BNED Barnes and Noble Education Inc

 UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

(Rule 13d-102)

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT

TO RULES 13d-1(b), (c), AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED

PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b)

(Amendment No. )¹

 

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

06777U101

(CUSIP Number)

September 20, 2024

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

 

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

☒

Rule 13d-1(b)

☐

Rule 13d-1(c)

☐

Rule 13d-1(d)

 

 

1              The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				PHILOTIMO FUND, LP
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☐
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				5		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							0
OWNED BY				6		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							700,363
PERSON WITH				7		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							0
				8		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							700,363
	9		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				700,363
	10		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	11		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
				2.7%
	12		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				IA, PN

  

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				PHILOTIMO FOCUSED GROWTH AND INCOME FUND
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☐
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				DELAWARE
NUMBER OF				5		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							0
OWNED BY				6		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							600,428
PERSON WITH				7		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							0
				8		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							600,428
	9		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				600,428
	10		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	11		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
				2.3%
	12		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				IA, OO

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				KANEN WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☐
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				FLORIDA
NUMBER OF				5		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							0
OWNED BY				6		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							1,473,076
PERSON WITH				7		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							0
				8		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							1,473,076
	9		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				1,473,076
	10		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	11		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
				5.6%
	12		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				IA, OO

  

 

	1		NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
				DAVID L. KANEN
	2		CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP															(a) ☐
																		(b) ☐
	3		SEC USE ONLY
	4		CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
				USA
NUMBER OF				5		SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES
BENEFICIALLY							55,990
OWNED BY				6		SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING							1,473,076
PERSON WITH				7		SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
							55,990
				8		SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
							1,473,076
	9		AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
				1,529,066
	10		CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES															☐
	11		PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
				5.8%
	12		TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
				IN

  

 

Item 1(a).

Name of Issuer:

 

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (the “Issuer”).

 

Item 1(b).

Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices:

 

120 Mountain View Blvd., Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920.

 

Item 2(a).

Name of Person Filing

 

This statement is filed by Philotimo Fund LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Philotimo”), Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund, a series of World Funds Trust and a Delaware statutory trust (“PHLOX”), Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“KWM”) and David L. Kanen. Each of the foregoing is referred to as a “Reporting Person” and collectively as the “Reporting Persons.”

 

KWM is the general partner of Philotimo and the investment manager of PHLOX and certain separately managed accounts (the “Managed Accounts”). Mr. Kanen serves as the managing member of KWM. By virtue of these relationships, KWM may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares (as defined below) owned by Philotimo, PHLOX and the Managed Accounts while Mr. Kanen may be deemed to beneficially own the Shares owned by each of Philotimo, PHLOX, KWM and the Managed Accounts.

 

Item 2(b).

Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence

 

The principal business address of each of Philotimo, PHLOX, KWM and Mr. Kanen is 6810 Lyons Technology Circle, Suite 160, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073.

 

Item 2(c).

Citizenship:

 

Philotimo is organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. PHLOX is organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. KWM is organized under the laws of the State of Florida. Mr. Kanen is a citizen of the United States of America.

 

Item 2(d).

Title of Class of Securities:

 

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Shares”).

 

Item 2(e).

CUSIP Number:

 

06777U101

 

Item 3.

If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

 

		/x/	Not applicable.
	(a)	/ /	Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
	(b)	/ /	Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act.
	(c)	/ /	Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange Act.
	(d)	/ /	Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act.
	(e)	/ /	An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).
	(f)	/ /	An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F).
	(g)	/ /	A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).
	(h)	/ /	A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
	(i)	/ /	A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act.
	(j)	/ /	A non-U.S. institution, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
	(k)	/ /	Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: ____

 

Item 4.

Ownership.

 

(a)

Amount beneficially owned:

 

As of the close of business on September 26, 2024:

 

(i)

Philotimo beneficially owned 700,363 Shares;

 

(ii)

PHLOX beneficially owned 600,428 Shares;

 

(iii)

KWM beneficially owned 1,473,076 Shares (including 172,285 Shares held in the Managed Accounts); and

 

(iv)

Mr. Kanen beneficially owned 1,529,066 Shares (including 172,285 Shares held in the Managed Accounts and 55,990 Shares directly owned by Mr. Kanen).

 

 

(b)

Percent of class:

 

The aggregate percentage of the Shares reported owned by each person named herein is based upon 26,208,036 Shares outstanding as of August 30, 2024, which is the total number of Shares outstanding as reported in the Issuer’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 10, 2024.

 

As of the close of business on September 26, 2024:

 

(i)

Philotimo may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 2.7% of the outstanding Shares;

 

(ii)

PHLOX may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 2.3% of the outstanding Shares;

 

(iii)

KWM may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 5.6% of the outstanding Shares (less than 1% of the outstanding Shares are held in the Managed Accounts); and

 

(iv)

Mr. Kanen may be deemed to beneficially own approximately 5.8% of the outstanding Shares (less than 1% of the outstanding Shares are held in the Managed Accounts).

 

(c)

Number of shares as to which such person has:

 

(i)

Sole power to vote or to direct the vote

 

See Cover Pages Items 5-9.

 

(ii)

Shared power to vote or to direct the vote

 

See Cover Pages Items 5-9.

 

(iii)

Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

 

See Cover Pages Items 5-9.

 

(iv)

Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of

 

See Cover Pages Items 5-9.

 

Item 5.

Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

 

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ].

 

Item 6.

Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

 

Not Applicable.

 

Item 7.

Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control Person.

 

Not Applicable.

 

Item 8.

Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

 

See Exhibit 99.1.

 

Item 9.

Notice of Dissolution of Group.

 

Not Applicable.

 

Item 10.

Certifications.

 

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of his knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: September 26, 2024

	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member

 

 

	Philotimo Fund, LP
	By:	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, its general partner
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member

 

 

	Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund
	By:	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, its investment manager
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member
	/s/ David L. Kanen
	David L. Kanen

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

Joint Filing Agreement

 

The undersigned hereby agree that the Statement on Schedule 13G dated September 26, 2024, with respect to the Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Barnes & Noble Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any further amendments thereto executed by each and any of the undersigned shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Dated: September 26, 2024

 

	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member

 

 

	Philotimo Fund, LP
	By:	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, its general partner
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member

 

 

	Philotimo Focused Growth and Income Fund
	By:	Kanen Wealth Management, LLC, its investment manager
	By:	/s/ David L. Kanen
		Name:	David L. Kanen
		Title:	Managing Member

 

 

	/s/ David L. Kanen
	David L. Kanen

 

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