DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY)
Consumer Discretionary · Location-based entertainment and casual dining · NASDAQ
Multi-brand entertainment and dining operator blending arcade games, sports viewing, and food service for adult and family audiences across North America.
What DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC does
Dave & Buster's Entertainment operates 243 venues across North America under two brands: 179 Dave & Buster's stores offering arcade games, live sports viewing, and full-service dining for adults and families; and 64 Main Event locations providing family entertainment including bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and virtual reality experiences. The company generates revenue from entertainment (arcade games, sports viewing) and food and beverage service. Total entertainment revenues account for approximately 63% of revenues, with food and beverage making up the remainder.
Themes: eatertainment, social gaming, casual dining, out-of-home entertainment
Fundamentals
- Price$10.25 as of 2026-08-21 close
- Market cap$357M as of 2026-08-21
- 1-year return-57.3% 2025-08-21 close $23.98 → 2026-08-21 close $10.25
- P/En/a negative earnings
- Net margin-3.1% as of 2026-08-24
- Gross margin+85.8% as of 2026-08-24
- ROE-53.0% as of 2026-08-24
- Debt / equity19.30 as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue growth (YoY)-0.8% as of 2026-08-24
- Revenue CAGR (3y)+2.3% SEC XBRL
- Beta1.91 as of 2026-08-24
- Last reported earnings2026-06-15 SEC EDGAR Form 8-K (Item 2.02)
Dividend: at least 2 years of non-decreasing per-share dividends (SEC XBRL) — we do not hold the year before it, so the real streak may be longer.
How PLAY compares in its sector
- net profit marginbottom 25% 334 covered Consumer Discretionary peers, as of 2026-08-24
- operating marginmiddle range 334 covered Consumer Discretionary peers, as of 2026-08-24
- gross margintop 10% 331 covered Consumer Discretionary peers, as of 2026-08-24
- return on equitybottom 10% 334 covered Consumer Discretionary peers, as of 2026-08-24
- 3-year revenue CAGRmiddle range 325 covered Consumer Discretionary peers
- free cash flow (absolute dollars, latest fiscal year)bottom 10% 311 covered Consumer Discretionary peers, as of FY2026
Position among covered Consumer Discretionary companies that report each metric (minimum 5 peers). A relative position within our covered catalog — not a valuation, quality, or investment judgment. A higher percentile is simply a higher value (for P/E, more expensive on earnings — never "better"). Informational only.
Dividend coverage
Not assessed — last reported dividend predates the accounts. The most recent fiscal year in which PLAY reported a dividend payment is FY2021, while its reported financial statements run through FY2026. Coverage is therefore not assessed for the latest year — an FY2021 ratio would not describe PLAY today.
Coverage is derived from reported SEC EDGAR XBRL figures, comparing dividends paid against net income and free cash flow for the SAME fiscal year. It is not shown here because the latest fiscal year with a reported dividend payment (FY2021) is older than the latest year of reported financial statements (FY2026), so any ratio would describe an out-of-date year. Informational only — not financial advice.
How DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC looks technically
DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) is trading 25.5% below its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a long-term downtrend. Its 50-day average crossed below its 200-day average about 221 trading days ago — a "death cross", a bearish long-term signal. There is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 10, below the 25 that marks a real trend). Momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 49, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30). MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 4 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative). It made a new 20-day high about 15 trading days ago. It is 61.0% below its highest point of the past year. Day-to-day price swings are unusually narrow versus its own recent history — a "Bollinger squeeze" (in the tightest 2% of the past ~6 months), which often precedes a bigger move.
Trend
8
| Distance from the 200-day | it is trading 25.5% below its 200-day average, the long-term trend line — a long-term downtrend | -25.5% |
|---|---|---|
| 50-day moving average | its average price over the last 50 trading days — a short-term trend line — is $10.72 | $10.72 |
| 200-day moving average | its average price over the last 200 trading days — the long-term trend line — is $13.77 | $13.77 |
| Swing structure | each recent peak has been lower than the one before it and each dip deeper — the pattern chart-watchers call a downtrend, which describes where price has already been and not where it goes next | lower highs and lower lows |
| Last swing turn | its last significant turn was a swing high 18 calendar days ago — the swings before that are what the structure reading is measured on | 18 sessions |
| Wave structure | its recent swings can be read as a five-part downward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in leg 3 of five; the labelling fails if price closes above 11.95. It is one of several labellings that fit, and it describes the swings already printed, not what comes next. The same swings also read as a three-part correction in leg C. | possible downward five-wave sequence, in wave 3 (one of several readings) |
| Since the 50/200 cross | its 50-day average crossed below its 200-day average about 221 trading days ago — a "death cross", a bearish long-term signal | 221 sessions |
| Trend strength (14-day ADX) | there is no clear trend right now — the price is choppy (ADX, a 0–100 trend-strength gauge, is 10, below the 25 that marks a real trend) | 10.3 |
Momentum
3
| 14-day RSI | momentum is neutral — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 49, neither overbought (above 70) nor oversold (below 30) | 48.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Position in its 14-day range | it is trading in the lower half of its 14-day range ($9.53 to $11.21) — its "stochastic" reading is 43 out of 100, where 0 would mean closing exactly at the 14-session low and 100 exactly at the high. This measures WHERE the price sits inside its recent range, which is a different question from the RSI beside it: RSI is a momentum gauge, measuring how FAST the price has been moving, so a stock can drift quietly to the bottom of its range with an ordinary RSI, or fall sharply and still sit in the middle. It has been climbing within that range over the last few sessions. | 42.7 |
| Since the MACD crossed zero | MACD, a trend-momentum gauge, turned bearish about 4 trading days ago (its momentum flipped negative) | 4 sessions |
Range
12
| 52-week high | its highest closing price over the past year (about 252 trading days) was $26.31 | $26.31 |
|---|---|---|
| From the 52-week high | it is 61.0% below its 52-week high (its highest price of the past year) | -61.0% |
| Above the 52-week low | it is 9.0% above its 52-week low (its lowest price of the past year) | +9.0% |
| Below the 52-week high | it is 61.0% below its highest point of the past year | 61.0% |
| Since a 20-day breakout | it made a new 20-day high about 15 trading days ago | 15 sessions |
| Since a 55-day breakout | it made a new 55-day low about 29 trading days ago | 29 sessions |
| All-time high | its highest closing price on record is $73.48 (set on 2017-06-08) | $73.48 |
| Given back of the 52-week move | over the past year its closes ranged ($9.54 to $25.89), and it has recovered only a small part of its fall from last year’s high — 4% of it. Chart-watchers call 61.8%-65% given back the "golden pocket" — for this company that is $19.64 to $20.17. It is watched widely enough that orders cluster there, which is the honest reason it matters; it is not a forecast. | 4.3% |
| From the all-time high | it is 86.1% below its all-time high | -86.0% |
| Nearest price level | it is trading 5.8% above a support level at $9.65 — a price it turned at twice since 2026-03-27, most recently on 2026-05-18. Since 2024-08-21 it has 1 such level below the current price and 16 above. Levels like these describe where the price has reversed or paused before; they are not a forecast of where it will go. | -5.8% |
| All-time low | its lowest closing price on record is $4.61 (set on 2020-03-18) | $4.61 |
| Above the all-time low | it is 122.6% above its all-time low | +122.6% |
Volatility
5
| Band width vs its own 6 months | day-to-day price swings are unusually narrow versus its own recent history — a "Bollinger squeeze" (in the tightest 2% of the past ~6 months), which often precedes a bigger move | 2nd percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Typical daily range | in a typical session it travels about $0.5864 between its high and its low — about 5.7% of its price. That is its "average true range" over the last 14 sessions, which also counts the distance from the previous close, so a day that opens well away from yesterday counts as the large move it was | $0.5864 |
| Bollinger bands (20-day, ±2σ) | most of its recent trading has stayed between about $9.55 and $11.15 — the "Bollinger bands", a range drawn two standard deviations either side of its 20-day average price, which widens when the stock gets more volatile and narrows when it settles | $9.55 – $10.35 – $11.15 |
| Typical daily range (% of price) | its price moves about 5.7% in a typical session — about typical for the companies we cover. This is the average gap between a session's high and low over the last 14 sessions, counting overnight moves, expressed against the current price so it can be compared with companies trading at any price | 5.7% |
| Stretch from the 200-day average | it is trading 6.0 daily ranges below its 200-day average price (25.5% below it in plain percentage terms) — a way of asking how far it has stretched from its own average in units of how far it normally moves in a day, so a calm company and a jumpy one can be compared on the same scale | 6.0 daily ranges below its 200-day average |
Volume
1
| Volume vs its 30-day average | trading volume is about normal versus its 30-day average | 0.92× |
|---|
Analyst
2
| Change in the average price target | analysts' average price target is unchanged from the prior reading | 0.0% |
|---|---|---|
| Change in the consensus rating | the analyst consensus rating is unchanged since the prior reading | unchanged |
Candlestick patterns
2
| Since a doji | 2 sessions ago it opened and closed at almost the same price after trading through a wider range — a "doji", the classic picture of buyers and sellers finishing the session level | 2 sessions ago |
|---|---|---|
| Since a hammer | 1 session ago, after a stretch of decline, it sold off hard during the session and then closed back near its high — a "hammer", the long lower wick showing the drop was bought back before the close | 1 session ago |
Price gaps
3
| Gap at the open | it opened on 2026-08-21 0.9% above the previous session's close — an overnight gap, the part of the move that happened while the market was shut, and traded back through that level before the close | +0.9% |
|---|---|---|
| Open gap | it gapped 5.1% below the previous close 13 sessions ago and has not traded back through the level it left behind at 11.57 — an "unfilled gap", which describes a price range no trade has since crossed and is not a forecast that it will be crossed | -5.1% |
| Gap filled | a 4.7% gap up opened on 2026-08-03 has been "filled" 13 sessions ago — price traded back through the level the gap left behind, and it took 1 session to close | 13 sessions ago |
Price streaks
1
| Closing streak | it closed higher in its latest session, after a session that did not close higher — a single up day rather than a run | 1 session up |
|---|
Relative strength
4
| vs market, 1 month | over the past 1 month this stock lagged the market by 6.2 percentage points (the stock lost 3.8% while the market gained 2.3%) | -6.2% |
|---|---|---|
| vs market, 3 months | over the past 3 months this stock lagged the market by 14.4 percentage points (the stock lost 11.3% while the market gained 3.1%) | -14.4% |
| vs market, 6 months | over the past 6 months this stock lagged the market by 44.6 percentage points (the stock lost 33.5% while the market gained 11.1%) | -44.5% |
| vs market, 12 months | over the past 12 months this stock lagged the market by 77.7 percentage points (the stock lost 57.3% while the market gained 20.5%) | -77.7% |
Signal agreement
2
| Bullish technical signals | 0 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bullish state — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 0 of 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Bearish technical signals | 5 of the 9 technical signals we can compute for it are currently in a bearish state: a "death cross" — its 50-day average is below its 200-day, trading below its 200-day average, MACD momentum is negative, lagging the market over 6 months, trading below the Ichimoku cloud — these describe past price behaviour, not a forecast | 5 of 9 |
Trend (Ichimoku cloud)
1
| Vs the Ichimoku cloud | trading 5.9% below the Ichimoku cloud — a band drawn from where its own highs and lows sat up to 2026-07-16 and projected forward over today's price, the side traders read as an established downtrend, with the band above acting as the level that would have to be cleared. The band itself is moderate, spanning 8.0% of the share price. | -5.9% |
|---|
Volume-weighted price
2
| Vs this year’s average price paid | the price is 19% below the average price paid so far this year, so the typical buyer over that stretch is under water. That average is $12.58 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 158 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | -18.5% |
|---|---|---|
| Vs the average paid since it last reported | the price is 5% below the average price paid since it last reported on 2026-06-15 (its 10-Q), so the typical buyer over that stretch is under water. That average is $10.80 — a volume-weighted average of daily closes over 48 sessions, not a true tick-by-tick VWAP. | -5.1% |
Price levels it has turned at before
PLAY last closed at $10.25 on 2026-08-21. Since 2024-08-21 it has turned at 1 price below its last close and 16 above; the nearest below and the 3 nearest above are listed, nearest first.
| Level | Side | Distance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| $9.65 | Support | 5.8% below the last close | turned there twice · 2026-03-27 to 2026-05-18 |
| $13.09 | Resistance | 27.7% above the last close | turned there twice · 2025-11-06 to 2025-11-21 |
| $13.97 | Resistance | 36.3% above the last close | turned there twice · 2026-03-20 to 2026-05-28 |
| $15.05 | Resistance | 46.8% above the last close | turned there twice · 2025-04-07 to 2026-04-17 |
A level is a price this company reversed or paused at more than once — they describe past behaviour, not a forecast of where the price will go.
Wave structure
Its recent swings can be read as a five-part downward sequence — what Elliott-wave chartists call an impulse — now in leg 3 of five.
This labelling fails — stops being a possible reading at all — if it closes above $11.95.
This is one of several labellings that fit the same swings, so treat it as a reading rather than the reading. It was chosen from 2 labellings that survived the rules, counting shorter readings of the same bars.
On past moves of this shape the leg has usually ended somewhere between $7.18 and $9.00 — that is where it has tended to end if the count holds, not a forecast of where the price goes.
Alternate reading: The same swings also read as a three-part correction in leg C, which fails on a close above $11.95.
This labelling was already in place when we began recording count changes on 2026-08-12, so how long it has stood is not something we can say yet.
Read from daily closes as of 2026-08-21.
An Elliott-wave count describes the swings already printed and the level that would disprove it. It is not a forecast, a target, or advice.
Screens: Trading below the 200-day moving average · Pulled back from the 12-month high · MACD just crossed bearish (12/26/9) · in a Bollinger Band volatility squeeze · trendless / choppy (low ADX) · lagging the market | Learn: moving average · golden cross · adx · rsi · macd · breakout · fifty two week high low · bollinger bands
Based on daily closing prices as of 2026-08-21. Describes past price behavior only — informational, not financial advice.
Analyst consensus
- Consensus ratingBuy (2.45 mean, 1=Strong Buy…5=Strong Sell) — 7 analysts
- Mean price target$17.00 range $12.00 – $25.00; median $14.00
Analyst estimates, as of 2026-08-23. These are third-party analyst opinions and price targets, aggregated — not a recommendation, prediction, or advice from stocks-llm. Informational only.
Analyst EPS estimate for PLAY
- Consensus EPS estimate$0.1872 next reporting period, as of 2026-08-23
Change over time is not available yet: it needs two readings of the same reporting period at least 30 days apart, and we have been recording these estimates since 2026-08-04. An estimate for a DIFFERENT quarter is not a revision, so a reading from before the last report is never compared with one after it.
The consensus estimate for the next reporting period, and how it has moved between readings of that SAME period. A change is measured only between readings estimating one period — when a company reports, the consensus moves to the next quarter and the two numbers are not comparable. Informational only, not a forecast and not advice.
Key risks (from latest filing)
["Heavy reliance on discretionary consumer spending, which is sensitive to economic downturns.","High leverage and significant debt obligations.","Intense competition in the out-of-home entertainment and casual dining industries."]
What changed in the latest 10-Q
AI-assisted comparison of PLAY's 10-Q filed 2026-06-15 against the prior one filed 2025-12-09.
Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)
- Added:
- Definition and explanation of 'Credit Adjusted EBITDA' metric, including its components and use for covenant compliance (2026-06-15)
- Definition and detailed explanation of 'Store Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization' metric and its uses (2026-06-15)
- Section on 'Presentation of Operating Results' describing fiscal year structure and quarter definitions (2026-06-15)
- Detailed section on 'Store-Level Variability, Quarterly Fluctuations, Seasonality and Inflation' discussing honeymoon effect, store margins, and seasonal patterns (2026-06-15)
- Removed:
- 'Overview' section with forward-looking statements disclosure and risk factor references (2025-12-09)
- 'Quarterly Financial Highlights' section with Q3 revenue, comparable store sales, net loss, and Adjusted EBITDA data (2025-12-09)
- Discussion of specific quarterly results including third quarter revenue of $448.2M and net loss of $42.1M (2025-12-09)
- Reworded:
- Adjusted EBITDA opening statement revised from implicit understanding to explicit 'we believe' language about providing useful information to investors (2026-06-15)
- Notes:
- The newer filing appears to focus on metric definitions and operational concepts while the older filing included period-specific financial highlights; these represent different content sections rather than direct rewrites of the same material
- Both filings share similar MD&A headers and preliminary framing but diverge significantly in content organization and focus
Risk Factors
- Added:
- Newer filing (2026-06-15): Balance sheet dated May 5, 2026 with February 3, 2026 comparison
- Newer filing (2026-06-15): Three months ended May 5, 2026 comprehensive income statement
- Newer filing (2026-06-15): Three months ended May 5, 2026 stockholders' equity statement
- Newer filing (2026-06-15): Three months ended May 5, 2026 cash flows statement
- Newer filing (2026-06-15): Note 1 indicates company opened one store during three months ended May 5, 2026; 244 total stores as of May 5, 2026
- Removed:
- Older filing (2025-12-09): Balance sheet dated November 4, 2025 with February 4, 2025 comparison
- Older filing (2025-12-09): Three months ended November 4, 2025 and nine months ended November 4, 2025 comprehensive income statements
- Older filing (2025-12-09): Nine months ended November 4, 2025 and November 5, 2024 stockholders' equity statements
- Older filing (2025-12-09): Nine months ended November 4, 2025 and November 5, 2024 cash flows statements
- Reworded:
- Reporting period changed from three and nine months ended November 4, 2025 to three months ended May 5, 2026
- Comparison period changed from February 4, 2025 (audited) to February 3, 2026 (audited) in balance sheet
- Prior year comparison changed from May 6, 2025 and November 5, 2024 periods to May 6, 2025 only in comprehensive income
- Stockholders' equity statement changed from nine-month period with multiple quarter rollforward to single three-month period
- Cash flow statement changed from nine-month period to three-month period
- Notes:
- The newer filing presents Q2 FY2026 results (three months ended May 5, 2026) while the older filing presented Q3 FY2025 results (three months ended November 4, 2025); these are different fiscal quarters
- Financial metrics are not directly comparable across the two filings due to different reporting periods and prior year comparisons
- Risk Factors section headers show different page numbers (27 in newer vs 36 in older) but actual Risk Factors text was not provided for comparison in either filing
AI-assisted comparison of two SEC filing sections. It describes wording and theme changes only, makes no materiality, legal, or investment judgement, and is not financial advice. Informational only — not financial advice.
Insider activity (SEC Form 4)
No open-market insider purchases or sales are on record for PLAY — recent Form 4 activity was compensation-related (awards, option exercises, or tax withholding), not open-market buying or selling.
View full insider trading history → View SEC Form 3/4/5 filingsOnly open-market purchases (SEC code P) and sales (code S) are counted here. Option exercises, vesting/awards, gifts, and shares withheld for taxes are excluded — they are compensation or mechanical, not open-market conviction. Sales may be planned and non-discretionary (e.g. a Rule 10b5-1 plan) and are not necessarily bearish; open-market buying is not a recommendation to buy. Informational only — not financial advice.
Institutional ownership (13F)
4 institutional 13F filers reported holding PLAY as of 2026-03-31 (quarter-end position, filed within 45 days).
- Distinct 13F filers 4
- Reported shares held 3,046,775
- Reported value $32,996,578
reported quarterly holdings change (2025-12-31 → 2026-03-31): 0 new, 0 increased, 4 decreased, 0 exited. Change counts cover only managers that filed 13F reports in BOTH quarters, derived between two quarter-end snapshots — not same-day trades; a single manager is never said to have "bought" or "sold".
Institutional holdings are quarter-end long positions reported on SEC Form 13F-HR, filed up to 45 days after the quarter ends — they are delayed, are not real-time trades, exclude short positions and most non-US securities, and are not investment advice. Any increase/decrease is a reported change between two quarterly snapshots, not a same-day purchase or sale. These are quarter-end snapshots from the 13F filings on SEC EDGAR, filed within 45 days — not real-time, and any change is a difference between two quarterly reports, not a same-day trade. Informational only — not financial advice.
Short interest (FINRA)
PLAY had 9,796,635 shares of reported short interest as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (delayed, bi-monthly; not real-time).
PLAY had 28.2% of its shares outstanding sold short as of the 2026-07-31 FINRA settlement date (percent of FLOAT would be higher — float is not disclosed in the source). FINRA reported 7.91 days to cover at the same settlement.
- Reported short interest (shares) 9,796,635
- Short interest (% of shares outstanding) 28.2%
- Prior settlement (shares) 11,330,557
- Reported change -13.54%
- Days to cover (reported) 7.91
Reported to FINRA as of the 2026-07-31 settlement date. Short interest is reported to FINRA and published on a delayed, bi-monthly schedule (as of a settlement date, disseminated roughly eight business days later) — it is NOT real-time, does not cover every venue or all US trading, and is not a short-squeeze prediction or investment advice. Days-to-cover is the value FINRA reports; percent of float is not shown because the source file carries no share-count denominator — where a percent appears it is of shares OUTSTANDING, the larger base, and is therefore a floor on percent of float. Informational only — not financial advice.
Competitors & peers
- Bowlero (BOWL)
- Chuck E. Cheese
- Topgolf (Callaway Golf) (MODG)
- Six Flags Entertainment
- Cedar Fair (FUN)
AI-enriched competitor set. Linked names are companies covered by stocks-llm; other named peers are shown for reference only.
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Frequently asked questions
What does DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) do?
Dave & Buster's Entertainment operates 243 venues across North America under two brands: 179 Dave & Buster's stores offering arcade games, live sports viewing, and full-service dining for adults and families; and 64 Main Event locations providing family entertainment including bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and virtual reality experiences. The company generates revenue from entertainment (arcade games, sports viewing) and food and beverage service.
What sector is DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) in?
DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) is classified in the Consumer Discretionary sector. Its industry is Location-based entertainment and casual dining. It trades on NASDAQ.
Who are DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC's (PLAY) competitors?
Notable peers of DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) include Bowlero, Chuck E. Cheese, Topgolf (Callaway Golf), Six Flags Entertainment and Cedar Fair. This peer set is informational only — not financial advice.
Is DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) overbought or oversold right now?
DAVE AND BUSTERS ENTERTAINMENT INC (PLAY) is currently neither overbought nor oversold — its 14-day RSI (a 0–100 momentum gauge) is 49, in the neutral middle (as of 2026-08-21). RSI describes recent price momentum, not a forecast — informational only, not financial advice.
Where does stocks-llm's data on PLAY come from?
Fundamentals and prices come from market data, as of 2026-08-24; company filings and profile facts come from SEC EDGAR. All figures are delayed daily-close data shown with their as-of date — informational only, not financial advice.
Fundamentals: market data, as of 2026-08-24. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.
Last updated 2026-08-21.
Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & market data, shown with their as-of date.