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B&N released its quarterly SEC filing, and sales were down in many business segments. However the adult coloring book craze continues to drive sales as people find a sense of well being and serenity in staying between the lines. PW’s Jim Milliot has a succinct write up of the results:

Overall retail sales, which includes BN.com plus the stores, fell 3.1% in the quarter. In addition to the decline in BN.com sales, store closures cost $8 million in sales. According to the filing, sales in non-book core categories increased $6.6 million in the quarter ( 2.8%) as merchandising initiatives continued to drive growth of the Toys & Games, Vinyl and Gift businesses. Book sales decreased $10.4 million (2.1%), primarily on lower sales of trade and juvenile titles, partially offset by strong sales of adult coloring books. Sales of Nook products at the B&B stores fell $3.9 million (25.8%) primarily on lower device unit volume, B&N reported.

If you want to drill down here are the results for the last six months. BN.com sales were down some 22% from the preceding year.

B&N Retail sales decreased $27.5 million, or 3.1%, to $860.7 million from $888.2 million during the same period one year ago, and accounted for 96.2% of total Company sales. Online sales were impacted by the launch of the new BN.com website, decreasing $17.5 million, or 22.0%, versus the prior year. Closed stores decreased sales by $8.0 million, while comparable store sales declined 1.0%, or $7.7 million, as compared to the prior year. B&N Retail also includes third-party sales of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., which increased by $3.0 million, or 26.4%, versus the prior year.

Of the $7.7 million decrease in comparable store sales, core comparable store sales, which exclude sales of NOOK® products, decreased $3.8 million, or 0.5%, as compared to the prior year. Non-book core categories increased sales by $6.6 million, or 2.8%, as merchandising initiatives continued to drive growth of the Toys & Games, Vinyl and Gift businesses. Book categories decreased sales by $10.4 million, or 2.1%, primarily on lower sales of Trade and Juvenile titles, partially offset by strong sales of adult coloring books. Sales of NOOK® products at B&N Retail stores decreased $3.9 million, or 25.8%, primarily on lower device unit volume.

• NOOK sales decreased $20.3 million, or 31.9%, to $43.5 million from $63.9 million during the same period one year ago, and accounted for 4.9% of total Company sales. Digital content sales decreased $13.4 million, or 29.8%, to $31.7 million compared to prior year primarily on lower unit sales. Device and accessories sales decreased $6.9 million, or 36.9%, to $11.8 million primarily on lower device unit volume.
 
 
• Elimination sales, which represent sales from NOOK to B&N Retail on a sell-through basis decreased $5.9 million, or 38.3%, versus the prior year. NOOK sales, net of elimination, accounted for 3.8% of total Company sales.

• B&N Retail sales decreased $43.3 million, or 2.3%, to $1.800 billion from $1.843 billion during the same period one year ago, and accounted for 96.1% of total Company sales. Online sales were impacted by the launch of the new BN.com website, decreasing $23.7 million, or 15.9%, versus the prior year. Closed stores decreased sales by $18.3 million. Device warranty reimbursements, resulting from favorable claims experience with a warranty service provider, decreased $4.8 million on a year-to-date basis as compared to prior year due to a smaller claim period and lower volume.