Dave & Busters Entmt Inc Financials
This page shows Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) financial statements, including the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, and key financial ratios. View 14 years of annual fundamentals and quarterly data, with year-over-year growth rates and compound annual growth rates (CAGR). All figures are derived from SEC filings (10-K and 10-Q reports).
High gross margins are being swallowed by heavier fixed charges and reinvestment, keeping operating cash alive but free cash flow negative.
Over the last two years, gross margin rose to85.7% while operating margin fell to4.1% , so the squeeze is showing up below the gross-profit line rather than in core venue economics. That helps explain why FY2026 still produced$290.8M of operating cash flow despite a-$48.7M net loss: depreciation and financing costs are now doing more of the damage than weak cash collection.
The balance sheet is becoming thin-equity and liability-heavy, with equity down to
The deeper issue is capital intensity: capex remained high at
Financial Health Signals
Scored against operating companies for FY2026. Each of the six dimensions is a percentile rank within that peer group; the overall is their average, with missing dimensions counted as zero out of six. A high score means strong standing among peers, not absolute cross-industry strength. How this score is calculated →
Health score ≠ stock price. This rates the quality of Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's business: profitability, growth, balance sheet strength. It doesn't tell you whether the stock is a good buy at today's price. Not financial advice. Use it alongside valuation analysis and your own research.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc has an operating margin of 4.1%, meaning the company retains $4 of operating profit per $100 of revenue. This results in a moderate score of 64/100, indicating healthy but not exceptional operating efficiency. This is down from 10.3% the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's revenue declined 1.4% year-over-year, from $2.1B to $2.1B. This contraction results in a growth score of 24/100.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc has elevated debt relative to equity (D/E of 15.01), meaning the company relies heavily on borrowed funds. This high leverage results in a low score of 15/100, reflecting increased financial risk.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's current ratio of 0.29 is below the typical benchmark, resulting in a score of 2/100. This tight liquidity could limit financial flexibility if cash inflows slow.
While Dave & Busters Entmt Inc generated $290.8M in operating cash flow, capex of $391.4M consumed most of it, leaving -$100.6M in free cash flow. This results in a low score of 19/100, reflecting heavy capital investment rather than weak cash generation.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's ROE of -48.9% shows moderate profitability relative to equity, earning a score of 54/100. This is down from 39.7% the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc scores 0.74, below the 1.81 distress threshold. This indicates elevated financial distress risk and warrants close attention to liquidity and debt levels.
Distress-screening estimate for non-financial companies. Not computed for banks or insurers, where the Altman model does not apply.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc passes 5 of 9 financial strength tests. 2 of 4 profitability signals pass, 2 of 3 leverage/liquidity signals pass, 1 of 2 efficiency signals pass.
For every $1 of reported earnings, Dave & Busters Entmt Inc generates $-5.97 in operating cash flow ($290.8M OCF vs -$48.7M net income). This mixed ratio suggests some earnings may rely on non-cash accounting items.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc earns $0.6 in operating income for every $1 of interest expense ($86.1M vs $154.0M). This narrow margin raises concern about the company's ability to service its debt if operating income declines.
Key Financial Metrics
Earnings & Revenue
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc generated $2.1B in revenue in fiscal year 2026. This represents a decrease of 1.4% from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's EBITDA was $365.5M in fiscal year 2026, measuring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. This represents a decrease of 20.3% from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc reported -$48.7M in net income in fiscal year 2026. This represents a decrease of 183.5% from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc earned $-1.40 per diluted share (EPS) in fiscal year 2026. This represents a decrease of 195.9% from the prior year.
Cash & Balance Sheet
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc generated -$100.6M in free cash flow in fiscal year 2026, representing cash available after capex. This represents an increase of 53.8% from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc held $19.6M in cash against $1.5B in long-term debt as of fiscal year 2026.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc had 35M shares outstanding in fiscal year 2026. This represents an increase of 0.6% from the prior year.
Margins & Returns
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's gross margin was 85.7% in fiscal year 2026, indicating the percentage of revenue retained after direct costs. This is up 0.5 percentage points from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's operating margin was 4.1% in fiscal year 2026, reflecting core business profitability. This is down 6.2 percentage points from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's net profit margin was -2.3% in fiscal year 2026, showing the share of revenue converted to profit. This is down 5.1 percentage points from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's ROE was -48.9% in fiscal year 2026, measuring profit generated per dollar of shareholder equity. This is down 88.6 percentage points from the prior year.
Capital Allocation
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc spent $23.9M on share buybacks in fiscal year 2026, returning capital to shareholders by reducing shares outstanding. This represents a decrease of 86.1% from the prior year.
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc invested $391.4M in capex in fiscal year 2026, funding long-term assets and infrastructure. This represents a decrease of 26.2% from the prior year.
PLAY Income Statement
| Metric | Q1'27 | Q4'26 | Q3'26 | Q2'26 | Q1'26 | Q4'25 | Q3'25 | Q2'25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $559.2M+3.9% | $538.0M+20.0% | $448.2M-19.6% | $557.4M-1.8% | $567.7M+2.3% | $554.9M+22.5% | $453.0M-18.7% | $557.1M |
| Cost of Revenue | $79.8M-1.0% | $80.6M+26.9% | $63.5M-16.9% | $76.4M-6.9% | $82.1M-0.7% | $82.7M+22.0% | $67.8M-17.1% | $81.8M |
| Gross Profit | $479.4M+4.8% | $457.4M+18.9% | $384.7M-20.0% | $481.0M-0.9% | $485.6M+2.8% | $472.2M+22.6% | $385.2M-19.0% | $475.3M |
| R&D Expenses | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| SG&A Expenses | $27.5M+11.8% | $24.6M-25.2% | $32.9M+2.8% | $32.0M+31.1% | $24.4M+8.4% | $22.5M-8.5% | $24.6M-12.1% | $28.0M |
| Operating Income | $46.9M+1854.2% | $2.4M+114.8% | -$16.2M-130.6% | $53.0M-16.1% | $63.2M-4.8% | $66.4M+954.0% | $6.3M-92.5% | $84.5M |
| Interest Expense | $36.9M-3.4% | $38.2M-5.0% | $40.2M+3.9% | $38.7M+5.2% | $36.8M+16.1% | $31.7M-3.6% | $32.9M-2.9% | $33.9M |
| Income Tax | $4.3M+135.5% | -$12.1M+15.4% | -$14.3M-593.1% | $2.9M-38.3% | $4.7M-17.5% | $5.7M+162.6% | -$9.1M-188.3% | $10.3M |
| Net Income | $5.7M+124.1% | -$23.7M+43.7% | -$42.1M-469.3% | $11.4M-47.5% | $21.7M-25.2% | $29.0M+188.7% | -$32.7M-181.1% | $40.3M |
| EPS (Diluted) | $0.16 | N/A | $-1.22-481.3% | $0.32-48.4% | $0.62 | N/A | $-0.84-184.8% | $0.99 |
PLAY Balance Sheet
| Metric | Q1'27 | Q4'26 | Q3'26 | Q2'26 | Q1'26 | Q4'25 | Q3'25 | Q2'25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4.1B+0.5% | $4.1B-0.3% | $4.1B+0.9% | $4.1B+0.7% | $4.1B+1.2% | $4.0B+1.9% | $3.9B+2.8% | $3.8B |
| Current Assets | $130.9M+5.5% | $124.1M+1.7% | $122.0M+4.5% | $116.8M+3.0% | $113.4M+20.1% | $94.4M-15.7% | $112.0M+16.5% | $96.1M |
| Cash & Equivalents | $19.6M+18.1% | $16.6M+22.1% | $13.6M+13.3% | $12.0M+0.8% | $11.9M+72.5% | $6.9M-19.8% | $8.6M-34.4% | $13.1M |
| Inventory | $40.2M+0.8% | $39.9M0.0% | $39.9M+2.0% | $39.1M-5.3% | $41.3M+3.8% | $39.8M+3.6% | $38.4M+3.2% | $37.2M |
| Accounts Receivable | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Goodwill | $742.6M0.0% | $742.6M0.0% | $742.6M0.0% | $742.5M0.0% | $742.5M0.0% | $742.6M0.0% | $742.5M0.0% | $742.5M |
| Total Liabilities | $4.0B+0.3% | $4.0B+0.6% | $4.0B+1.9% | $3.9B+0.2% | $3.9B+1.2% | $3.9B+4.2% | $3.7B+4.6% | $3.5B |
| Current Liabilities | $451.9M+4.0% | $434.6M+15.1% | $377.6M+7.9% | $350.0M-18.9% | $431.4M-0.6% | $433.9M+11.0% | $391.0M-4.2% | $408.2M |
| Long-Term Debt | $1.5B-1.3% | $1.5B-2.4% | $1.6B+0.2% | $1.5B-1.3% | $1.6B+6.1% | $1.5B+2.4% | $1.4B+11.8% | $1.3B |
| Total Equity | $99.6M+9.2% | $91.2M-30.3% | $130.8M-21.3% | $166.2M+13.2% | $146.8M+0.7% | $145.8M-35.7% | $226.6M-20.3% | $284.4M |
| Retained Earnings | $614.5M+0.9% | $608.8M-6.1% | $648.5M-6.1% | $690.6M+1.7% | $679.2M+3.3% | $657.5M+1.4% | $648.2M-4.8% | $680.9M |
PLAY Cash Flow Statement
| Metric | Q1'27 | Q4'26 | Q3'26 | Q2'26 | Q1'26 | Q4'25 | Q3'25 | Q2'25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | $113.8M+10.5% | $103.0M+77.6% | $58.0M+70.6% | $34.0M-64.5% | $95.8M-12.0% | $108.9M+1612.5% | -$7.2M-107.1% | $101.8M |
| Capital Expenditures | $105.3M+52.6% | $69.0M-12.2% | $78.6M-11.9% | $89.2M-42.3% | $154.6M-9.0% | $169.9M+29.5% | $131.2M+13.0% | $116.1M |
| Free Cash Flow | $8.5M-75.0% | $34.0M+265.0% | -$20.6M+62.7% | -$55.2M+6.1% | -$58.8M+3.6% | -$61.0M+55.9% | -$138.4M-867.8% | -$14.3M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -$105.3M-52.6% | -$69.0M+12.2% | -$78.6M+7.2% | -$84.7M+45.2% | -$154.6M+9.0% | -$169.9M-29.5% | -$131.2M-13.2% | -$115.9M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -$5.5M+82.3% | -$31.0M-239.6% | $22.2M-56.3% | $50.8M-20.4% | $63.8M+7.6% | $59.3M-55.7% | $133.9M+2832.7% | -$4.9M |
| Dividends Paid | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Share Buybacks | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0-100.0% | $23.9M-71.5% | $83.9M+199.6% | $28.0M-44.2% | $50.2M |
PLAY Financial Ratios
| Metric | Q1'27 | Q4'26 | Q3'26 | Q2'26 | Q1'26 | Q4'25 | Q3'25 | Q2'25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 85.7%+0.7pp | 85.0%-0.8pp | 85.8%-0.5pp | 86.3%+0.7pp | 85.5%+0.4pp | 85.1%+0.1pp | 85.0%-0.3pp | 85.3% |
| Operating Margin | 8.4%+7.9pp | 0.4%+4.1pp | -3.6%-13.1pp | 9.5%-1.6pp | 11.1%-0.8pp | 12.0%+10.6pp | 1.4%-13.8pp | 15.2% |
| Net Margin | 1.0%+5.4pp | -4.4%+5.0pp | -9.4%-11.4pp | 2.1%-1.8pp | 3.8%-1.4pp | 5.2%+12.4pp | -7.2%-14.5pp | 7.2% |
| Return on Equity | 5.7%+31.7pp | -26.0%+6.2pp | -32.2%-39.1pp | 6.9%-7.9pp | 14.8%-5.1pp | 19.9%+34.3pp | -14.4%-28.6pp | 14.2% |
| Return on Assets | 0.1%+0.7pp | -0.6%+0.4pp | -1.0%-1.3pp | 0.3%-0.3pp | 0.5%-0.2pp | 0.7%+1.6pp | -0.8%-1.9pp | 1.1% |
| Current Ratio | 0.290.0 | 0.29-0.0 | 0.32-0.0 | 0.33+0.1 | 0.26+0.0 | 0.22-0.1 | 0.29+0.1 | 0.24 |
| Debt-to-Equity | 15.01-1.6 | 16.61+4.7 | 11.87+2.5 | 9.32-1.4 | 10.69+0.5 | 10.14+3.8 | 6.38+1.8 | 4.54 |
| FCF Margin | 1.5%-4.8pp | 6.3%+10.9pp | -4.6%+5.3pp | -9.9%+0.5pp | -10.4%+0.6pp | -11.0%+19.6pp | -30.6%-28.0pp | -2.6% |
Note: The current ratio is below 1.0 (0.29), indicating current liabilities exceed current assets, which may suggest potential short-term liquidity concerns.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's annual revenue?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) reported $2.1B in total revenue for fiscal year 2026. This represents a -1.4% change compared to the previous fiscal year. Revenue measures the total income earned from the company's primary business operations before any expenses are deducted.
How fast is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's revenue growing?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) revenue declined by 1.4% year-over-year, from $2.1B to $2.1B in fiscal year 2026.
Is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc profitable?
No, Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) reported a net income of -$48.7M in fiscal year 2026, with a net profit margin of -2.3%.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's EBITDA?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had EBITDA of $365.5M in fiscal year 2026, measuring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
How much debt does Dave & Busters Entmt Inc have?
As of fiscal year 2026, Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had $19.6M in cash and equivalents against $1.5B in long-term debt.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's gross margin?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had a gross margin of 85.7% in fiscal year 2026, indicating the percentage of revenue retained after direct costs of goods sold.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's operating margin?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had an operating margin of 4.1% in fiscal year 2026, reflecting the profitability of core business operations before interest and taxes.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's net profit margin?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had a net profit margin of -2.3% in fiscal year 2026, representing the share of revenue converted into profit after all expenses.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's return on equity (ROE)?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) has a return on equity of -48.9% for fiscal year 2026, measuring how efficiently the company generates profit from shareholder equity.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's free cash flow?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) generated -$100.6M in free cash flow during fiscal year 2026. This represents a 53.8% change compared to the previous fiscal year. Free cash flow represents the cash a company generates after accounting for capital expenditures, and is widely used to assess financial flexibility and shareholder value.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's operating cash flow?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) generated $290.8M in operating cash flow during fiscal year 2026, representing cash generated from core business activities.
What are Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's total assets?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had $4.1B in total assets as of fiscal year 2026, including both current and long-term assets.
What are Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's capital expenditures?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) invested $391.4M in capital expenditures during fiscal year 2026, funding long-term assets and infrastructure.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's current ratio?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had a current ratio of 0.29 as of fiscal year 2026, which is below 1.0, which may suggest potential liquidity concerns.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's debt-to-equity ratio?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.01 as of fiscal year 2026, measuring the company's financial leverage by comparing total debt to shareholder equity.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's return on assets (ROA)?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) had a return on assets of -1.2% for fiscal year 2026, measuring how efficiently the company uses its assets to generate profit.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's Altman Z-Score?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) has an Altman Z-Score of 0.74, placing it in the Distress Zone (elevated bankruptcy risk). The Z-Score combines five financial ratios (working capital, retained earnings, EBIT, market capitalization, and revenue relative to total assets) to predict the likelihood of bankruptcy. Scores above 2.99 indicate financial safety while scores below 1.81 suggest financial distress. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
What is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's Piotroski F-Score?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) has a Piotroski F-Score of 5 out of 9, indicating neutral financial health. The F-Score evaluates nine binary signals across profitability (positive ROA, positive cash flow, improving ROA, earnings quality), leverage (decreasing debt, improving liquidity, no share dilution), and operating efficiency (improving gross margin, improving asset turnover). Scores of 7 to 9 indicate strong and improving fundamentals. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
Are Dave & Busters Entmt Inc's earnings high quality?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) has an earnings quality ratio of -5.97x, considered mixed quality. This ratio compares operating cash flow to net income. A ratio above 1.0x means the company generates more cash than its reported earnings, indicating sustainable, cash-backed profits. Ratios below 1.0x suggest earnings rely on accounting accruals rather than actual cash generation. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
Can Dave & Busters Entmt Inc cover its interest payments?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) has an interest coverage ratio of 0.6x, meaning it can struggle to cover its interest obligations. This ratio divides operating income by interest expense. Ratios above 5x indicate strong debt-servicing ability, while ratios below 2x suggest the company may face difficulty meeting interest payments if earnings decline. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.
How financially healthy is Dave & Busters Entmt Inc?
Dave & Busters Entmt Inc (PLAY) scores 30 out of 100 on our Financial Health Score, indicating weak standing within its operating companies peer group. The score is a 0-100 composite of six dimensions (Profitability, Growth, Leverage, Liquidity, Cash Flow, Returns), each ranked as a percentile relative to companies in the same scoring family (banks against banks, REITs against REITs, and so on) rather than across all industries. It rates the quality of the business, not whether the stock is fairly priced, and is not financial advice. Learn more in our complete guide to financial health indicators.