MAIN NEWS HEADLINES

January 15-31, 2005 Edition

BARNES & NOBLE

REPORTS HOLIDAY

SALES INCREASE 5.7%

New York, NY/01/06/05—Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, has reported sales of $1,040.5 million for the nine-week holiday period from October 31, 2004 to January 1, 2005, an increase of $55.7 million, or 5.7 percent over the same period in fiscal 2003. Comparable store sales increased 2.0 percent for the same period. For the 48 weeks ended January 1, 2005, Barnes & Noble store sales rose 7.0 percent to $3,807.8 million from $3,560.2 million, while comparable store sales increased 3.3 percent.

B. Dalton sales were $50.6 million for the nine-week period, a decrease of ($14.7) million, or (22.5) percent from the same period in fiscal 2003, primarily due to the closing of 55 stores. Comparable store sales decreased (2.8) percent for the same period. For the 48 weeks ended January 1, 2005, B. Dalton sales decreased ($40.4) million to $166.2 million or (19.6) percent, while comparable store sales decreased (2.0) percent.

Barnes & Noble.com sales of $105.5 million for the nine-week period increased $2.8 million, or 2.7 percent over the same period in fiscal 2003. For the 48 weeks ended January 1, 2005, Barnes & Noble.com sales declined (1.1) percent to $373.9 million from $378.1 million.

Based on the holiday sales results, the company reaffirms previously announced fourth-quarter and full-year guidance. Consolidated earnings per share guidance is projected to be between $1.51 and $1.56 for the fourth quarter and $1.96 and $2.04 for the full year, excluding the second-quarter debt redemption charge of $0.11 per share.

Full-year earnings for 2004 and guidance for 2005 will be issued on or about March 17, 2005.

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE, INC.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 839 bookstores in 50 states. For the third year in a row, the company is the nation’s top retail brand for quality, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com ( www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites and the number-one brand among e-commerce companies, according to the latest EquiTrend survey. In addition to its retail operations, Barnes & Noble is one of the largest book publishers in the world. Its subsidiary, Sterling Publishing, publishes over 1,300 new titles a year and has an active list of over 6,000 titles.