Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) carries a Roarable Rating of E (Strong Sell) with 28/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.
As of 2026-11-03, Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY) is rated E (Strong Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 28/100 at a spot price of $8.51 (+8.69% 1D, market cap $272.7M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 11/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 6/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 3/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 3/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 5/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, PLAY ranks #900 in composite RQD confidence.
Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Restaurants), PLAY carries a Roarable E (28/100 RQD), trailing P/E of N/A, gross margin of 85.7%, and ROIC of 4.3%. By comparison, JACK (Jack In The Box Inc.) holds a D- grade (38/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -35.0%, cap $249.6M) and RICK (RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc.) posts a D+ grade (54/100 RQD, P/E 20.0x, ROIC 5.6%, cap $216.5M). Among the 5-stock peer group, PTLO leads on earnings multiple (17.9x) while RICK leads on capital efficiency (5.6% ROIC).
Per PLAY's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2026-02-03, CIK 0001525769), Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. generated $2.10B in revenue (-1.4% YoY), -$48.7M in net income, and -$100.6M in free cash flow against $4.12B in total assets and $1.51B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Established market leader in Consumer Discretionary with deep daily trading liquidity. Primary risk factors monitored: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer
SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 0% FCF Margin ($0 FCF) & 85.7% Gross Margin
20D Institutional Volume Accumulation (±12.5% realized swing band)
Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (53.6) create a -16 pt regime headwind
While PLAY currently carries a cautious 28/100 (E) rating due to Macro Regime Fit (4/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.
Established market leader in Consumer Discretionary with deep daily trading liquidity.
Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($7.61) and Max Pain ($8.94) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $23.21.
Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Disciplined Float (+0.72% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) surged +8.69% to $8.51, trading at 14% of its 52-week range ($6.26 – $22.1). Stretched risk/reward at current multiples (4% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.
Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Seeking Alpha report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketBeat report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Stock Titan report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Private-equity firms are targeting struggling U.S. restaurant chains to revive them away from public-market scrutiny.
Consumer stocks were lower late Wednesday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select S
Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).
vs. -1.4% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).
No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on PLAY today. View full Setup Ledger →
No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for PLAY. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.
Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) ranks #900 by composite RQD confidence (28/100, grade E) and #654 by equity capitalization ($272.7M). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, PTLO leads on earnings valuation at 17.9x trailing P/E, while RICK leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 5.6% ROIC and — gross margin. RICK currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 54/100 (D+) compared with PLAY at 28/100 (E).
| Ticker / Company | Roarable Grade | RQD Score | Trailing P/E | Gross Margin | ROIC | 1D Change | Market Cap | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLAY
ACTIVE
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. | E | 28/100 | — | 85.7% | 4.3% | +8.69% | $272.7M | Benchmark Subject |
| JACK Jack In The Box Inc. | D- | 38/100 | — | — | -35.0% | +6.03% | $249.6M | /jack-vs-play → |
| RICK RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc. | D+ | 54/100 | 20.0x | — | 5.6% | +2.72% | $216.5M | /rick-vs-play → |
| PTLO Portillo's Inc. (Class A) | D- | 42/100 | 17.9x | — | 4.9% | +6.37% | $369.8M | /ptlo-vs-play → |
| KRUS Kura Sushi USA Inc. (Class A) | E | 18/100 | — | — | -1.9% | +3.52% | $424.8M | /krus-vs-play → |
In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2026-02-03), Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) reported GAAP revenue of $2.10B (-1.4% vs. FY2024 revenue of $2.13B , and -4.6% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of -$48.7M, operating cash flow of $290.8M, and free cash flow of -$100.6M (+53.8% YoY). On the balance sheet, PLAY closed FY2025 with $4.12B in total assets against $1.51B in total debt (Altman Z-Score: N/A, Piotroski F-Score: 3/9).
| Fiscal Period | Filing Date | Revenue | Net Income | Operating Cash Flow | Free Cash Flow | Total Assets | Total Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 (FY) | 2026-02-03 | $2.10B | -$48.7M | $290.8M | -$100.6M | $4.12B | $1.51B |
| FY2024 (FY) | 2025-02-04 | $2.13B | $58.3M | $312.3M | -$217.9M | $4.02B | $1.48B |
| FY2023 (FY) | 2024-02-04 | $2.21B | $126.9M | $364.2M | $364.2M | — | — |
As of 2026-11-03, Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY) is rated E (Strong Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 28/100 at a spot price of $8.51 (+8.69% 1D, market cap $272.7M). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 11/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 6/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 3/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 3/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 5/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, PLAY ranks #900 in composite RQD confidence.
Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Restaurants), PLAY carries a Roarable E (28/100 RQD), trailing P/E of N/A, gross margin of 85.7%, and ROIC of 4.3%. By comparison, JACK (Jack In The Box Inc.) holds a D- grade (38/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -35.0%, cap $249.6M) and RICK (RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc.) posts a D+ grade (54/100 RQD, P/E 20.0x, ROIC 5.6%, cap $216.5M). Among the 5-stock peer group, PTLO leads on earnings multiple (17.9x) while RICK leads on capital efficiency (5.6% ROIC).
Per PLAY's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2026-02-03, CIK 0001525769), Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. generated $2.10B in revenue (-1.4% YoY), -$48.7M in net income, and -$100.6M in free cash flow against $4.12B in total assets and $1.51B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Established market leader in Consumer Discretionary with deep daily trading liquidity. Primary risk factors monitored: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.
PLAY last traded at $8.51 (+8.69% on volume of 2,228,322 shares), positioning the stock +11.83% above its 50-day simple moving average ($7.61) and -25.74% below its 200-day simple moving average ($11.46). Across its 52-week range of $6.26 to $22.10, PLAY sits at the 14.2% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 53.6 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±12.5% ($7.45 to $9.57).
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 28/100, corresponding to a E letter grade (Roarable Strong Sell) at a spot price of $8.51 (+8.69% 1D, market capitalization $272.7M).
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. Is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker PLAY and is classified in the Consumer Discretionary sector and Restaurants industry per the company profile. The market capitalization is $0.3B.
In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2026-02-03), Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) reported $2.10B in annual revenue (up from $2.13B in FY2024, -1.4% YoY) and -$48.7M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($2.21B revenue, $126.9M net income) through FY2025, PLAY scaled operating cash flow to $290.8M and free cash flow to -$100.6M, backed by $4.12B in total assets against $1.51B in total debt.
The sector and industry classification (Consumer Discretionary / Restaurants) is the only structural context provided.
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Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Seeking Alpha report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketBeat report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Yahoo Finance report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
Stock Titan report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
MarketWatch report covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. (PLAY) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.
The EV/EBITDA multiple of 4.3 and a 52-week low of $6.26 with the stock at $8.13 leave room for a re-rating if operating income stabilizes.. When you look under the hood at PLAY, Fundamental Cash Engine is 11/20 with 85.7% gross margins and 4.3% ROIC. Bears are staring in the rearview mirror while institutional 13F flow (6/20) has been quietly accumulating below $22.10. My 12M target is $9.94.
@FadeTheHype Shorting a 6/20 institutional whale-flow stock at $7.83 is dangerous when funds are rotating into Consumer Discretionary.
Careful chasing PLAY at $7.83. Negative free cash flow in FY 2025 and FY 2024, debt of $1.51B against $16.6M cash, and a Piotroski F-Score of 3/9 signal forensic balance-sheet stress.. Gross margin is 85.7%, but operating margin is 4.1%, which shows SG&A and reinvestment are eating into bottom-line EPS. Target $6.50 on multiple compression.
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