<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001059272-18-000002
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20180112
<FILING-DATE>20180116
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20180116
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MASHOUF MANNY
<CIK>0001079800
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-24395
<FILM-NUMBER>18529047
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 VALLEY DRIVE
<CITY>BRISBANE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94005
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>bebe stores, inc.
<CIK>0001059272
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2330
<IRS-NUMBER>942450490
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0702
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 VALLEY DR
<CITY>BRISBANE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94005
<PHONE>4157153900
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 VALLEY DR
<CITY>BRISBANE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94005
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BEBE STORES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19980422
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BABE INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19980407
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-01-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001059272</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>bebe stores, inc.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BEBE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001079800</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MASHOUF MANNY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>400 VALLEY DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BRISBANE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94005-1208</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-01-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>250000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4358842</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Sold pursuant to the Debt Conversion and Purchase and Sale Agreement with B. Riley Financial, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By the Manny Mashouf Living Trust dated May 2, 2007</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Manny Mashouf</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-01-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
