PLAY Stock Analysis: Dave & Buster’s | NASDAQ

Entertainment | NASDAQ, USA | Market Cap: 353m USD | 12M Return: -68.7% | Charts, Fundamentals & Technical Analysis

Dining, Arcade Games, Bowling, Laser Tag
Total Rating 14
Safety 49
Buy Signal -0.91
Entertainment
Industry Rotation: +1.5
Market Cap: 353M
Avg Turnover: 20.2M
Risk 3d forecast
Volatility80.3%
VaR 5th Pctl13.3%
VaR vs Median0.91%
Reward TTM
Sharpe Ratio-1.35
Rel. Str. IBD1.5
Rel. Str. Peer Group4.3
Character TTM
Beta1.464
Beta Downside1.844
Hurst Exponent0.584
Drawdowns 3y
Max DD85.75%
CAGR/Max DD-0.46
CAGR/Mean DD-0.79
EPS (Earnings per Share) EPS (Earnings per Share) of PLAY over the last years for every Quarter: "2021-07": 1.07, "2021-10": 0.21, "2022-01": 0.52, "2022-04": 1.35, "2022-07": 0.59, "2022-10": 0.04, "2023-01": 0.8, "2023-04": 1.45, "2023-07": 0.6, "2023-10": -0.12, "2024-01": 0.88, "2024-04": 0.99, "2024-07": 0.99, "2024-10": -0.45, "2025-01": 0.69, "2025-04": 0.76, "2025-07": 0.4, "2025-10": -1.14, "2026-01": -0.35, "2026-04": 0.22,
Last SUE: -0.36
Qual. Beats: 0
Revenue Revenue of PLAY over the last years for every Quarter: 2021-07: 377.638, 2021-10: 317.976, 2022-01: 343.102, 2022-04: 451.1, 2022-07: 468.4, 2022-10: 481.2, 2023-01: 563.761, 2023-04: 597.3, 2023-07: 542.1, 2023-10: 466.9, 2024-01: 599, 2024-04: 588.1, 2024-07: 557.1, 2024-10: 453, 2025-01: 534.5, 2025-04: 567.7, 2025-07: 557.4, 2025-10: 448.2, 2026-01: 529.6, 2026-04: 559.2,
Rev. CAGR: -1.97%
Rev. Trend: -84.7%
Last SUE: -1.58
Qual. Beats: -3

Warnings

High Debt/EBITDA With Thin Interest Coverage
High Debt While Negative Cash Flow
Interest Coverage Ratio Critical
Altman Z'' In Financial Distress Zone
Below Avwap Earnings
Below Sma 200d

Tailwinds

No distinct edge detected

Seasonality 10.5 years of data

Jan +5.4% 15
Feb -1.6% 13
Mar -1.1% 14
Apr +4.8% 15
May -4.3% 25
Jun -5.5% 15
Jul -0.6% 8
Aug -0.3% 11
Sep -9.2% 38
Oct -0.1% 8
Nov +6.0% 21
Dec +0.9% 8

How good or bad each month usually is (without trend). The score below shows how much you can trust it: 0 = pure chance, >40 gets interesting and >55 is strong.

Description: PLAY Dave & Buster’s

Dave & Busters Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) operates a hybrid eatertainment business model, combining full-service dining and beverage operations with amusement and gaming attractions under one roof. The companys venues serve adults and families across North America, offering entrées, appetizers, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks alongside entertainment such as arcade games, bowling, laser tag, virtual reality, live sports broadcasts, and other televised events. This dual-revenue approach blends restaurant margins with discretionary leisure spending, making it sensitive to consumer discretionary trends and comparable to other experiential dining concepts.

The company operates through two brands-Dave & Busters, its original adult-oriented concept founded in 1982, and Main Event, which is geared more toward families. Dave & Busters is headquartered in Coppell, Texas, trades on NASDAQ under the ticker PLAY, and is classified within the Consumer Discretionary sector (GICS Sub-Industry: Restaurants). Its small market capitalization and concentration in a single niche leave it exposed to shifts in discretionary consumer spending, competition from standalone arcades and family entertainment centers, and changes in food and beverage input costs.

Headlines to Watch Out For
  • Comparable store sales decline amid weakening consumer discretionary spending
  • Food and labor cost inflation pressures venue-level margins
  • New store openings and remodels drive unit revenue growth
  • High leverage and interest costs constrain capital allocation flexibility
Piotroski VR-10 (Strict) 2.0
Net Income: -64.7m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue
FCF/TA: -0.01 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA 5.90 > 1.0
NWC/Revenue: -15.33% < 20% (prev -15.05%; Δ -0.27% < -1%)
CFO/TA 0.07 > 3% & CFO 308.8m > Net Income -64.7m
Net Debt (4.77b) to EBITDA (357.9m): 13.34 < 3
Current Ratio: 0.29 > 1.5 & < 3
Outstanding Shares: last quarter (34.9m) vs 12m ago -0.71% < -2%
Gross Margin: 66.79% > 18% (prev 85.36%; Δ -18.57% > 0.5%)
Asset Turnover: 51.08% > 50% (prev 51.97%; Δ -0.89% > 0%)
Interest Coverage Ratio: 0.46 > 6 (EBIT TTM 70.8m / Interest Expense TTM 152.8m)
Altman Z'' 0.12
A: -0.08 (Total Current Assets 130.9m - Total Current Liabilities 451.9m) / Total Assets 4.14b
B: 0.15 (Retained Earnings 614.5m / Total Assets 4.14b)
C: 0.02 (EBIT TTM 70.8m / Avg Total Assets 4.10b)
D: 0.02 (Book Value of Equity 99.6m / Total Liabilities 4.04b)
Altman-Z'' = 0.12 = B
Beneish M -2.30
DSRI: 1.60 (Receivables 48.0m/30.2m, Revenue 2.09b/2.11b)
GMI: 1.28 (GM 85.36% / 66.79%)
AQI: 0.98 (AQ_t 0.23 / AQ_t-1 0.24)
SGI: 0.99 (Revenue 2.09b / 2.11b)
TATA: -0.09 (NI -64.7m - CFO 308.8m) / TA 4.14b)
Beneish M = -2.30 (Cap -4..+1) = BBB
What is the price of PLAY shares?

As of July 14, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 10.05 with a total of 1,420,127 shares traded. Over the past week, the price has changed by -2.90%, over one month by -18.43%, over three months by -20.55% and over the past year by -68.65%.

Current recommended Stop Loss: 8.90 (which is 11.4% or 1.3 ATR below the current price).

Is PLAY a buy, sell or hold?

Dave & Buster’s has received a consensus analysts rating of 3.80. Therefore, it is recommended to hold PLAY.

  • StrongBuy: 4
  • Buy: 0
  • Hold: 6
  • Sell: 0
  • StrongSell: 0

What are the forecasts/targets for the PLAY price?
Analysts Target Price 17 69.2%
Dave & Buster’s (PLAY) - Fundamental Data Overview as of 10 July 2026
Market Cap USD = 352.8m (352.8m USD * 1.0 USD.USD)
P/E Forward = 6.1237
P/S = 0.1684
P/B = 3.8561
P/EG = 1.48
Revenue TTM = 2.09b USD
EBIT TTM = 70.8m USD
EBITDA TTM = 357.9m USD
Long Term Debt = 1.50b USD (from longTermDebt, last quarter)
Short Term Debt = 95.9m USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 4.79b USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter) + Leases 1.65b
Net Debt = 4.77b USD (calculated: Debt 4.79b - CCE 19.6m)
Enterprise Value = 5.13b USD (352.8m + Debt 4.79b - CCE 19.6m)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 0.46 (Ebit TTM 70.8m / Interest Expense TTM 152.8m)
EV/FCF = -153.9x (Enterprise Value 5.13b / FCF TTM -33.3m)
FCF Yield = -0.65% (FCF TTM -33.3m / Enterprise Value 5.13b)
FCF Margin = -1.59% (FCF TTM -33.3m / Revenue TTM 2.09b)
Net Margin = -3.09% (Net Income TTM -64.7m / Revenue TTM 2.09b)
Gross Margin = 66.79% ((Revenue TTM 2.09b - Cost of Revenue TTM 695.6m) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 14.61% (prev 85.23%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 1.24 (Enterprise Value 5.13b / Total Assets 4.14b)
Interest Expense / Debt = 3.19% (Interest Expense 152.8m / Debt 4.79b)
Taxrate = 43.0% (4.30m / 10.0m)
NOPAT = 40.4m (EBIT 70.8m * (1 - 43.00%))
Current Ratio = 0.29 (Total Current Assets 130.9m / Total Current Liabilities 451.9m)
Debt / Equity = 48.12 (Debt 4.79b / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 99.6m)
Debt / EBITDA = 13.34 (Net Debt 4.77b / EBITDA 357.9m)
 Debt / FCF = -143.3 (out of range, set to none) (Net Debt 4.77b / FCF TTM -33.3m)
 Total Stockholder Equity = 122.0m (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = -1.58% (Net Income -64.7m / Total Assets 4.14b)
RoE = -53.05% (Net Income TTM -64.7m / Total Stockholder Equity 122.0m)
RoCE = 4.38% (EBIT 70.8m / Capital Employed (Equity 122.0m + L.T.Debt 1.50b))
RoIC = 1.07% (NOPAT 40.4m / Invested Capital 3.76b)
WACC = 2.46% (E(352.8m)/V(5.15b) * Re(11.13%) + D(4.79b)/V(5.15b) * Rd(3.19%) * (1-Tc(0.43)))
Discount Rate = 11.13% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares (quarterly) Correlation: -93.71 | Cagr: -7.04%
 [DCF] Fair Price = unknown (Cash Flow -33.3m)
 EPS Correlation: N/A | EPS CAGR: N/A | SUE: -0.36 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: -84.67 | Revenue CAGR: -1.97% | SUE: -1.58 | # QB: -3
EPS current Quarter (2026-07-31): EPS=0.19 | Chg30d=-43.03% | Revisions=-44% | Analysts=9
EPS next Quarter (2026-10-31): EPS=-1.24 | Chg30d=+0.82% | Revisions=+38% | Analysts=9
EPS current Year (2027-01-31): EPS=-0.89 | Chg30d=-136.94% | Revisions=-50% | GrowthEPS=-195.4% | GrowthRev=+1.0%
EPS next Year (2028-01-31): EPS=-0.55 | Chg30d=-680.74% | Revisions=-44% | GrowthEPS=+38.1% | GrowthRev=+4.3%
[Analyst] Revisions Ratio: -37% (up=7, down=17)