Dave & Buster's to Report Q3 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. PLAY is scheduled to report third-quarter fiscal 2025 results on Dec. 9, 2025, after market close. In the last reported quarter, the company posted an earnings miss of 54.6%.

PLAY’s Q3 Expectations

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fiscal third-quarter bottom line is pegged at a loss of $1.19 per share. In the prior-year quarter, the company reported a loss per share of 45 cents.

For revenues, the consensus mark is pegged at $460 million. The metric indicates an increase of 1.6% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. Quote

Let us discuss the factors that are likely to be reflected in the quarter to be reported.

Factors to Note Ahead of PLAY’s Q3 Release

Dave & Buster’s fiscal third-quarter results are likely to have been pressured by continued softness in comparable sales, with management noting that early-quarter trends were similar to what it saw exiting the fiscal second quarter. The quarter is also likely to have reflected the impact of prior marketing complexity, reduced new-game introductions and a previously complicated game-pricing structure. Our model predicts fiscal third-quarter comps to fall 3% year over year.

Moreover, our model expects fiscal third-quarter entertainment revenues (which contributed 65.4% of the fiscal second-quarter 2025 revenues) to decrease 1.3% year over year to $290.9 million.

However, sales-driving initiatives such as stronger marketing programs, an improved operational focus and enhancements across food, beverage and games are likely to have provided support to the top line. The company’s remodeled locations, which have been outperforming non-remodeled stores, along with the rollout of a refreshed menu that was tested earlier in the year, are also likely to have contributed positively to performance in the fiscal third quarter. Our model predicts fiscal third-quarter F&B revenues (which contributed 34.6% of the fiscal second-quarter 2025 revenues) to increase 7.3% year over year to $170 million.

Higher operating expenses are likely to have negatively impacted the company’s bottom line in the to-be-reported quarter. The quarter to be reported is expected to have been affected by elevated operating costs tied to strategic reinvestments in the game room floor and higher marketing spending. Our model predicts total operating expenses to increase 1.2% year over year to $452 million in the fiscal third quarter.

What Our Model Says About PLAY Stock

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Dave & Buster's this time. A stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat earnings. However, that is not the case here.

PLAY’s Earnings ESP: Dave & Buster’s has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

PLAY’s Zacks Rank: The company has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Stocks With the Favorable Combination

Here are some stocks worth considering from the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector that investors may consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat.

Restaurant Brands International Inc. QSR currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.87% and a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Restaurant Brands’ earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to increase 16.1%. It reported better-than-expected earnings in two of the last four quarters and missed on the remaining two occasions, the negative average surprise being 0.3%.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. WSM has an Earnings ESP of +0.01% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

Its earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to decline 12.2%. Williams-Sonoma reported better-than-expected earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average earnings surprise of 8.6%.

Starbucks Corporation SBUX has an Earnings ESP of +2.72% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.

Its earnings for the to-be-reported quarter are expected to decrease 13%. Starbucks reported better-than-expected earnings in one of the last four quarters and missed on the remaining three occasions, the negative average surprise being 10.1%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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