Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Sunday.

Several other research firms also recently commented on PLAY. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from $35.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from $20.00 to $19.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Benchmark raised Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 price objective for the company in a report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $20.00 price objective on Dave & Buster’s Entertainment in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $23.83.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Stock Performance

Shares of PLAY stock opened at $10.83 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.87. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $15.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.69. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment has a 12 month low of $9.61 and a 12 month high of $35.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $375.58 million, a PE ratio of -270.68 and a beta of 1.79.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PLAY. Raymond James Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 0.5% during the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 121,847 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $3,665,000 after purchasing an additional 637 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG increased its stake in shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 24,794 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $402,000 after purchasing an additional 741 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen LLC raised its position in shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Nuveen LLC now owns 102,226 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $1,657,000 after purchasing an additional 1,254 shares during the period. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 616.6% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,942 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 1,671 shares in the last quarter. 91.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Dave & Buster’s Entertainment

Here are the key news stories impacting Dave & Buster’s Entertainment this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS came in a bit better than the Zacks estimate (loss of $0.35 vs. est. $0.39), which can limit downside and may have supported intraday buying. Dave & Buster’s (PLAY) Reports Q4 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: The company filed its full Q4 and fiscal-year press release with details and management commentary; investors will parse operating metrics and any commentary on guidance or cost initiatives. Dave & Buster’s Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year End 2025 Financial Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and outlets are digging into key operating metrics (same-store sales, AUVs, cost trends) to judge recovery momentum — deeper metric analysis is available for investors. Here’s What Key Metrics Tell Us About Dave & Buster’s (PLAY) Q4 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed analyst expectations and the quarter produced a surprise loss vs. the prior-year earnings, which triggered after‑hours selling in some venues. Dave & Buster’s tumbles 8% on surprise Q4 loss, revenue miss
• Negative Sentiment: Major news outlets flagged the earnings miss and corresponding after‑hours moves, increasing short‑term volatility risk. Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: Nike, Dave & Buster’s, RH and more

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Company Profile

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc operates a chain of combined restaurant and entertainment venues designed to appeal to families, young adults and corporate groups. Each location features a full-service restaurant and bar alongside an arcade gaming area with ticket-based redemption, virtual reality experiences and skill-based games. Many venues also include multiple large-screen televisions and a sports bar atmosphere, catering to fans who wish to watch live sporting events in a social setting.

The company was founded in 1982 by David Corriveau and James “Buster” Corley, opening its first location in Dallas, Texas.