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Richard Sloan from the University of Michigan was first to document what is referred to as the "accrual anomaly". His 1996 paper found that shares of companies with small or negative accruals vastly outperform (+10%) those of companies with large ones.
As of Apr. 2026, Dave & Buster's Entertainment has a Sloan Ratio of -0.87%, indicating the company is in the safe zone and there is no funny business with accruals.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment (NAS:PLAY) Sloan Ratio % Explanation
A former University of Michigan researcher, Richard Sloan's 1996 paper found that shares of companies with small or negative accruals vastly outperform (+10%) those of companies with large ones. In fact, for the 40-year period between 1962 and 2001, buying the lowest accrual companies and shorting the highest accrual companies resulted in an average annual compounded return of 18%, more than double the S&P 500's 7.4% annual return over the same period.
If the Sloan Ratio is between -10% and 10%, the company is in the safe zone and there is no funny business with accruals.
If the Sloan Ratio is less than between -25% and -10% on the negative side, and between 10% and 25% on the positive side, this is a warning stage of accrual build up.
If the Sloan Ratio is less than -25% or greater than 25%, and this ratio is consistent over several quarters or even years, be careful. Earnings are highly likely to be made up of accruals.
As of Apr. 2026, Dave & Buster's Entertainment has a Sloan Ratio of -0.87%, indicating the company is in the safe zone and there is no funny business with accruals.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Sloan Ratio % Related Terms
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Sloan Ratio % Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
PLAY vs AENT, STRZ, AMCX: Sloan Ratio % Comparison
For the Entertainment subindustry, Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio %, along with its competitors' market caps and Sloan Ratio % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Sloan Ratio % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio % falls into.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Sloan Ratio % Calculation
Earnings contain a lot of non cash earnings which is called accruals. The Sloan ratio is a way to identify firms with low non-cash or accrual-derived earnings relative to their cash flow.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Net Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was 11.4 (Jul. 2025 ) + -42.1 (Oct. 2025 ) + -39.7 (Jan. 2026 ) + 5.7 (Apr. 2026 ) = $-65 Mil.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Cash Flow from Operations for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was 34 (Jul. 2025 ) + 58 (Oct. 2025 ) + 103 (Jan. 2026 ) + 113.8 (Apr. 2026 ) = $309 Mil.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Cash Flow from Investing for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was -84.7 (Jul. 2025 ) + -78.6 (Oct. 2025 ) + -69 (Jan. 2026 ) + -105.3 (Apr. 2026 ) = $-338 Mil.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) has a Sloan Ratio % of -0.87% as of Apr. 2026. Sloan ratio measures earnings quality based on the amount of accruals. View historical data on Dave & Buster's Entertainment and its competitors.
Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio % too high?
Dave & Buster's Entertainment's current Sloan Ratio % is -0.87%. Overall, Dave & Buster's Entertainment has a GF Score™ of 65/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio % compare to AENT and STRZ?
Dave & Buster's Entertainment's Sloan Ratio % of -0.87% can be compared against companies in the Media - Diversified industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Sloan Ratio % for a Media - Diversified company?
A good Sloan Ratio % depends on the Media - Diversified industry context. However, Sloan Ratio % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Sloan Ratio % mean?
A high Sloan Ratio % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Sloan ratio measures earnings quality based on the amount of accruals. View historical data on Dave & Buster's Entertainment and its competitors. Dave & Buster's Entertainment's current Sloan Ratio % is -0.87%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $35.79, compared to a current price of $10.27 — trading 71.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Sloan Ratio % is -0.87%. Dave & Buster's Entertainment's overall GF Score™ is 65/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Sloan Ratio % calculated?
Sloan Ratio % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY), the current Sloan Ratio % is -0.87% as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dave & Buster's Entertainment stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $10.27 is trading 71.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $35.79.
GuruFocus considers Dave & Buster's Entertainment to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for PLAY:
Sloan Ratio %: -0.87%
GF Value™: $35.79 vs. price of $10.27 (71.3% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the PLAY stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc is an owner and operator of entertainment and dining venues in North America that offer experiences for both adults and families under the Dave & Buster's and Main Event brands. The company combines various forms of entertainment, including games, bowling, and watching live sports and other televised events, with a full menu of entrees and appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, all in one location. Its concept focuses on providing customers the opportunity to Eat, Drink, Play, and Watch, appealing to a balanced mix of adults, families, and teenagers. The company also operates internationally in the early stage as a franchisor of the Dave & Buster's brand.
65GF Score
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