Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) fair value: what the stock is really worth
As of Sep 23, 2026: fair value of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment $20.43, price $6.81, upside +200.0%, quality 36 out of 100. Calculated from audited financials with 26 valuation models and 37 quality factors, updated daily.
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Price vs Fair Value
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year, dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 23, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $6.54 – $68.29 · fair‑value band $4.35 – $36.51 · the $6.81 price screens below the $20.43 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). 1 fiscal year is left out: there the valuation rested on only a fraction of the usual models. Dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 23, 2026.
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Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates entertainment and dining venues for adults and families in North America.
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Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates entertainment and dining venues for adults and families in North America. Its venues offer a menu of entrées and appetizers, as well as a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; and an assortment of entertainment attractions centered on playing games and watching live sports, and other televised events. The company also provides food, drinks, and entertainment, including bowling, laser tag, arcade games, and virtual reality. The company operates its venues under the Dave & Buster's and Main Event brands. Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Coppell, Texas.
Stock analysis
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) currently trades at $6.81, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $20.43, implying the stock looks roughly 66.7% undervalued today.
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Valuation
How firm this estimate is: it rests on 5 models at a data quality of 96/100, which puts the evidence level at low.
Scenario range: $4.35 (bear) to $36.51 (bull), the price of $6.81 sits inside it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.
Quality & growth
The Quality Score stands at 36/100 (below-average quality), in the Communication Services sector.
Mixed Growth: Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment reported revenue of $2.1B in FY2026 versus $1.3B in FY2022, a compound +12.7%/yr. Reported net income was −$48.7M in FY2026.
Key figures
Market cap $416M · P/S ratio 0.20 · EPS (TTM) $−1.87 · Net margin −2.3% · Return on equity −52.5% · Return on assets (EBIT) 6.6% · Operating margin 8.9% · Revenue (TTM) $2.1B.
Competitive moat
Our AI-assisted moat analysis scores the competitive advantage at 50 out of 100 (low confidence).
What moves the price
The share trades about 68% below its 52-week high and 4% above its 52-week low, currently below its 200-day average.
For context, the median of 10 Communication Services peers we cover trades at −3% fair-value upside, at 200%, PLAY screens cheaper than that median.
Fair Value models
Bear $4.35Fair Value $20.43Bull $36.51
Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above is their evidence-weighted blend, not the output of a single model.Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.Evidence ⓘEvidence = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.
Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card.0/100
Revenue is growing, but margins or cash flow do not fully confirm the trend.
Revenue growth 1 year
−1.4%
Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+2.3%
Revenue growth 26 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.
+8.6%
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Profit margin (trend) ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.
−57.9% (2021) → 5.0% (2026)
What shareholders gained per year ⓘWe only publish this rate when it is defensible. Reason: fiscal 2026 is a loss year, no rate is defined from a loss
News mood ⓘNews mood, the average tone of recent news (97 articles), rated against how stocks are usually covered. 🚀 Hype = unusually upbeat · 🙂 Positive = above average · 😐 Neutral = typical · 🙁 Negative = below average · 😨 Very negative = unusually downbeat. It reflects the tone of coverage, not our valuation.Neutral
Recent news coverage is roughly neutral, about typical for how stocks are covered.
Compare Dave & Buster’s Entertainment with another stock
Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.
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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Entertainment · 263 stocks
Beats the industry median on 5/10 measures
A mixed picture versus its industry peers.
Valuation
Quality Score36 · Bottom 25%
Fair Value upside+200% · Top 25%
Profitability
Return on assets2% · Above median
Net margin (TTM)−3% · Below median
Operating margin (TTM)9% · Above median
Growth and dividend
Revenue growth−2% · Below median
Balance sheet
Debt / equity16.61× · Highest 25%
Valuation Multiplesvs Entertainment median · lower = cheaper
P/B4.56× · book value is mostly goodwill ⓘGoodwill and other intangible assets are larger than the equity. The book value mainly reflects prices paid for past acquisitions, so we do not rank this P/B against the peer group.
For bloggers, editors and developers: paste this into your site or blog (a “Custom HTML” block in WordPress), it shows the current fair value and links back here. Free, plain HTML, and welcome. Full data streams (CSV/JSON) at /developers.
Cite: Fair Value Calculator (2026). "Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Fair Value". https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/PLAY
Frequently asked questions
Is Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) overvalued or undervalued?
As of Sep 23, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $20.43 versus a price of $6.81, about +200% upside (undervalued).
What is the fair value of PLAY?
Our model-based fair value for Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is $20.43 (as of Sep 23, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $6.81.
What is the quality score of PLAY?
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment has a Quality Score of 36/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.
What is the price target for Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Our model-based price target is the fair value of $20.43 (as of Sep 23, 2026) from 4 valuation models. Cautious scenario $4.35, optimistic scenario $36.51. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.
What is the Dave & Buster’s Entertainment stock forecast for 2026?
Our models put fair value at $20.43, about +200% upside versus a price of $6.81 (undervalued). Cautious scenario $4.35, optimistic scenario $36.51. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.
What is the revenue of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $2.1B (latest available figure, as of Sep 23, 2026).
What is the intrinsic value of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Dave & Buster’s Entertainment it is $20.43 per share (as of Sep 23, 2026), against a price of $6.81. It is the blended result of 4 valuation models (cash flow, earnings, asset, dividend).
Is Dave & Buster’s Entertainment stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?
As of Sep 23, 2026, PLAY trades below its calculated fair value: price $6.81, fair value $20.43, a gap of about +200% (undervalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.
Is fair value the same as the market price of PLAY?
No. The price is what the market pays today ($6.81); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($20.43). For Dave & Buster’s Entertainment the two are $13.62 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.
How much is Dave & Buster’s Entertainment worth?
The market values Dave & Buster’s Entertainment at about $416M (market capitalisation, as of Sep 23, 2026). Per share that is $6.81; our models calculate a fair value of $20.43 per share.
What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about PLAY?
Our models span a range for Dave & Buster’s Entertainment: cautious scenario $4.35, base $20.43, optimistic $36.51 per share (as of Sep 23, 2026, price $6.81). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.
What is the PEG ratio of PLAY?
The PEG ratio of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is 1.48 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Sep 23, 2026). That is above 1, so the growth is already paid for in the price.
How solid is the balance sheet of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Balance-sheet figures for Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (as of Sep 23, 2026): return on equity −52.5%, debt of 16.61 per unit of equity. They feed the Quality Score of 36/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.
How far is PLAY from its 52-week high?
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment trades at $6.81, about 68% below its 52-week high of $21.17 and 4% above the low of $6.54 (as of Sep 23, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $20.43 is for.
Which stocks are comparable to Dave & Buster’s Entertainment?
From the same area (Communication Services) we also value Netflix, Inc, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc, Live Nation Entertainment, Inc, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.
Is Dave & Buster’s Entertainment stock attractive at the current price?
The data as of Sep 23, 2026: price $6.81, calculated fair value $20.43 (+200%), Quality Score 36/100, from 4 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.
How is the fair value of PLAY calculated?
We run Dave & Buster’s Entertainment through 4 models from four families: discounted cash flow, earnings models, asset and balance-sheet models, and dividend models. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the result is the weighted average of $20.43, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.
Is it still worth investing in stocks now?
The global stock market currently sits 13.0 % above its aggregate fair value. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment currently trades 200 % below its own fair value, and the market average says nothing about that. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.
What is the share price of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The closing price on Sep 23, 2026 was $6.81. Our model-based fair value is $20.43, about +200% upside (undervalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.
What should I pay attention to with Dave & Buster’s Entertainment right now?
The large discount to fair value meets weak quality (36/100). That raises the risk this is a value trap rather than a bargain. The model range is unusually wide ($4.35 to $36.51). The outcome hinges heavily on assumptions, so read the point estimate with caution. The large gap to fair value rests on thin data (low evidence): fewer applicable models and a shorter history. Read it with extra caution.
Where does the earnings growth of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) come from?
Earnings per share at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment grew +6.6 % a year from 2015 to 2026. Broken into its drivers: revenue per share +11.0 %, EBIT margin +0.2 %, tax rate +2.6 %, residual (interest, one-offs) −6.6 %. The four rates multiply to the earnings growth rate, they do not add up. Start and end are three-year averages so a single exceptional year does not distort the result.
Key figures of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment
How large is the market capitalisation of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The market capitalisation of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is $416M. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.
What is the P/S ratio of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The price-to-sales ratio of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is 0.20 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.
What are the earnings per share of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Earnings per share at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment are $−1.87. Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.
What is the net margin of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The net margin of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is −2.3% (fiscal year 2026). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.
What is the return on equity of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The return on equity (ROE) of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is −52.5% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.
What is the EBIT return on assets of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is 6.6% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.
What is the operating margin of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
The operating margin of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is 8.9% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.
How fast is revenue growing at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Revenue at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is growing −1.5% versus a year earlier (3y avg +2.3%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.
How fast are earnings growing at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY)?
Earnings per share at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment are growing −74.2% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.
How much free cash flow does Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) generate?
The free cash flow of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is −$101M (fiscal year 2026). The cash truly left after running and investing in the business, this is what pays dividends and buybacks.
How much net debt does Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (PLAY) carry?
The net debt of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment is $3.1B (fiscal year 2026). Debt minus cash on hand. The note shows how many years of free cash flow could in theory pay it off.
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Thin data
Sep 23, 2026