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.

Compare

Total return — LQDT vs PLAY

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y
LQDT +288.3% (+14.5%/yr)PLAY -83.1% (-16.3%/yr)LQDT compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001kStart $10020182020202220242026$388$17
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

MetricLQDTPLAY
P/E ratio42.38N/A
Forward P/E23.49N/A
P/S ratio2.750.11
P/B ratio5.722.67
EV / EBITDA20.8910.70
FCF yield6.68%N/A

Profitability

MetricLQDTPLAY
Gross margin46.56%85.72%
Operating margin9.00%2.88%
Net margin6.79%-4.26%
ROE14.10%-100.80%
ROIC11.85%1.62%

Growth (annualized)

MetricLQDTPLAY
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.

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.