $1.2 million, or 0.9%, due to increased revenue from logo and emblematic products, offset by a decline in supply products, particularly computing and other electronic devices.
Fiscal year 2023 Retail sales of $1,491.7 increased by $52.1 million, or 3.6%, as compared to the prior year period due to increases in the Company’s BNC First Day models and general merchandise sales.
Total Retail Gross Comparable Store Sales increased by $48.0 million, or 3.2%, for the fiscal year. Fiscal year 2023 Course Material Comparable Store Sales increased by $4.1 million, or 0.4%, due to increased revenue from the Company’s BNC First Day models, offset by declines in the Company’s a la carte course material business. Gross Comparable Store Sales for general merchandise increased by $43.9 million, or 8.6%, due to growth in logo products and café and convenience offset by declines in supply products and dorm furnishings.
Fourth quarter Retail non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $(10.0) million, as compared to $4.2 million in the prior year period. Retail Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA declined due to lower fourth quarter revenue and lower fourth quarter gross profits, which included a shift in the mix of buying patterns from physical textbooks to lower-margin digital course materials within the Company’s a la carte course material model. Fourth quarter Retail selling and administrative expenses decreased by $3.8 million, or 5.2%, as compared to the prior year period due to the Company’s initiatives to drive efficiencies, simplify organizational structure, and reduce non-essential costs, and lower incentive compensation expense.
Fiscal year 2023 Retail non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA increased by $2.0 million to $10.6 million, primarily due to increased sales.
Wholesale Segment Results (Before Intercompany Eliminations)
Wholesale fourth quarter sales of $9.2 million increased by $0.2 million, as compared to the prior year period. The fourth quarter is the lowest sales period for the Wholesale Segment as they primarily receive inventory returns and buybacks in preparation for the upcoming Fall term.
Fiscal year 2023 Wholesale sales of $106.4 million decreased by $5.9 million, or 5.2%, over the prior year period. The decrease is primarily due to lower gross sales impacted by supply constraints resulting from the lack of textbook purchasing opportunities and a decrease in customer demand resulting from a shift in buying patterns from physical textbooks to digital products. In the third and fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023, an easing of supply constraints relative to the prior year periods resulted in more textbook purchasing opportunities, which enabled the Company to fill increasing demand at its Retail Segment bookstores.
Wholesale non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter of $(4.2) million increased $3.8 million, as compared to $(8.0) million in the prior year.
Wholesale non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2023 was $3.2 million, as compared to $3.8 million in the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to lower sales and margin offset by a decrease in sales and administrative costs.
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
As of April 29, 2023, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents was $14.2 million and total outstanding debt was $184.2 million, as compared to cash and cash equivalents of $8.8 million and total outstanding debt of $225.7 million in the prior year period.
On July 28, 2023, the Company announced that it has entered into an agreement with its financial stakeholders and strategic partners on the terms of a refinancing that would immediately strengthen the Company’s liquidity and overall financial positions by extending the maturity of its debt facilities, amending certain credit facility covenants and modifying certain other agreements. With this agreement, the Company is well-positioned to continue supporting academic institutions and customers nationwide through the upcoming Fall Rush and the 2023 and 2024 academic years.
Fiscal Year 2024 Outlook
For fiscal year 2024, the Company expects consolidated non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations to be approximately $40 million. The year-over-year increase in non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations will be driven by growth in the Company’s Retail Segment and the impact of cost reductions executed in fiscal year 2023, and other cost reductions executed in, or planned for execution in, fiscal year 2024.
ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a leading solutions provider for the education industry, driving affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Through its family of brands, BNED offers campus retail services and academic solutions, wholesale capabilities and more. BNED is a company serving all who work to elevate their lives through education, supporting students, faculty and institutions as they make tomorrow a better, more inclusive and smarter world. For more information, visit www.bned.com
