Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) vs Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY)
A side-by-side comparison of Liquidity Services, 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.
LQDT
Liquidity Services, Inc.
$43.23Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
PLAY
Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc.
$6.75Consumer CyclicalDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — LQDT vs PLAY
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yLQDT +288.3% (+14.5%/yr)PLAY -83.1% (-16.3%/yr)LQDT compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
LQDT PLAY
LQDT vs PLAY: by the numbers
- •LQDT is the larger company ($1.35B vs $235M market cap).
- •LQDT is profitable (6.79% net margin) while PLAY runs a net loss (-4.26%).
- •PLAY grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.06% vs 15.03% CAGR).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LQDT | PLAY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 42.38 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 23.49 | N/A |
| P/S ratio | 2.75 | 0.11 |
| P/B ratio | 5.72 | 2.67 |
| EV / EBITDA | 20.89 | 10.70 |
| FCF yield | 6.68% | N/A |
Profitability
| Metric | LQDT | PLAY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 46.56% | 85.72% |
| Operating margin | 9.00% | 2.88% |
| Net margin | 6.79% | -4.26% |
| ROE | 14.10% | -100.80% |
| ROIC | 11.85% | 1.62% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LQDT | PLAY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 15.03% | 19.06% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 9.39% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 15.02% | -31.17% |
Frequently asked
- Which has grown faster, LQDT or PLAY?
- Over the past five years, PLAY grew revenue faster — LQDT at a 15.03% CAGR versus PLAY at 19.06%.
- Is LQDT or PLAY more profitable?
- LQDT runs the higher net margin — LQDT at 6.79% versus PLAY at -4.26%.
- How have LQDT and PLAY total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, LQDT delivered 14.53% and PLAY delivered -16.36% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Liquidity Services P/E ratioLiquidity Services ROEDave & Buster's Entertainment ROELiquidity Services operating marginDave & Buster's Entertainment operating marginLiquidity Services revenue growthDave & Buster's Entertainment revenue growthLiquidity Services free cash flowDave & Buster's Entertainment free cash flow
Liquidity Services & Dave & Buster's Entertainment appear in these rankings
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.