Profit Drops at Barnes & Noble

New York City, Barnes & Noble Inc. posted a slim third-quarter profit of $327,000—down from $7.6 million in the same quarter last year. Sales rose 4% to $1.08 billion. Sales at Barnes & Noble stores were also up 4%, to $930.5 million, while same-store sales at Barnes & Noble rose 1.5%. Sales at the company’s B. Dalton stores fell 21% to $28.4 million, mainly a result of store closings. Comps declined 1.6% at B. Dalton.