Dave & Buster's (PLAY) Rallies on Q4 Earnings & Revenue Beat

Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. PLAY reported better-than-expected earnings and revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. Adjusted earnings of 75 cents surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 63 cents by 19%. The bottom line also compared favorably with the prior-year quarter’s earnings of 85 cents, which, after certain tax adjustments, came in at 66 cents.

Results were aided by solid segmental revenues and consistent unit growth. The company’s increased focus on generating value, better weather conditions and improvement in offerings aided the reported quarter’s results.

Following the earnings beat, shares of Dave & Buster’s improved 6.2% in the after-hours trading on Apr 2. In a year’s time, the stock has gained 24.3%, outperforming the industry’s 19.6% rally.

Let us delve deeper into numbers.

Detailed Revenue Discussion

Quarterly revenues of $331.8 million outpaced the consensus mark by 1.6%. The top-line figure increased 15.7% from the prior-year quarter. The top line was primarily favored by consistent unit growth.

Food and Beverage revenues (44.5% of total revenues in the fiscal fourth quarter) increased 6.5% year over year to $147.7 million while Amusement and Other revenues (55.5%) rose 10.7% to $184.1 million.

Overall comps increased 2.9% in the fiscal fourth quarter, comparing favorably with a decrease of 5.9% in the year-ago quarter. This increase in comps can be attributed to a 3.7% rise in walk-in sales offset by a 1.4% decrease in special events sales. Comps at Amusements & Other increased 4.4% and inched up 1.1% in Food & Beverage.

Non-comparable store revenues in the reported quarter increased 71.9% from the year-ago quarter to $91.9 million.

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

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

Operating Highlights

In the reported quarter, operating margin declined roughly 150 basis points (bps) year over year to 12.4%.

Net income in the fiscal fourth quarter totaled $29.4 million, down from $35.6 million in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA decreased 2.8% to $80.2 million compared with $82.5 million in the same period last year. Also, EBITDA margin decreased 280 bps year over year.

Balance Sheet

As of Feb 3, 2019, cash and cash equivalents were $21.6 million compared with $18.8 million as of Feb 4, 2018.

Long-term debt totaled $378.5 million at the end of the reported quarter, up from $351.2 million at the end of fiscal 2017.

During the fiscal fourth quarter, the company repurchased roughly 1.3 million shares for $63 million, with an additional 925,000 shares for $44.7 million through Mar 26. As of the same date, cumulatively, management repurchased 7.2 million shares for $374.6 million under the $400-million share repurchase authorization.

On Apr 2, 2019, the company’s board of directors authorized the repurchase of an additional $200-million stock under the existing share repurchase program through the end of fiscal 2020.