Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) SVP Sells $102,668.41 in Stock

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY) SVP Steve Klohn sold 6,989 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.69, for a total value of $102,668.41. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 38,547 shares in the company, valued at $566,255.43. This represents a 15.35% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:PLAY opened at $14.28 on Monday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $13.78 and its 200 day moving average is $16.07. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. has a 1 year low of $9.61 and a 1 year high of $35.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $496.07 million, a P/E ratio of -9.99 and a beta of 1.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.61, a current ratio of 0.29 and a quick ratio of 0.19.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The restaurant operator reported ($0.35) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.39 by ($0.74). The business had revenue of $529.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $556.56 million. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment had a negative net margin of 2.32% and a negative return on equity of 7.93%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.69 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. will post 2.52 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on PLAY shares. Piper Sandler cut their price objective on Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from $22.00 to $14.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 6th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from $23.00 to $18.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Benchmark raised Dave & Buster’s Entertainment from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, January 16th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $21.83.

Institutional Trading of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment during the third quarter worth about $27,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its holdings in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 616.6% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,942 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 1,671 shares during the period. Leonteq Securities AG acquired a new stake in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment during the fourth quarter worth about $42,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its holdings in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment by 292.4% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 5,062 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $152,000 after acquiring an additional 3,772 shares during the period. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC acquired a new stake in Dave & Buster’s Entertainment during the third quarter worth about $104,000. 91.45% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Senior management still retains a meaningful stake — after the April 17 sale the SVP owns 38,547 shares valued at roughly $566k, which may reassure some investors that insiders retain exposure. SEC Filing
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading volume is elevated versus average (about 2.9M vs ~1.39M), indicating larger investor activity that can amplify moves in either direction; this may reflect short‑term trading rather than a fundamental shift. MarketBeat PLAY Page
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: SVP Steve Klohn sold 6,989 shares at an average $14.69 on April 17, a 15.35% reduction in his holdings — insider selling can be interpreted negatively by the market. SEC Filing
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research issued a string of downward EPS revisions across FY2027–FY2029 (Q1–Q4 and full‑year cuts) and maintains a “Strong Sell” rating — these analyst reductions materially worsen near‑term earnings expectations and are likely weighing on sentiment. Bear of the Day: Dave & Buster’s (PLAY)
• Negative Sentiment: Third‑party earnings forecasts/coverage: recent coverage (including FY2029 commentary) highlights lowered outlooks and continued analyst skepticism, adding pressure to the stock’s valuation and investor confidence. FY2029 Forecast Article

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.