BNED (Barnes & Noble Education) Growth Rank: 1 (As of Sep. 03, 2026) — 50% Below Median

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BNED Barnes & Noble Education Inc BNED
51 GF Score
Price $12.20
GF Value $2.40
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 4 Warning Signs
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What is Barnes & Noble Education Growth Rank?

Barnes & Noble Education BNED +0.66% 51 Growth Rank is 1 as of Sep. 03, 2026, which is 50% below its 10-year median of 2.00. GuruFocus rates BNED with a GF Score™ of 51/100 and a GF Value™ of $2.40 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review.

Barnes & Noble Education has the Growth Rank of 1.

GuruFocus Growth Rank measures the growth of a company in terms of its revenue and profitability, rated on a scale from 1 to 10. Historically, the companies with the highest growth ranks performed the best over the long term. It is calculated using the following criteria:

1. 5-year revenue growth rate, the higher, the better.
2. 3-year revenue growth rate, the higher, the better.
3. 5-year EBITDA growth rate, the higher, the better.
4. The predictability of 5-year revenue. The most consistent it is, the higher the rank.

A higher score reflects a greater ability to drive business growth, with companies considered to have strong and sustainable expansion potential. Conversely, a lower score indicates challenges in achieving consistent growth and scalability.

GuruFocus found that the Growth Rank is the second of the two most-sensitive parameters among the five parameters checked. Please click GF Score to see more details on GF Score's 5 Key Aspects of Analysis.

Please note that we are using the five-year EBITDA growth rate as a parameter, so the company needs to have had positive growth over that time. The reason we use EBITDA instead of earnings per share is that with EBITDA, we can rank a lot more companies since a company may have positive EBITDA but negative EPS. Since we are looking at the growth here, EBITDA gives us a pretty clear picture about the growth in the company's business operations.


Barnes & Noble Education Growth Rank Related Terms


BNED vs BBW, ARKO, FLWS: Growth Rank Comparison

For the Specialty Retail subindustry, Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank, along with its competitors' market caps and Growth Rank data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Barnes & Noble Education Growth Rank vs Retail - Cyclical Industry

For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank falls into.


BNED
51GF Score
Barnes & Noble Education Inc BNED
Growth Rank is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Growth Rank →
What does a Growth Rank of 1 mean?
Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) has a Growth Rank of 1 as of Sep. 03, 2026. Growth Rank measures the growth of a company in terms of its revenue and profitability. View historical data on Barnes & Noble Education and its competitors. This is 50% below median its historical median of 2.00. Over the past decade, Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank has ranged from 1.00 to 7.00.
Is Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank too high?
Barnes & Noble Education's current Growth Rank of 1 is 50% below median its 10-year median of 2.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.00 to a high of 7.00. Overall, Barnes & Noble Education has a GF Score™ of 51/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank compare to BBW and ARKO?
Barnes & Noble Education's Growth Rank of 1 can be compared against companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry. Historically, Barnes & Noble Education's own Growth Rank has ranged from 1.00 to 7.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Growth Rank for a Retail - Cyclical company?
A good Growth Rank depends on the Retail - Cyclical industry context. However, Growth Rank should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Growth Rank mean?
A high Growth Rank can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Growth Rank measures the growth of a company in terms of its revenue and profitability. View historical data on Barnes & Noble Education and its competitors. Barnes & Noble Education's current Growth Rank is 1, which is 50% below median its own 10-year median of 2.00. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Barnes & Noble Education stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $2.40, compared to a current price of $12.20 — trading 408.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Growth Rank is 1, which is 50% below median its 10-year median of 2.00. Barnes & Noble Education's overall GF Score™ is 51/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Growth Rank calculated?
Growth Rank is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Barnes & Noble Education (BNED), the current Growth Rank is 1 as of Sep. 03, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Barnes & Noble Education (BNED) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Barnes & Noble Education stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $12.20 is trading 408.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of $2.40. GuruFocus considers Barnes & Noble Education to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for BNED:

  • Growth Rank: 1 (50% below median its 10-year median of 2.00)
  • GF Value™: $2.40 vs. price of $12.20 (408.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 51/100 with 4 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the BNED stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Barnes & Noble Education Business Description

Address 180 Park Avenue, Suite 301, Florham Park, NJ, USA, 07932
Barnes & Noble Education Inc is a contract operator of physical and virtual bookstores for college and university campuses and K-12 institutions across the United States. The company is also a textbook wholesaler and inventory management hardware and software provider. It offers course materials through physical and online bookstores, including new and used print textbooks, rental options, digital textbooks, and publisher-hosted digital courseware. Products are also offered directly to students through Textbooks.com. The majority of the company's revenue is derived from the sale of products through its bookstore locations, including virtual bookstores, and the bookstore affiliated e-commerce websites.
51GF Score

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Growth Rank is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$12.20
Price
$2.40
GF Value