Dave & Buster's (NASDAQ: PLAY) has been one of the more puzzling stories in the restaurant industry in recent years.
Following its 2014 IPO, the stock surged as D&B turned in impressive comparable sales and earnings growth. Same-store sales grew 7.3% in fiscal 2014 and jumped another 8.9% in fiscal 2015, and the company was consistently blowing past earnings estimates.
However, the eat-and-play chain's performance began to plateau in 2017 when the stock peaked at $72. Since then, comparable sales have consistently fallen, declining 0.9% in fiscal 2017 and 1.6% in fiscal 2018, and are on track for a decline of 2.5%-3% in fiscal 2019. The stock is now down about a third from its 2017 peak.