PLAYCommunication Services · EntertainmentThe 11 Wall Street analysts covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $14 — +37.4% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 17 of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026 — in the weakest quartile. The Street sees upside; the factor read is a caution. That gap is the story on this page.
Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.
Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested
Accruals (75): Reported profit is backed by cash, and the company is not expanding recklessly.
Momentum (3): The shares have been drifting down relative to others.
Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.
The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on PLAY, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +37.4% from it.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 June 2026 | Citizens | Initiates | Market Perform | — |
| 16 June 2026 | Benchmark | Downgrade | Hold | — |
| 16 June 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 16 June 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 6 Apr 2026 | Piper Sandler | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 8 Jan 2026 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 6 Jan 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 11 Dec 2025 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 10 Dec 2025 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 6 Nov 2025 | Freedom Capital Markets | Initiates | Hold | — |
| 16 Sept 2025 | Piper Sandler | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 16 Sept 2025 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 16 Sept 2025 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 27 Aug 2025 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 11 June 2025 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 11 June 2025 | Loop Capital | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 11 June 2025 | Piper Sandler | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 11 June 2025 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 11 June 2025 | UBS | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 5 June 2025 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.
Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. PLAY appears on the weeks it earns a place.
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 17% of US stocks
Cheaper than 94% of US stocks
Cheaper than 30% of US stocks
Cheaper than 39% of US stocks
Higher than 25% of US stocks
Higher than 6% of US stocks
Higher than 94% of US stocks
Higher than 62% of US stocks
Higher than 26% of US stocks
Higher than 21% of US stocks
Higher than 56% of US stocks
Higher than 86% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.
The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →
Dave & Buster's announced a chief executive officer transition: Tarun Lal is retiring, and Chief Financial Officer Darin Harper has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer.
Why it matters — A change in the company's top leadership could influence Dave & Buster's strategic direction, so PLAY watchers will be following the new CEO's priorities.
An independent valuation analysis of Airtopia Adventure Parks — a family entertainment center vertical operated by Lelantos Holdings (LNTO) — models an implied enterprise value of roughly $161.6 million contingent on expanding from 5 locations to 16 by 2028. The analysis notes the current 5 centers generate approximately $11.96 million in annualized revenue at a 24% net margin with no significant debt.
Why it matters — PLAY shareholders may find this relevant as Airtopia operates in the same family-entertainment space as Dave & Buster's, and the modeled valuation and growth plans offer a data point on how the market is valuing similar concepts.
The 11 Wall Street analysts covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $14, with estimates ranging from $12 to $25. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Of the 11 analysts covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc., 3 rate it a Buy, 8 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. 17 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 15 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 15 Aug 2026, Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. ranks 17 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Accruals (75 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 11 analysts implies +37.4% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. 17 out of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
No analyst covering Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for PLAY are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $12 to $25 over the next 12 months.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. returned -60.8% over the 12 months to 14 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. operates a chain of entertainment and dining venues for adults and families across North America.
The most recent item we track (GlobeNewsWire, 4 Aug 2026): "Dave & Buster's Announces Chief Executive Officer Transition". Dave & Buster's announced a chief executive officer transition: Tarun Lal is retiring, and Chief Financial Officer Darin Harper has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. operates a chain of entertainment and dining venues for adults and families across North America. The company's locations feature arcade games, virtual reality attractions, laser tag, and bowling entertainment options alongside sports bars with live televised events and diverse dining menus including entrees, appetizers, and beverages. Dave & Buster's venues cater to multiple customer segments, from families seeking entertainment experiences to young adults attending social events and companies organizing corporate gatherings and team-building activities. The core concept centers on customers purchasing credits to play games and earning tickets redeemable for prizes. Each venue combines three primary areas: a gaming floor with electronic and interactive entertainment, a sports bar with large-screen televisions, and a dining section offering American-style cuisine and cocktails. This integrated approach positions Dave & Buster's as a destination venue in the entertainment and casual dining sector.
CEO Mr. Darin E. Harper · 23,610 employees · United States · https://daveandbusters.com