Barnes & Noble Q4 Loss Narrows Despite Lower Sales = Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Barnes & Noble, Inc. (BKS) reported a loss for the fourth quarter that narrowed from last year as a decline in sales was more than offset by lower costs and expenses.

The company's fourth-quarter net loss narrowed to $13.43 million or $0.19 per share from $30.61 million or $0.42 per share in the prior-year period.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report loss of $0.23 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Total sales for the quarter declined 6.3 percent to $821.2 million from $876.68 million in the year-ago period. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $789.41 million.

Comparable store sales declined 6.3 percent for the quarter, while online sales increased 2.9 percent.

For the quarter, Retail generated an operating loss of $15.9 million, while NOOK incurred an operating loss of $7.9 million, for a total operating loss of $23.8 million.

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2018, Barnes & Noble said it expects comparable bookstore sales to decline in the low single digits and full year consolidated EBITDA to be approximately $180 million.