Noodles (NDLS) vs Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Noodles (NDLS) has outperformed Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) over the past year, gaining 179.9% versus a loss of 62.9%. Over five years, PLAY leads with a -82.3% price change compared with -86.7% for NDLS. Dave & Buster's Entertainment is the larger company by market cap ($228.5 million vs $81.5 million), about 2.8 times the size.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | NDLS | PLAY |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $13.66 | $6.56 |
| Market cap | $81.50M | $228.49M |
| 1-day change | -1.51% | -4.37% |
| YTD return | +140.49% | -59.53% |
| 1-year return | +179.92% | -62.92% |
| 5-year return | -86.67% | -82.28% |
| Forward P/E | 29.70 | — |
| EPS (TTM) | $-3.97 | $-2.56 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $19.00 | $22.10 |
| 52-week low | $3.57 | $6.26 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -28.11% | -70.32% |
| Average volume | 47.40K | 2.10M |
| Shares outstanding | 5.97M | 34.83M |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Restaurants | Restaurants |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Dave & Buster's Entertainment is about 2.8 times larger than Noodles by market value ($228.49M vs $81.50M).
- NDLS has outperformed PLAY by 242.8 percentage points over the past year.
NDLS vs PLAY FAQ
Which is bigger, Noodles or Dave & Buster's Entertainment?
Dave & Buster's Entertainment (PLAY) is larger, with a market capitalization of $228.49M compared with $81.50M for Noodles (NDLS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, NDLS or PLAY?
NDLS returned +179.92% over the past 12 months, compared with -62.92% for PLAY (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Are Noodles and Dave & Buster's Entertainment in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Restaurants industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.