Barnes & Noble 3Q Profit Falls 25%

New York City, Barnes & Noble, Inc. reported earnings of $10.2 million in the third quarter ended Oct. 30, a decline of 25% when compared with earnings of $7.6 million in the prior-year period. The book chain attributed the decrease in part to higher expenses and soft demand for bestsellers. Higher purchases of DVD media, juvenile products and cafe merchandise helped offset some of that weakness, the retailer said. Same-store sales were up 0.9% for the 13-week period, while overall sales rose 4% to $894.9 million at Barnes & Noble stores. Total revenues for the third quarter increased 15% to $1.46 billion from $1.27 billion.