PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT	9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2026
Participation Interest Purchase Agreement [Abstract]
PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT	NOTE 11. PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT In April 2025, Barnes & Noble Education entered into a Participation Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Sale Agreement”) with Jefferies Leveraged Credit Products LLC (“Jefferies”), under which Jefferies paid Barnes & Noble Education $12.6 million in exchange for a participation interest in the proceeds of a specified litigation claim. The Sale Agreement is non-recourse to Barnes & Noble Education with respect to financial risk, and Jefferies’ entitlement to payment is limited to proceeds, if any, received from the litigation. Barnes & Noble Education has continuing contractual obligations under the Sale Agreement, including remaining the plaintiff of record, cooperating with Jefferies and its counsel, providing access to litigation-related documents, and complying with certain settlement-related provisions. These obligations are protective in nature and are intended to preserve Jefferies’ contractual rights; however, they do not require Barnes & Noble Education to repay amounts received, provide services, or otherwise create a debt obligation. Effective May 4, 2025, the first day of Barnes & Noble Education’s fiscal year 2026, Barnes & Noble Education early adopted ASU No. 2025-07, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Derivatives Scope Refinements and Scope Clarification for Share-Based Noncash Consideration from a Customer in a Revenue Contract. Upon adoption, the Sale Agreement no longer met the definition of a derivative under ASC 815, as the arrangement qualifies for the scope exception for litigation funding arrangements that do not create or modify debt. Accordingly, upon adoption, the previously recognized derivative liability was reclassified to deferred income within other long-term liabilities, and the Sale Agreement is accounted for under ASC 470, Debt, as deferred income. The deferred income will be recognized in earnings when the related litigation is resolved and proceeds, if any, are distributed. The guidance was applied using a modified retrospective approach, resulting in the reclassification of the derivative liability to deferred income as of the adoption date. The cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption was immaterial. No amounts related to this arrangement are subject to recurring fair-value measurement after adoption.

PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT

9 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2026

Participation Interest Purchase Agreement [Abstract]

PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT

NOTE 11. PARTICIPATION INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT

In April 2025, Barnes & Noble Education entered into a Participation Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Sale Agreement”) with Jefferies Leveraged Credit Products LLC (“Jefferies”), under which Jefferies paid Barnes & Noble Education $12.6 million in exchange for a participation interest in the proceeds of a specified litigation claim. The Sale Agreement is non-recourse to Barnes & Noble Education with respect to financial risk, and Jefferies’ entitlement to payment is limited to proceeds, if any, received from the litigation.

Barnes & Noble Education has continuing contractual obligations under the Sale Agreement, including remaining the plaintiff of record, cooperating with Jefferies and its counsel, providing access to litigation-related documents, and complying with certain settlement-related provisions. These obligations are protective in nature and are intended to preserve Jefferies’ contractual rights; however, they do not require Barnes & Noble Education to repay amounts received, provide services, or otherwise create a debt obligation.

Effective May 4, 2025, the first day of Barnes & Noble Education’s fiscal year 2026, Barnes & Noble Education early adopted ASU No. 2025-07, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Derivatives Scope Refinements and Scope Clarification for Share-Based Noncash Consideration from a Customer in a Revenue Contract. Upon adoption, the Sale Agreement no longer met the definition of a derivative under ASC 815, as the arrangement qualifies for the scope exception for litigation funding arrangements that do not create or modify debt.

Accordingly, upon adoption, the previously recognized derivative liability was reclassified to deferred income within other long-term liabilities, and the Sale Agreement is accounted for under ASC 470, Debt, as deferred income. The deferred income will be recognized in earnings when the related litigation is resolved and proceeds, if any, are distributed.

The guidance was applied using a modified retrospective approach, resulting in the reclassification of the derivative liability to deferred income as of the adoption date. The cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption was immaterial. No amounts related to this arrangement are subject to recurring fair-value measurement after adoption.