Barnes and Noble 1998 Annual Report Download - page 6
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Please find page 6 of the 1998 Barnes and Noble annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.INTRODUCTION
In 1998, Barnes & Noble celebrated the opening of its 500th store in Dallas, Texas. That store,
pictured here and on the inside cover, stands as a symbo l of the enduring success of our mission:
bringing books and bookstores into the mainstream o f American life. Our go al from the beginning
was to increase the size o f the market, not simply to get a bigger share of it. By all measures, our
stores have done just that: selling mo re books to more people than had ever been thought possible.
Our financial results, as you will see in this repo rt, clearly demo nstrate we have built, and continue
to build, a successful business. In 1998, o ur stores had record-breaking sales, industry-leading
comparable-store sales, o perating profits in every quarter, and the highest-ever net earnings. Our
debt levels co ntinued to decline, and we generated po sitive cash flows for the second year in a
ro w. In 1999, our balance sheet is stronger than ever.
1998 IN REVIEW
The 500th
Barnes & Noble store
in Dallas, Texas
Store photos: Whitney Cox
Barnes & Noble, Inc.