Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.(PLAY)Stock Analysis
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Rank #2,222 of 2,962 stocks
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Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Nov 14, 2026.
Revenue Growth
Profitability
Balance Sheet
Earnings Quality
Free Cash Flow
Institutional Flow
Revenue Scale
Dilution Risk
PLAY Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score
Data updated 2026-09-11AI stock analysis and institutional research for Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY), a Consumer Discretionary sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores PLAY at 37.8/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #2,222 of 2,962 stocks — the bottom half of the AI-ranked universe. PLAY scores in the top quartile across earnings quality (86.7). Areas of concern include revenue growth (18.0) and profitability (23.6), which score below median versus the broader universe. Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q1 2026), Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. reports quarterly revenue of $559.2M, net income of $5.7M, free cash flow of $8.5M. Top institutional holders of PLAY by reported 13-F value include Hill Path Capital, BlackRock, NOMURA, based on the most recent SEC filings. PLAY trades on the Nasdaq exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 1525769. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate PLAY daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. directly from SEC EDGAR. Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.'s 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 18 and 66 since 2021, currently 37.8 — an improving long-term trajectory across 67 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.
Revenue
Q1 2026
$559.2M
Net Income
Q1 2026
$5.7M
Free Cash Flow
Q1 2026
$8.5M
ROIC
Q1 2026
11.5%
Revenue & Net Income
Earnings Per Share
Key Financials Over Time
Export Financial Table · ProRevenue
-1.4% YoYNet Income
-183.5% YoYOperating Income
-60.9% YoYEPS (Diluted)
-195.9% YoYTotal Assets
+2.5% YoYTotal Debt
+1.8% YoYOp. Cash Flow
-6.9% YoYFree Cash Flow
+53.8% YoY| Metric | FY 2026 | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.10B -1.4% | $2.13B -3.3% | $2.21B +12.3% | $1.96B +50.6% | $1.30B +198.7% | $436.5M |
| Net Income | $-48.7M -183.5% | $58.3M -54.1% | $126.9M -7.4% | $137.1M +26.2% | $108.6M | — |
| Operating Income | $86.1M -60.9% | $220.4M -28.1% | $306.6M +16.8% | $262.5M +40.2% | $187.2M +174.1% | $-252.6M |
| EPS (Diluted) | $-1.40 -195.9% | $1.46 -49.3% | $2.88 +3.2% | $2.79 +26.2% | $2.21 +146.5% | $-4.75 |
| Total Assets | $4.12B +2.5% | $4.02B +7.0% | $3.75B -0.2% | $3.76B +60.3% | $2.35B -0.3% | $2.35B |
| Total Debt | $1.56B +1.8% | $1.53B +13.7% | $1.35B +3.9% | $1.30B +194.6% | $440.0M -27.9% | $610.0M |
| Operating Cash Flow | $290.8M -6.9% | $312.3M -14.3% | $364.2M -18.0% | $444.4M +56.9% | $283.2M +675.3% | $-49.2M |
| Free Cash Flow | $-100.6M +53.8% | $-217.9M -740.9% | $34.0M -83.8% | $210.2M +10.1% | $191.0M +244.4% | $-132.2M |
AI Insight: PLAY Financial Trends
Dave & Buster's stabilized to modest profitability in Q2 2026 after two quarters of losses, but revenue remains below pre-pandemic trends and debt leverage remains elevated.
• Operating income swung from -$16M loss in Q4 2025 to $47M profit in Q2 2026, first positive quarter since Q3 2025.
• Operating cash flow improved to $114M in Q2 2026 from $34M in Q3 2025, strongest quarter in dataset.
• Total debt declined from $1,620M peak in Q2 2025 to $1,538M in Q2 2026, while equity recovered to $100M from $91M low.
⚠ Revenue remains volatile and below Q2 2024 peak ($559M vs. $588M); seasonal weakness in Q4 drove two consecutive loss quarters.
⚠ Debt-to-equity ratio at 15.4x in Q2 2026 remains severely elevated; deleveraging pace may not sustain if revenue softens.
AI Insight: PLAY Ratio Trends
PLAY swung from negative returns in Q4 2025–Q1 2026 to 8.4% operating margin and 11.5% ROIC in Q2 2026, but leverage surged 271% since Q2 2024.
• Operating margin rebounded to 8.4% in Q2 2026 from -3.6% in Q4 2025; ROIC recovered to 11.5% from -3.8%.
• Debt-to-equity ratio climbed to 17.10 in Q1 2026 from 4.61 in Q2 2024—a 271% increase over two years.
• Net profit margin turned positive (1.0%) in Q2 2026 after two consecutive quarters of -7% to -9.4% losses.
⚠ Leverage remains elevated at 15.44x D/E in TTM despite Q2 2026 profitability recovery; solvency stress persists.
⚠ Q4 2025 collapse (operating margin -3.6%, ROE -128.8%) suggests severe seasonal or operational headwinds; sustainability unclear.
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13F Pro tracks comprehensive data for Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. including:
Top Institutional Holders of PLAY
Hill Path Capital LP
$81.2M7,119,255 shBlackRock, Inc.
$36.7M3,221,499 shNOMURA HOLDINGS INC
$27.5M2,411,191 shGOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC
$24.4M2,144,687 shARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
$20.6M1,803,552 shHEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN TRUST FUND
$16.6M1,456,000 shWolf Hill Capital Management, LP
$15.5M1,356,903 shVANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
$13.3M1,163,837 shSG Americas Securities, LLC
$12.8M1,122,320 shMORGAN STANLEY
$11.9M1,047,369 sh
| Fund | Value | Shares |
|---|---|---|
| Hill Path Capital LP | $81.2M | 7,119,255 |
| BlackRock, Inc. | $36.7M | 3,221,499 |
| NOMURA HOLDINGS INC | $27.5M | 2,411,191 |
| GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC | $24.4M | 2,144,687 |
| ARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | $20.6M | 1,803,552 |
| HEALTHCARE OF ONTARIO PENSION PLAN TRUST FUND | $16.6M | 1,456,000 |
| Wolf Hill Capital Management, LP | $15.5M | 1,356,903 |
| VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | $13.3M | 1,163,837 |
| SG Americas Securities, LLC | $12.8M | 1,122,320 |
| MORGAN STANLEY | $11.9M | 1,047,369 |
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Popular Research
Is PLAY a good stock to buy?
13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Consumer Discretionary sector (listed on Nasdaq). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for PLAY are available on the PLAY stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing. PLAY is classified as a small company.
Which hedge funds own PLAY?
Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling PLAY. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.'s investment landscape.