Barnes & Noble's sales fall 1.8 percent as Nook sales decline

[March 03, 2016]  (Reuters) - Barnes & Noble Inc, the largest U.S. bookstore chain operator, reported a 1.8 percent fall in quarterly sales, hurt by lower online sales, store closures and weak demand for its Nook tablets.

However, net profit rose to $80.3 million, or $1.04 per share, in the third quarter ended Jan. 30, from $72.2 million, or 96 cents per share, a year earlier.

Total sales fell to $1.41 billion from $1.44 billion, while sales at retail stores open at least a year - which exclude its Nook digital business - rose 1.3 percent.

(Reporting by Ramkumar Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)

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