What Happened?
Shares of arcade company Dave & Buster’s (NASDAQ: PLAY) fell 2.8% in the afternoon session after Moody's Ratings downgraded the company's corporate family rating to B3 from B2, pointing to weak credit metrics and deteriorating financial performance. The ratings agency noted the company's high debt levels relative to its earnings.
The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy Dave & Buster's? Access our full analysis report here.
What Is The Market Telling Us
Dave & Buster’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 46 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 28 days ago when the stock dropped 4.2% as a report revealed that U.S. consumer confidence dropped for a second consecutive month, hitting a five-month low amid worries over inflation and the job market.
Market volatility increased as a partisan standoff pushed the federal government closer to a shutdown. If lawmakers fail to reach a spending agreement, a shutdown would begin, furloughing thousands of federal workers. This prospect has weighed on investor sentiment, creating a 'risk-off' mood in the markets as traders brace for potential economic disruption. The political uncertainty adds a layer of caution for investors heading into the final day of the month. Adding to the weakness, a key report showed U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly fell to a five-month low in September. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index slid to 94.2, a steeper drop than analysts had anticipated and its lowest reading since April. This downturn reflects growing pessimism among Americans about inflation and a weakening job market. Consumer confidence is a closely watched economic indicator as it gauges households' willingness to spend. A decline suggests that consumers may pull back on discretionary purchases, such as dining out or shopping for non-essential goods, which could negatively impact the future revenues and profits of companies in these sectors.
Dave & Buster's is down 43.4% since the beginning of the year, and at $17.13 per share, it is trading 59.2% below its 52-week high of $42.02 from November 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Dave & Buster’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,009.
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