On Wednesday, UBS has increased its price target for Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ:PLAY), a leading owner and operator of high-volume entertainment and dining venues, from $60.00 to $66.00. The firm maintained a Neutral rating on the stock.
Despite acknowledging headwinds in same-store sales (sss), UBS noted that Dave & Buster's reported another quarter of adjusted EBITDA growth, fueled by cost-saving efforts. The company's strategic initiatives, including an accelerated remodel program, are showing promising signs of progress. Early positive data from these initiatives indicates that the company's plans are on track.
Dave & Buster's has faced sales pressures due to a challenging macroeconomic environment, adverse weather conditions, and calendar shifts at the end of the fourth quarter and into the first quarter to date. However, the company's ongoing strategic initiatives are aimed at achieving a targeted $1 billion in adjusted EBITDA over the coming years.
Investors are seemingly looking past the near-term sales challenges, focusing instead on the progress of Dave & Buster's strategic plans. New cost-saving initiatives are expected to continue supporting EBITDA growth as stakeholders anticipate a significant positive turn in traffic and sales trends, with the second quarter being particularly important for potential same-store sales improvements.
UBS believes that Dave & Buster's shares hold further potential for an upside due to the company's attractive margins, free cash flow generation, solid unit growth, and significant EBITDA potential relative to consensus forecasts. However, the firm also notes that following recent gains in share price, the risk/reward balance appears even at present, given the macroeconomic difficulties and limited visibility into near-term sales trajectories.
InvestingPro Insights
In light of UBS's recent price target update for Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ:PLAY), it's worth considering additional insights from InvestingPro. The company has demonstrated a high return over the last year, with a 72.07% price total return, and a strong return over the last three months, showing a 20.71% price total return. This aligns with UBS's recognition of the company's strategic initiatives and cost-saving efforts contributing to EBITDA growth.
With a current market capitalization of $2.49B and a P/E ratio of 21.56, the stock is trading at a high valuation relative to near-term earnings growth. This is further underscored by a high Price / Book multiple of 11.76, which may indicate that the stock is priced optimistically in terms of its book value assets. Investors should note that while the company is profitable over the last twelve months, analysts have revised earnings downwards for the upcoming period, suggesting potential caution in the near term.
For those looking to delve deeper into Dave & Buster's financials and stock potential, InvestingPro offers additional tips to guide investment decisions. With the use of coupon code PRONEWS24, readers can get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription. Currently, there are 12 more InvestingPro Tips available that could provide a more nuanced understanding of PLAY's investment profile.
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