PLAY Communication ServicesBeta data

Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.

$8.22-3.41%

Price as of close on Nov 3, 2026 · Financials updated Oct 10, 2026

Basics

Sector: Communication Services
Industry: Entertainment
Country: United States
Market cap: 286.3M USD
Enterprise value: 3.9B USD
Full-time employees: 23,610

Overall health

Drawback: less profitable than most peersless profitable than peers
Drawback: growing more slowly than most peersgrowing more slowly than peers
Drawback: its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings
Drawback: higher risk than most peers: its share price swings more than most peers’ (beta 1.92 vs a peer median of 0.65), less short-term liquidity (current ratio 0.30 vs a peer median of 1.38) and more debt relative to equity (40.80× vs a peer median of 0.37×)higher risk: bigger price swings (beta 1.92 vs peers 0.65), less liquidity (current ratio 0.30 vs peers 1.38) and more debt vs equity (40.80× vs peers 0.37×)

Ranks #437 of 454 communication services companies (bottom 4%)

See how it ranks against its peers

Worth knowing

Paying shareholders without free cash flow. Paid out $496M over the 3 fiscal years to FY Jan 2026 with -$285M of free cash flow.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment returned $496M in buybacks and dividends over three fiscal years while its free cash flow totalled -$285M. The money came from its cash pile or from borrowing.
Earnings slid into a loss. Loss per share this year after a profit last year.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment made a loss per share in its latest year after a profit the year before.
Much more borrowing than peers. Debt is 40.8× equity vs a peer median of 0.4×.Debt is 40.8× equity vs peers 0.4×.
Debt is 40.8× shareholders' equity, against a peer median of 0.4×, among the highest 10% of its peer group.Debt is 40.8× shareholders' equity, vs peers 0.4×, among the highest 10% of its peer group.
Investment surge. Capital spending 19% of revenue, up from 12% in FY Jan 2023.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment is spending 19% of revenue on facilities and equipment, up from 12% in FY Jan 2023. That weighs on free cash flow today; whether it pays off depends on the returns those investments earn.

StockQuotient Score

18/ 100

Oct 5 18 → Nov 4 18

Fundamentals: Yahoo Finance, not primary filings

Valuation

Is the price right?

31/100

Weak

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major changeValuation also moves with the share price every day.

Why

Weaker than most peers on:

▼ Earnings yield
▼ FCF yield

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Sector-normalized EBITDA, earnings, and free cash flow yields.

Earnings yield-31.1%

Yahoo Finance · trailing 12 monthsNegative (a loss or cash outflow), so it counts as zero whatever the share price30% base weight · Z-score -1.00Sector median: 0.0294 · MAD: 0.0294

EBITDA yield9.6%

Yahoo Finance · trailing 12 monthsReported value50% base weight · Z-score 0.16Sector median: 0.0857 · MAD: 0.0649

Free cash flow yield-5.6%

Yahoo Finance · trailing 12 months · operating cash flow − capital spendingNegative (a loss or cash outflow), so it counts as zero whatever the share price20% base weight · Z-score -1.25Sector median: 0.0740 · MAD: 0.0593

Other data (not scored)

Book yield30.7%

Yahoo FinanceReported valueInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.4780 · MAD: 0.3375

Growth

Is it growing?

17/100

Weak▲ 1 since Oct 27 close

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major change

Why it changed since the Oct 27, 2026 close: Score 16 → 17

Peer companies moved+1

Each step re-scores the company against its peers as they were on Oct 28, 2026; the parts add up to the change. Price effects on EBITDA yield are approximate.

Why

Weaker than most peers on:

▼ EPS growth
▼ 3-yr revenue
▼ Revenue growth

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Revenue and earnings-per-share growth over one year, and revenue growth over three years.

Earnings per share growthUnavailable

Earnings per share turned from a profit to a loss33% base weight · Z-score -2.15Sector median: 0.0878 · MAD: 0.3126

3-year revenue growth-1.6%

SEC filings · 3 years to Aug 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.68Sector median: 0.0303 · MAD: 0.0683

Revenue growth-1.5%

SEC filings · 12 months to Aug 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.62Sector median: 0.0299 · MAD: 0.0720

Profitability

Does it earn well?

23/100

Weak

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major change

Why

Weaker than most peers on:

▼ ROA
▼ Operating margin
▼ ROIC

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Return on invested capital, operating margin, and return on assets.

Operating margin1.7%

SEC filings · 12 months to Aug 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.82Sector median: 0.0818 · MAD: 0.0789

Return on assets-2.2%

SEC filings · 12 months to Aug 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -1.53Sector median: 0.0272 · MAD: 0.0318

Return on invested capital1.8%

SEC filings · 12 months to Aug 2026Reported value33% base weight · Z-score -0.59Sector median: 0.0598 · MAD: 0.0706

Other data (not scored)

Gross margin38.3%

Yahoo Finance · trailing 12 monthsReported valueInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.4656 · MAD: 0.1827

Return on equity-69.7%

Yahoo Finance · trailing 12 monthsOutlier capped at sector 5th/95th percentileInformational · 0% composite weightSector median: 0.0529 · MAD: 0.1007

Risk

Debt, liquidity, price swings

Higher

Higher relative risk

3/3 inputs reported · High confidence

Since last quarter: No major change

Why

Weaker than most peers on:

▼ Beta
▼ Current ratio
▼ Debt / equity

Compare with peers

Behind the score

Relative to sector peers: 0 = lower relative risk · 1 = moderate · 2 = higher. Based on leverage, beta and liquidity.

Beta1.92

Yahoo Finance · 5-year monthly beta vs the marketOutlier capped at sector 5th/95th percentile33% base weight · Z-score -3.41Sector median: 0.6525 · MAD: 0.2880

Current ratio0.30×

Yahoo FinanceOutlier capped at sector 5th/95th percentile33% base weight · Z-score -1.36Sector median: 1.3848 · MAD: 0.6948

Debt / equity40.80×

Yahoo FinanceOutlier capped at sector 5th/95th percentile33% base weight · Z-score -13.85Sector median: 0.3697 · MAD: 0.3335

Valuation, growth and profitability scores: higher is better. Risk: 0 is lower, 2 is higher. Risk is a relative proxy, not a bankruptcy probability. Scores depend on available sector peers.

Questions investors ask about Dave & Buster's Entertainment

Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment getting weaker?: Its latest SEC filing (Sep 14, 2026) showed no major changes. Its overall score is unchanged at 18/100 since Oct 28, 2026.
How is Dave & Buster's Entertainment valued vs its peers?: Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 31/100 against 512 communication services peers. Earnings yield -31.1% vs a peer median of 2.9% (weaker than 100% of peers).Earnings yield -31.1% vs peers 2.9% (weaker than 100% of peers).
Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment growing?: More slowly than most of its peers. Growth scores 17/100 against 512 communication services peers. 3-year revenue growth -1.6% vs a peer median of 3.0% (weaker than 71% of peers).3-year revenue growth -1.6% vs peers 3.0% (weaker than 71% of peers).
How profitable is Dave & Buster's Entertainment?: Less profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 23/100 against 512 communication services peers. Return on assets -2.2% vs a peer median of 2.7% (weaker than 84% of peers).Return on assets -2.2% vs peers 2.7% (weaker than 84% of peers).
How risky is Dave & Buster's Entertainment?: Higher risk relative to 512 communication services peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings. Beta 1.92 vs a peer median of 0.65 (weaker than 100% of peers).Beta 1.92 vs peers 0.65 (weaker than 100% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.

Latest filing: what changed

Quarter ended Aug 4, 2026 · filed Sep 14, 2026 · compared with the quarter ended May 5, 2026

No major changes

	Previous quarter	Latest quarter	Change
Revenue (12 months)	2.1B USD	2.1B USD	−0.6%
Net income (12 months)	−64.7M USD	−88.6M USD	+36.9%
Operating margin	3.3%	1.7%	−1.6 pts
Free cash flow (12 months)	−33.3M USD	−16.0M USD	−52.0%
Debt	1.5B USD	1.5B USD	+0.2%
Cash	19.6M USD	16.0M USD	−18.4%
Shares outstanding	34.8M	34.8M	+0.1%

From the company’s own SEC filings, as filed. Twelve-month figures roll forward one quarter at a time.

Industry valuation context

Sector: Communication Services · 67 companies

Valuations in Communication Services are within their usual range since 2016.

46% of months since 2016 were valued lower than now.
22% of companies are in the most expensive fifth of their own price-to-sales history.
Over 24 months, company values +13% and earnings +11% (medians): earnings grew faster than prices.
Median price-to-sales is −6% vs the whole market, against a usual −7%.

2016Shaded: most expensive fifth of its range2026

Shown for Communication Services: too few Entertainment companies have a long enough history of their own.

Financials

Fiscal years from SEC annual filings · change vs the prior year

Key ratios	FY Jan 2022	FY Jan 2023	FY Jan 2024	FY Jan 2025	FY Jan 2026	Change
Gross margin	84.3%	83.5%	84.0%	85.3%	85.7%	▲ 0.5 pts
Operating margin	14.4%	13.4%	13.9%	10.3%	4.1%	▼ 6.2 pts
Net margin	8.3%	7.0%	5.8%	2.7%	-2.3%	▼ 5.0 pts
Return on assets (ROA)	4.6%	3.6%	3.4%	1.5%	-1.2%	▼ 2.6 pts
Return on equity (ROE)	39.5%	33.4%	50.5%	40.0%	-53.4%	▼ 93 pts
Free cash flow margin	14.6%	10.7%	1.5%	-10.2%	-4.8%	▲ 5.4 pts
Current ratio	0.47×	0.67×	0.32×	0.22×	0.29×	▲ 31%
Quick ratio	0.34×	0.57×	0.23×	0.13×	0.19×	▲ 54%
Debt to equity	1.60×	3.14×	5.33×	10.45×	17.02×	▲ 63%
Interest coverage	3.47×	3.00×	2.41×	1.63×	0.56×	▼ 66%

PLAY price history

Price history is added with the daily price update and will appear after the next one.

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Sector leaderboards

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Bringing the fundamentals into focus…

Overall health

Drawback: less profitable than most peersless profitable than peers

Drawback: growing more slowly than most peersgrowing more slowly than peers

Drawback: its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings

Drawback: higher risk than most peers: its share price swings more than most peers’ (beta 1.92 vs a peer median of 0.65), less short-term liquidity (current ratio 0.30 vs a peer median of 1.38) and more debt relative to equity (40.80× vs a peer median of 0.37×)higher risk: bigger price swings (beta 1.92 vs peers 0.65), less liquidity (current ratio 0.30 vs peers 1.38) and more debt vs equity (40.80× vs peers 0.37×)

Ranks #437 of 454 communication services companies (bottom 4%)

See how it ranks against its peers

Worth knowing

Paying shareholders without free cash flow. Paid out $496M over the 3 fiscal years to FY Jan 2026 with -$285M of free cash flow.

Dave & Buster's Entertainment returned $496M in buybacks and dividends over three fiscal years while its free cash flow totalled -$285M. The money came from its cash pile or from borrowing.

Earnings slid into a loss. Loss per share this year after a profit last year.

Dave & Buster's Entertainment made a loss per share in its latest year after a profit the year before.

Much more borrowing than peers. Debt is 40.8× equity vs a peer median of 0.4×.Debt is 40.8× equity vs peers 0.4×.

Debt is 40.8× shareholders' equity, against a peer median of 0.4×, among the highest 10% of its peer group.Debt is 40.8× shareholders' equity, vs peers 0.4×, among the highest 10% of its peer group.

Investment surge. Capital spending 19% of revenue, up from 12% in FY Jan 2023.

Dave & Buster's Entertainment is spending 19% of revenue on facilities and equipment, up from 12% in FY Jan 2023. That weighs on free cash flow today; whether it pays off depends on the returns those investments earn.

Questions investors ask about Dave & Buster's Entertainment

Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment getting weaker?

Its latest SEC filing (Sep 14, 2026) showed no major changes. Its overall score is unchanged at 18/100 since Oct 28, 2026.

How is Dave & Buster's Entertainment valued vs its peers?

Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 31/100 against 512 communication services peers. Earnings yield -31.1% vs a peer median of 2.9% (weaker than 100% of peers).Earnings yield -31.1% vs peers 2.9% (weaker than 100% of peers).

Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment growing?

More slowly than most of its peers. Growth scores 17/100 against 512 communication services peers. 3-year revenue growth -1.6% vs a peer median of 3.0% (weaker than 71% of peers).3-year revenue growth -1.6% vs peers 3.0% (weaker than 71% of peers).

How profitable is Dave & Buster's Entertainment?

Less profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 23/100 against 512 communication services peers. Return on assets -2.2% vs a peer median of 2.7% (weaker than 84% of peers).Return on assets -2.2% vs peers 2.7% (weaker than 84% of peers).

How risky is Dave & Buster's Entertainment?

Higher risk relative to 512 communication services peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings. Beta 1.92 vs a peer median of 0.65 (weaker than 100% of peers).Beta 1.92 vs peers 0.65 (weaker than 100% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.

Previous quarter

Latest quarter

Change

Revenue (12 months)

2.1B USD

2.1B USD

−0.6%

Net income (12 months)

−64.7M USD

−88.6M USD

+36.9%

Operating margin

3.3%

1.7%

−1.6 pts

Free cash flow (12 months)

−33.3M USD

−16.0M USD

−52.0%

Debt

1.5B USD

1.5B USD

+0.2%

Cash

19.6M USD

16.0M USD

−18.4%

Shares outstanding

34.8M

34.8M

+0.1%

Key ratios

FY Jan 2022

FY Jan 2023

FY Jan 2024

FY Jan 2025

FY Jan 2026

Change

Gross margin

84.3%

83.5%

84.0%

85.3%

85.7%

▲ 0.5 pts

Operating margin

14.4%

13.4%

13.9%

10.3%

4.1%

▼ 6.2 pts

Net margin

8.3%

7.0%

5.8%

2.7%

-2.3%

▼ 5.0 pts

Return on assets (ROA)

4.6%

3.6%

3.4%

1.5%

-1.2%

▼ 2.6 pts

Return on equity (ROE)

39.5%

33.4%

50.5%

40.0%

-53.4%

▼ 93 pts

Free cash flow margin

14.6%

10.7%

1.5%

-10.2%

-4.8%

▲ 5.4 pts

Current ratio

0.47×

0.67×

0.32×

0.22×

0.29×

▲ 31%

Quick ratio

0.34×

0.57×

0.23×

0.13×

0.19×

▲ 54%

Debt to equity

1.60×

3.14×

5.33×

10.45×

17.02×

▲ 63%

Interest coverage

3.47×

3.00×

2.41×

1.63×

0.56×

▼ 66%