Dave & Buster's Projects Sales Recovery in 2026
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy PLAY?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Slight Revenue Decline: Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $529.6 million in Q4 of fiscal 2025, reflecting a less than 1% year-over-year decline, indicating resilience in performance despite adverse winter storm impacts, thus maintaining a relatively stable market position.
- Store Expansion and Remodeling: The company opened 11 new locations and remodeled 16 existing stores in fiscal 2025, demonstrating proactive market positioning aimed at attracting more customers and enhancing brand image amidst competitive pressures.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: CEO Tarun Lal noted that after adjustments, Dave & Buster's has achieved six consecutive months of improving same-store sales, with expectations to generate over $100 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2026, reflecting strong confidence in future growth prospects.
- Menu and Attraction Upgrades: The company is revamping its menu and plans to introduce at least 10 new games and attractions based on popular characters like John Wick and The Mandalorian, which will further drive customer traffic and enhance overall sales performance.
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Analyst Views on PLAY
Wall Street analysts forecast PLAY stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 10.830
Low
16.00
Averages
22.20
High
30.00
Current: 10.830
Low
16.00
Averages
22.20
High
30.00
About PLAY
Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. is an owner and operator of entertainment and dining venues. The Company owns and operates about 232 venues in North America that offer entertainment and dining experiences to guests through two distinct brands: Dave & Buster’s and Main Event. The Company has over 171 Dave & Buster's branded stores in 42 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada and offers guests the opportunity to Eat Drink Play and Watch, all in one location. Each store offers a full menu of entrees and appetizers, a complete selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and an assortment of entertainment attractions centered around playing games and watching live sports and other televised events. It also operates over 61 Main Event branded stores in 22 states across the country, and offers bowling, laser tag, hundreds of arcade games, and virtual reality. Each of its locations also offers full bar service, including a variety of beers, hand-crafted cocktails, and spirits.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Dave & Buster's Projects Sales Recovery in 2026
- Slight Revenue Decline: Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $529.6 million in Q4 of fiscal 2025, reflecting a less than 1% year-over-year decline, indicating resilience in performance despite adverse winter storm impacts, thus maintaining a relatively stable market position.
- Store Expansion and Remodeling: The company opened 11 new locations and remodeled 16 existing stores in fiscal 2025, demonstrating proactive market positioning aimed at attracting more customers and enhancing brand image amidst competitive pressures.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: CEO Tarun Lal noted that after adjustments, Dave & Buster's has achieved six consecutive months of improving same-store sales, with expectations to generate over $100 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2026, reflecting strong confidence in future growth prospects.
- Menu and Attraction Upgrades: The company is revamping its menu and plans to introduce at least 10 new games and attractions based on popular characters like John Wick and The Mandalorian, which will further drive customer traffic and enhance overall sales performance.
See More
Dave & Buster's Issues Positive Cash Flow Forecast
- Financial Overview: Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $529.6 million for Q4 of fiscal 2025, reflecting a less than 1% year-over-year decline, demonstrating market resilience despite the impact of severe winter storms.
- Store Expansion and Remodeling: In fiscal 2025, the company opened 11 new locations and remodeled 16 existing stores, indicating a continued commitment to market expansion and enhancing customer experience.
- Improving Sales Trends: Management highlighted that after adjusting for the three-day storm impact, Dave & Buster's has achieved six consecutive months of improving same-store sales, suggesting potential brand recovery, with February's same-store sales remaining roughly flat.
- Future Cash Flow Expectations: CEO Tarun Lal expressed confidence that the company will generate over $100 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2026, driven by growth in same-store sales and overall revenue, reflecting strong optimism for the future.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Results Disappoint Despite Positive Trends
- Earnings Loss: Dave & Buster's reported an adjusted loss of $0.35 per share in Q4, significantly missing expectations of $0.71 profit and down from $0.66 profit in the same quarter last year, indicating a notable decline in profitability amid soft entertainment sales.
- Revenue Decline: The total revenue of $529.6 million for the quarter represented a 0.9% decrease year-over-year, with a 6.5% drop in entertainment revenue, suggesting challenges in attracting customers that could impact future market share.
- Improving Traffic: Despite the disappointing overall performance, CEO Tarun Lal noted that customer traffic improved throughout the quarter, with sequential same-store sales growth each month, particularly in food and beverage, indicating early success of the company's back-to-basics strategy.
- Optimistic Cash Flow Outlook: The company expects free cash flow to exceed $100 million, significantly above the consensus estimate of $23 million, providing financial support for future expansion plans and suggesting that risk/reward dynamics may skew positively amid low investor expectations.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Revenue Misses Expectations, Shares Drop
- Revenue Shortfall: Dave & Buster's (PLAY) reported Q4 revenue of $529.6 million, a 0.9% decline from the previous year, significantly missing analysts' expectations of $555.4 million, indicating competitive pressures in the market.
- Adjusted Net Loss: The company swung to an adjusted net loss of $12 million in Q4, compared to an adjusted net income of $25.3 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting a substantial decline in profitability that may impact investor confidence.
- Store Openings and Remodels: In fiscal 2025, PLAY opened 11 new stores and remodeled 16 locations, demonstrating ongoing efforts to expand and enhance customer experience despite financial challenges, which could help in long-term recovery.
- Positive Future Outlook: PLAY expects to achieve growth in same-store sales, revenue, and adjusted core profit, with plans to launch new games and refine marketing strategies in 2026, aiming to restore brand appeal and drive free cash flow above $100 million.
See More
Nike's Earnings Beat Expectations Despite Revenue Decline
- Nike Earnings Highlights: Nike reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of $0.35 per share and revenue of $11.28 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.28 and $11.24 billion, indicating strong profitability despite revenue challenges.
- North America Revenue Decline: Despite the overall revenue beat, Nike's North America revenue came in at $5.03 billion, slightly below the expected $5.04 billion, reflecting pressure on sales in that region.
- Dave & Buster's Positive Outlook: Shares of Dave & Buster's rose about 1% as management projected increases in same-store sales, revenue, and adjusted EBITDA for 2026, showcasing confidence in future growth.
- PVH Surpasses Expectations: PVH reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.82 per share and revenue of $2.51 billion, both exceeding analyst forecasts of $3.31 and $2.43 billion, indicating strong brand performance.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Earnings Miss Expectations
- Earnings Performance: Dave & Buster's reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.35, missing expectations by $0.81, indicating significant challenges to the company's profitability.
- Revenue Decline: The revenue for Q4 was $529.6 million, a 0.9% year-over-year decrease, falling short of market expectations by $25.32 million, reflecting weak consumer spending and intensified market competition.
- Market Reaction: The disappointing earnings report may lead to downward pressure on the stock price, raising investor concerns about the company's future profitability and growth potential.
- Transformation Challenges: Despite potential for turnaround, the current financial performance highlights difficulties in restoring growth, suggesting a need for a reassessment of market strategies to adapt to changing consumer demands.
See More
Dave & Buster's Projects Sales Recovery in 2026
- Slight Revenue Decline: Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $529.6 million in Q4 of fiscal 2025, reflecting a less than 1% year-over-year decline, indicating resilience in performance despite adverse winter storm impacts, thus maintaining a relatively stable market position.
- Store Expansion and Remodeling: The company opened 11 new locations and remodeled 16 existing stores in fiscal 2025, demonstrating proactive market positioning aimed at attracting more customers and enhancing brand image amidst competitive pressures.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: CEO Tarun Lal noted that after adjustments, Dave & Buster's has achieved six consecutive months of improving same-store sales, with expectations to generate over $100 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2026, reflecting strong confidence in future growth prospects.
- Menu and Attraction Upgrades: The company is revamping its menu and plans to introduce at least 10 new games and attractions based on popular characters like John Wick and The Mandalorian, which will further drive customer traffic and enhance overall sales performance.
See More
Dave & Buster's Issues Positive Cash Flow Forecast
- Financial Overview: Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $529.6 million for Q4 of fiscal 2025, reflecting a less than 1% year-over-year decline, demonstrating market resilience despite the impact of severe winter storms.
- Store Expansion and Remodeling: In fiscal 2025, the company opened 11 new locations and remodeled 16 existing stores, indicating a continued commitment to market expansion and enhancing customer experience.
- Improving Sales Trends: Management highlighted that after adjusting for the three-day storm impact, Dave & Buster's has achieved six consecutive months of improving same-store sales, suggesting potential brand recovery, with February's same-store sales remaining roughly flat.
- Future Cash Flow Expectations: CEO Tarun Lal expressed confidence that the company will generate over $100 million in free cash flow in fiscal 2026, driven by growth in same-store sales and overall revenue, reflecting strong optimism for the future.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Results Disappoint Despite Positive Trends
- Earnings Loss: Dave & Buster's reported an adjusted loss of $0.35 per share in Q4, significantly missing expectations of $0.71 profit and down from $0.66 profit in the same quarter last year, indicating a notable decline in profitability amid soft entertainment sales.
- Revenue Decline: The total revenue of $529.6 million for the quarter represented a 0.9% decrease year-over-year, with a 6.5% drop in entertainment revenue, suggesting challenges in attracting customers that could impact future market share.
- Improving Traffic: Despite the disappointing overall performance, CEO Tarun Lal noted that customer traffic improved throughout the quarter, with sequential same-store sales growth each month, particularly in food and beverage, indicating early success of the company's back-to-basics strategy.
- Optimistic Cash Flow Outlook: The company expects free cash flow to exceed $100 million, significantly above the consensus estimate of $23 million, providing financial support for future expansion plans and suggesting that risk/reward dynamics may skew positively amid low investor expectations.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Revenue Misses Expectations, Shares Drop
- Revenue Shortfall: Dave & Buster's (PLAY) reported Q4 revenue of $529.6 million, a 0.9% decline from the previous year, significantly missing analysts' expectations of $555.4 million, indicating competitive pressures in the market.
- Adjusted Net Loss: The company swung to an adjusted net loss of $12 million in Q4, compared to an adjusted net income of $25.3 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting a substantial decline in profitability that may impact investor confidence.
- Store Openings and Remodels: In fiscal 2025, PLAY opened 11 new stores and remodeled 16 locations, demonstrating ongoing efforts to expand and enhance customer experience despite financial challenges, which could help in long-term recovery.
- Positive Future Outlook: PLAY expects to achieve growth in same-store sales, revenue, and adjusted core profit, with plans to launch new games and refine marketing strategies in 2026, aiming to restore brand appeal and drive free cash flow above $100 million.
See More
Nike's Earnings Beat Expectations Despite Revenue Decline
- Nike Earnings Highlights: Nike reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of $0.35 per share and revenue of $11.28 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.28 and $11.24 billion, indicating strong profitability despite revenue challenges.
- North America Revenue Decline: Despite the overall revenue beat, Nike's North America revenue came in at $5.03 billion, slightly below the expected $5.04 billion, reflecting pressure on sales in that region.
- Dave & Buster's Positive Outlook: Shares of Dave & Buster's rose about 1% as management projected increases in same-store sales, revenue, and adjusted EBITDA for 2026, showcasing confidence in future growth.
- PVH Surpasses Expectations: PVH reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.82 per share and revenue of $2.51 billion, both exceeding analyst forecasts of $3.31 and $2.43 billion, indicating strong brand performance.
See More
Dave & Buster's Q4 Earnings Miss Expectations
- Earnings Performance: Dave & Buster's reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of -$0.35, missing expectations by $0.81, indicating significant challenges to the company's profitability.
- Revenue Decline: The revenue for Q4 was $529.6 million, a 0.9% year-over-year decrease, falling short of market expectations by $25.32 million, reflecting weak consumer spending and intensified market competition.
- Market Reaction: The disappointing earnings report may lead to downward pressure on the stock price, raising investor concerns about the company's future profitability and growth potential.
- Transformation Challenges: Despite potential for turnaround, the current financial performance highlights difficulties in restoring growth, suggesting a need for a reassessment of market strategies to adapt to changing consumer demands.
See More
