The Buckle, Inc. (BKE) vs Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY)

A side-by-side comparison of The Buckle, Inc. and Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 2, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

Compare

Total return — BKE vs PLAY

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y
BKE +358.0% (+16.4%/yr)PLAY -83.1% (-16.3%/yr)BKE compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001kStart $10020182020202220242026$458$17
BKE PLAY

BKE vs PLAY: by the numbers

  • •BKE is the larger company ($2.21B vs $235M market cap).
  • •BKE is profitable (16.62% net margin) while PLAY runs a net loss (-4.26%).
  • •PLAY grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.06% vs 2.68% CAGR).
  • •BKE pays a dividend (2.46% yield), while PLAY is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricBKEPLAY
P/E ratio9.88N/A
Forward P/E9.98N/A
P/S ratio1.660.11
P/B ratio4.522.67
EV / EBITDA7.8210.70
FCF yield8.66%N/A

Profitability

MetricBKEPLAY
Gross margin48.95%85.72%
Operating margin20.84%2.88%
Net margin16.62%-4.26%
ROE45.17%-100.80%
ROIC22.24%1.62%

Dividends

MetricBKEPLAY
Dividend yield2.46%N/A
Payout ratio24.19%N/A

Growth (annualized)

MetricBKEPLAY
Revenue CAGR (5Y)2.68%19.06%
EPS CAGR (5Y)-5.36%N/A
FCF CAGR (5Y)-8.68%N/A
Total return CAGR (5Y)10.85%-31.17%

Frequently asked

Which has grown faster, BKE or PLAY?
Over the past five years, PLAY grew revenue faster — BKE at a 2.68% CAGR versus PLAY at 19.06%.
Does BKE or PLAY pay a bigger dividend?
BKE pays a dividend (2.46% yield), while PLAY is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
Is BKE or PLAY more profitable?
BKE runs the higher net margin — BKE at 16.62% versus PLAY at -4.26%.
How have BKE and PLAY total returns compared?
Over the past 10 years, BKE delivered 16.26% and PLAY delivered -16.36% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified October 2, 2026.