The ongoing negative comps and earnings erosion suggest a challenged core business. The stock may face further pressure given the miss, though the free cash flow and positive comp guidance could offer a floor. Monitor Q2 commentary on whether traffic trends improve as management expects.
Price Chart
Executive Summary
Dave & Buster's Q1 2026 results were weak: revenue fell 1.5% to $559.2M, missing the $578.4M consensus, and GAAP EPS of $0.16 was well below the $0.66 estimate, largely driven by a 5.4% comparable store sales decline. Management expressed confidence in a back-half recovery, guiding to positive comps and over $100M in free cash flow for fiscal 2026, but the continued negative traffic trends and earnings miss point to ongoing operational challenges.
Key Financial Metrics
Key Facts
- Revenue of $559.2M decreased 1.5% YoY, missing the $578.4M consensus.
- Comparable store sales fell 5.4% vs the same period last year.
- GAAP net income dropped 74% to $5.7M ($0.16 diluted EPS) from $21.7M ($0.62) a year ago.
- Adjusted EBITDA declined to $123.2M from $136.1M, with margin compressing to 22.0% from 24.0%.
- Management guided for positive comps and >$100M in free cash flow for FY2026, but results 'fell short of expectations'.
Financial Impact
Revenue miss of ~$19M vs consensus (-3.3%); EPS of $0.16 vs $0.66 represents a ~76% miss.
Risk Factors
- Sustained comparable store sales decline signals weakening consumer demand or competitive loss.
- Elevated leverage (3.3x net debt / Credit Adj. EBITDA) limits financial flexibility if trends worsen.
- Optimistic management guidance may prove unrealistic if macro headwinds persist.
Market Snapshot
Investment Themes
Documents Analyzed
This report is based on 6 SEC documents filed with EDGAR.
| Document | Accession Number |
|---|---|
| 8-K Filing (Primary) | 0001525769-26-000025 |
| Document: play-20260615.htm | 0001525769-26-000025 |
| Document: 0001525769-26-000025-index-headers.html | 0001525769-26-000025 |
| Document: 0001525769-26-000025-index.html | 0001525769-26-000025 |
| Document: 0001525769-26-000025.txt | 0001525769-26-000025 |
| 8-K Data (Synthetic) | 0001525769-26-000025 |
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 21, 2026 5w ago | 8-K | $6.79 | awaiting T+60 | — | $7.58 (+11.63%) |
Sep 17, 2026 5w ago | Insider Buy | $6.73 | awaiting T+60 | — | $7.58 (−12.63%) |
Sep 17, 2026 5w ago | Insider Buy | $6.73 | awaiting T+60 | — | $7.58 (+12.63%) |
Sep 14, 2026 6w ago | 8-K | $6.86 | awaiting T+60 | — | $7.58 (−10.50%) |
Sep 14, 2026 6w ago | Press Release | $6.86 | awaiting T+60 | — | $7.58 (−10.50%) |
Jun 15, 2026 19w ago | 8-K | $11.55 $8.17 | ▲ +29.26% | ▲ +30.26% | $7.58 (+34.37%) |
Jun 15, 2026 19w ago | Press Release | $11.55 $8.17 | ▲ +29.26% | ▲ +30.26% | $7.58 (+34.37%) |
Jun 11, 2026 19w ago | Institutional Cluster | $13.18 $8.72 | ▲ +33.84% | ▲ +38.23% | $7.58 (+42.49%) |
Mar 31, 2026 29w ago | 8-K | $12.57 $11.33 | ▲ +9.86% | ▲ +23.24% | $7.58 (+39.70%) |
Mar 17, 2026 32w ago | Press Release | $13.36 $13.18 | ▼ −1.35% | ▼ −12.87% | $7.58 (−43.26%) |
US Market Status
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