Description of the business — Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (“D&B Entertainment” or the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation formed in June 2010. References to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refers to D&B Entertainment, any predecessor companies, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Dave & Buster’s Holdings, Inc. (“D&B Holdings”), a holding company which owns 100% of the outstanding common stock of Dave & Buster’s, Inc. (“D&B Inc”), the operating company. The Company, headquartered in Coppell, Texas, is a leading operator of high-volume entertainment and dining venues (“stores”) in North America for adults and families.

The Company operates its business as one reportable operating segment with two reporting units based on its major brands, Dave & Buster's and Main Event. The Company has one reportable operating segment as both brands provide similar products and services to a similar customer base, are managed together by a single management team and share similar economic characteristics. See further discussion of segment considerations at Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements.

Principles of consolidation — The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of D&B Entertainment and its wholly owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The results of acquired subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial statements from their dates of acquisition. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal year — The Company’s fiscal year consists of 52 or 53 weeks ending on the Tuesday after the Monday closest to January 31. Fiscal year 2024, which ended on February 4, 2025, contained 52 weeks. Fiscal year 2023, which ended on February 4, 2024, contained 53 weeks. Fiscal year 2022 which ended on January 29, 2023, contained 52 weeks. Each quarterly period has 13 weeks, except in a 53-week year, when the fourth quarter has 14 weeks.

On May 6, 2024, the first day of the 2nd quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company changed its fiscal year to end on the Tuesday after the Monday closest to January 31st. The change was made to improve labor and operational efficiencies by ending the Company's periods outside of the busier weekend timeframe. As a result of this change, the second quarter and fiscal year 2024 have two additional days added to its normal 13-week quarter and 52-week year.

Use of estimates — The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and for the period then ended. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents — We consider transaction settlements in process from credit card companies and all highly-liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Our cash management system provides for the daily funding of all major bank disbursement accounts as checks are presented for payment. Under this system, outstanding checks in excess of the cash balances at certain banks create book overdrafts, which are presented in “Accounts payable” on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. There were no book overdrafts as of February 4, 2025 or February 4, 2024. Changes in the book overdraft position are presented within “Net cash provided by operating activities” within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. At the end of fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023, the Company had no restricted cash.

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained with multiple financial institutions. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand and are maintained with financial institutions with reputable credit and therefore bear minimal credit risk. The Company maintains cash and cash equivalent balances that exceed federally insured limits with a number of financial institutions.

Inventories — Inventories consist of food, beverages, amusement merchandise and other supplies and are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or net realizable value. We record inventory reserves for obsolete and slow-moving inventory. See Note 2 for a summary of inventory balances.

Expenditures that extend the life, increase capacity of or improve the safety or the efficiency of the property and equipment are capitalized, whereas costs incurred to maintain the appearance and functionality of such assets are charged to repair and maintenance expense. Application development stage costs for internally developed software projects are capitalized and amortized as part of furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Interest cost on funds used during the acquisition period of significant capital assets are capitalized as part of the asset and depreciated. Gains and losses related to store property and equipment disposals are recorded in “Other store operating expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

We review long-lived assets for impairment indicators on a quarterly basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. We also perform a full quantitative impairment evaluation on an annual basis. In determining the recoverability of the asset value, an analysis is performed at the individual store level, since this is the lowest level of identifiable cash flows and primarily includes an assessment of historical cash flows and other relevant factors and circumstances, including the maturity of the store, changes in the economic environment, unfavorable changes in legal factors or business climate and future operating plans. The more significant inputs used in determining our estimate of the projected undiscounted cash flows included projected sales and projected margins as well as the estimate of the remaining useful life of the assets. If the carrying amount is not recoverable, we record an impairment charge equal to the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value, which is estimated based on discounted projected future operating cash flows of the store over the remaining service life using a risk adjusted discount rate that is commensurate with the inherent risk.

Goodwill and tradenames — Goodwill and tradenames have indefinite useful lives, are not subject to amortization, and are evaluated for impairment annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate that impairment may exist. We consider our Dave & Buster's and Main Event brands to be two reporting units within one reportable operating segment.

We evaluate goodwill for impairment annually during the fourth quarter or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the goodwill may not be fully recoverable. We evaluate goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is the Main Event and Dave and Buster’s brands that has been allocated goodwill. Under ASC Topic 350, Goodwill, Intangibles and Other, we can elect to perform a qualitative or quantitative impairment assessment of our goodwill.

Tradename intangible assets are tested for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be fully recoverable. Under ASC Topic 350, we can elect to perform a qualitative or quantitative impairment assessment for our tradename intangible assets. A quantitative tradename impairment assessment includes comparing the carrying values of tradename assets to their estimated fair value.

Fair value of financial instruments — Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions. In determining fair value, the accounting standards establish a three-level hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value as follows: Level One inputs are quoted prices available for identical assets or liabilities in active markets; Level Two inputs are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; and Level Three inputs are unobservable and reflect management’s own assumptions.


	Fiscal Year Ended
	February 4, 2025		February 4, 2024		January 29, 2023
Entertainment	$	1,366.7	$	1,406.1	$	1,264.8
Other (1)	24.3		28.7		21.3
Entertainment revenues	$	1,391.0	$	1,434.8	$	1,286.1

Food and non-alcoholic beverages	$	506.3	$	517.1	$	459.9
Alcoholic beverages	235.4		253.4		218.4
Food and beverage revenues	$	741.7	$	770.5	$	678.3

Revenue recognition — Entertainment revenues are primarily recognized upon utilization of game play credits on gaming cards purchased and used by customers to activate video and redemption games. Redemption games allow customers to earn tickets, which may be redeemed for prizes. We have deferred a portion of entertainment revenues for the estimated unfulfilled performance obligations based on an estimated rate of future use by customers of unused game play credits and the material right provided to customers to redeem tickets in the future for prizes. We estimate the amount of deferred entertainment revenue based upon credits and tickets remaining on gaming cards, historic game play credit and ticket utilization patterns and estimates of the standalone selling prices of game play credits and the customer material right. The standalone selling price of the customer material right is estimated using an equivalent chip cost plus margin approach. For purposes of recognizing revenue, the total amount collected from each customer is then allocated between the two performance obligations based on the relative standalone selling price of each obligation. Historically, select Company promotional programs include multiple performance obligations that are discounted from the standalone selling prices. We allocate the entire discount to the remaining performance obligation.

Total deferred entertainment revenue is included in “Accrued liabilities” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. During fiscal 2024, we recognized revenue of approximately $79.5 related to the amount in deferred entertainment revenue as of the end of fiscal 2023. During fiscal 2023, we recognized revenue of approximately $69.8 related to the amount in deferred entertainment revenue as of the end of fiscal 2022.

We sell gift cards, which do not have expiration dates, and we do not deduct non-usage fees from outstanding gift card balances. The Company recognizes revenue from gift cards upon redemption by the customer. For unredeemed gift cards the Company expects to be entitled to breakage and for which there is not a legal obligation to remit the unredeemed gift card balances to the relevant jurisdictions, the Company recognizes expected breakage as revenue in proportion to the pattern of redemption by the customers. The determination of the gift card breakage is based on the Company’s specific

historical redemption patterns. Recognized gift card breakage revenue is included in “Entertainment revenues” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The contract liability related to our gift cards is included in “Accrued liabilities” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. During fiscal 2024, we recognized revenue of approximately $12.6 related to the amount in deferred gift card revenue as of the end of fiscal 2023. During fiscal 2023, we recognized revenue of approximately $10.2 related to the amount in deferred gift card revenue as of the end of fiscal 2022.

Food and beverage revenues are recognized when payment is tendered at the point of sale as the performance obligation has been satisfied. Beginning in fiscal 2021, we began to offer our customers delivery services, which are fulfilled by third-party service providers. We recognize revenues at the gross amount, and delivery fees are included in “Other store operating expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

Eligible customers who enroll in the Company's loyalty program generally earn rewards based on the level of chips played. Earned rewards generally expire one to two months after they are issued. We defer revenue associated with the estimated selling prices of rewards earned and expected to be redeemed based on historical redemption patterns.

Advertising and marketing costs — Advertising production costs are expensed in the period when the advertising first takes place. Other advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising and marketing costs expensed were $80.3, $73.5, and $57.6, in fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Advertising and marketing costs are included in “Other store operating expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

Leases — Our operating leases consist of facility leases at our stores and our store support center and certain equipment leases that have a term in excess of one year. At contract inception, we determine whether a contract is, or contains, a lease by determining whether it conveys the right to control the use of the identified asset for a period of time. We recognize a lease liability representing the present value of lease payments not yet paid and a corresponding right-of-use (“ROU”) asset as of the lease commencement date. Operating lease ROU assets are initially and subsequently measured throughout the lease term at the carrying amount of the lease liability adjusted for lease incentives, initial direct costs, prepayments or accrued lease payments and impairment of ROU assets, if any. We assess lease classification at commencement and reassess lease classification subsequent to commencement upon a change to the expected lease term or modification of the contract. Generally, the Company’s lease contracts do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate, and therefore, the Company uses an estimated incremental borrowing rate as of the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company uses judgment in determining its incremental borrowing rate, which includes selecting a yield curve based on a hypothetical credit rating.

Our leases typically have initial terms ranging from ten to twenty years and most include options to extend the leases for one or more 5-year periods. Generally, the lease term includes the non-cancelable period of the lease inclusive of reasonably certain renewal periods up to a term of twenty years. The Company’s lease agreements generally contain rent holidays and/or escalating rent clauses. Lease cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company is generally obligated for the cost of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance of the leased assets, which are often variable lease payments. Our leases typically provide for a fixed base rent plus contingent rent to be determined as a percentage of sales greater than certain specified target amounts. Contingent rental payments, when considered probable, are recognized as variable lease expenses. The Company accounts for the lease components and non-lease components, primarily fixed maintenance, for all leases, as a single lease component for new and modified leases. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.

Tenant incentives used to fund leasehold improvements are recognized when earned and reduce our ROU asset related to the lease. Tenant incentives are amortized through the ROU asset as reductions of expense over the lease term. The balance of leasehold improvement incentive receivables is reflected as a reduction of the current portion of operating lease liabilities. We consider the concentration of credit risk for tenant improvement allowance receivables from landlords to be minimal due to the payment histories and general financial condition of our landlords.

Operating leases are included within the “Operating lease right of use assets”, “Accrued liabilities” and “Operating lease liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Operating lease payments are classified as cash flows from operating activities with ROU asset amortization and the change in the lease liability combined within “Other long-term liabilities” in the reconciliation of net income to cash flows provided by operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Self-insurance programs — The Company utilizes a self-insurance plan for health, general liability and workers’ compensation coverage. To limit our exposure to losses, we maintain stop-loss coverage on our health coverage and excess liability policies on our general liability and workers' compensation coverage through third-party insurers. Losses are accrued based on the Company’s historical claims experience and case losses, assisted by independent third-party actuaries. The estimated cost to settle reported claims and incurred but unreported claims is included in “Accrued liabilities” and “Other long-term liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Pre-opening costs — Pre-opening costs include costs associated with the opening and organizing of new stores, including the cost of pre-opening rent, training, relocation, recruiting and travel costs for team members engaged in such pre-opening activities. All pre-opening costs are expensed as incurred.

Income taxes — Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based upon anticipated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying value of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using current enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which we expect the temporary differences to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. We routinely evaluate the likelihood of realizing the benefit of our deferred tax assets and may record a valuation allowance if, based on all available evidence, we determine that it is more likely than not that some portion of the tax benefit will not be realized.

The calculation of tax liabilities involves judgment and evaluation of uncertainties in the interpretation of federal and state tax regulations. We evaluate our exposures associated with our various tax filing positions and recognize a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. For uncertain tax positions that do not meet this threshold, we have established accruals for taxes that may become payable in future years as a result of audits by tax authorities. Tax accruals are adjusted as events occur that affect the potential liability for taxes such as the expiration of statutes of limitations, conclusion of tax audits, identification of additional exposure based on current calculations, identification of new issues, or the issuance of statutory or administrative guidance or rendering of a court decision affecting a certain issue.

Foreign currency — Foreign currency translation adjustments represent the unrealized impact of translating the financial statements of our Canadian stores from their respective functional currency (Canadian dollars) to U.S. dollars and are reported as a component of comprehensive income and recorded in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recognized in “Other charges and gains” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

Earnings per share — Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the basic weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the reporting period. Diluted net income per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. For the calculation of diluted net income per share, the basic weighted average shares outstanding is increased by the dilutive effect of stock options and restricted share awards. Stock options and restricted share awards with an anti-dilutive effect are not included in the diluted net income per share calculation.


	February 4, 2025	February 4, 2024	January 29, 2023
Basic weighted average shares outstanding	39.07	43.20	48.49
Weighted average dilutive impact of awards	0.94	0.87	0.68
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding	40.01	44.07	49.17
Weighted average awards excluded as antidilutive	0.40	0.78	0.21

In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires public entities, including those with a single reportable segment, to provide all the disclosures required by this standard and all existing segment disclosures required by Segment Reporting (Topic 280) on an interim and annual basis, including new requirements to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) and included within the reported measure(s) of a segment's profit or loss, the amount and composition of any other segment items, the title and position of the CODM, and how the CODM uses the reported measure(s) of a segment's

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740) Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires, among other things, the following for public business entities: (i) enhanced disclosures of specific categories of reconciling items included in the rate reconciliation, as well as additional information for any of these items meeting certain qualitative and quantitative thresholds; (ii) disclosure of the nature, effect and underlying causes of each individual reconciling item disclosed in the rate reconciliation and the judgment used in categorizing them if not otherwise evident; and (iii) enhanced disclosures for income taxes paid, which includes federal, state, and foreign taxes, as well as for individual jurisdictions over a certain quantitative threshold. The amendments in ASU 2023-09 eliminate the requirement to disclose the nature and estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change in unrecognized tax benefits for the 12 months after the balance sheet date. The provisions of ASU 2023-09 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects ASU 2023-09 to require additional disclosures in the notes to our consolidated financial statements and did not early adopt.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income — Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40) Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires expanded disclosures of expense information including the amounts of inventory purchases, employee compensation, depreciation, amortization, depletion and selling expenses within commonly presented expense captions presented on the face of the income statement. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2027, applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects ASU 2024-03 to impact our consolidated financial statements and currently does not plan early adoption.

We reclassified certain promotional costs previously reported in “Other store operating expenses” to “Cost of entertainment” and “Cost of food and beverage”. We determined that reclassifying the expenses, which were primarily related to inventory items provided to customers during promotions and events, resulted in a clearer presentation of the cost of goods sold.

•Asset and currency gains and losses - These costs and gains include the disposal or impairment of assets and the impact of currency revaluation and are not directly attributable to specific store operations or general and administrative costs and may be irregular in nature.


	Fiscal Year Ended February 4, 2024
	Previously Reported		Promotional Costs		System Implementation		Currency Gain (Loss)		Asset Gain (Loss)		Adjusted
Cost of entertainment	$	134.1	$	4.4	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	138.5
Cost of food and beverage	202.9		11.6		—		—		—		214.5
Operating payroll and benefits	526.0		—		(0.1)		—		—		525.9
Other store operating expenses	686.2		(16.0)		(0.6)		(0.3)		0.2		669.5
General and administrative expenses	122.6		—		(8.8)		—		—		113.8
Other charges and gains	$	—	$	—	$	9.5	$	0.3	$	(0.2)	$	9.6


	Fiscal Year Ended January 29, 2023
	Previously Reported		Promotional Costs		System Implementation		Currency Gain (Loss)		Asset Gain (Loss)		Adjusted
Cost of entertainment	$	115.1	$	3.0	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	118.1
Cost of food and beverage	193.8		11.3		—		—		—		205.1
Operating payroll and benefits	470.7		—		—		—		—		470.7
Other store operating expenses	600.6		(14.3)		—		0.1		0.9		587.3
General and administrative expenses	137.8		—		(1.0)		—		(0.1)		136.7
Other charges and gains	$	—	$	—	$	1.0	$	(0.1)	$	(0.8)	$	0.1