Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 6,162	$ 56,017
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(39,146)	20,126
Net income from continuing operations	45,308	35,891
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization (including amortization of deferred financing fees)	106,657	114,057
Stock-based compensation expense	10,943	14,243
Impairment charges	3,922	366
Deferred taxes		(3,755)
Loss on disposal of property and equipment	1,220	965
Decrease in other long-term liabilities	(23,541)	(25,967)
Pension reclassification		7,271
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net	101,543	(18,188)
Net cash flows provided by operating activities	246,052	124,883
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(69,785)	(65,666)
Net (increase) decrease in other noncurrent assets	(902)	478
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(70,687)	(65,188)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Cash dividends paid	(34,811)
Cash dividends paid to preferred shareholders	(3,941)	(12,085)
Proceeds from credit facility	659,400	349,400
Payments on credit facility	(659,400)	(349,400)
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options	1,302	1,017
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	1,768	1,096
Purchase of treasury stock related to stock-based compensation	(2,440)	(4,315)
Treasury stock repurchase plan	(16,489)
Payment of new credit facility related fees	(5,701)
Cash settlement of equity award	(8,022)
Inducement fee paid upon conversion of Series J preferred stock	(3,657)
Net proceeds from Microsoft commercial agreement financing arrangement		57,161
Payment of junior seller note		(127,250)
Acquisition of preferred membership interests		(76,175)
Net cash flows used in financing activities	(71,991)	(160,551)
Cash flows from discontinued operations:
Operating cash flows	(81,643)	126,870
Investing cash flows	(16,505)	(39,503)
Financing cash flows (including cash at date of Spin-Off)	(16,029)
Net cash flows provided by (used in) discontinued operations	(114,177)	87,367
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(10,803)	(13,489)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	74,360	340,171
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	63,557	326,682
Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations		(174,620)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	63,557	152,062
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net:
Receivables, net	(9,099)	31,694
Merchandise inventories	(48,192)	(72,086)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	27,291	(946)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	131,543	23,150
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net	101,543	(18,188)
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest	11,105	15,040
Income taxes (net of refunds)	7,724	50,079
Non-cash financing activity:
Accrued dividends for long-term incentive awards	326
Dividend to preferred stockholders paid in shares	1,783
Issuance of common stock upon conversion of Series J preferred stock	$ 200,262
Accrued dividend on redeemable preferred stock		3,942
Acquisition of preferred membership interests for 2,737 shares of common stock of Barnes & Noble		$ (76,175)