12 Cheap Small-Cap Stocks to Invest In Before the Next Breakout

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4. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26

Market Capitalization: $716.15 million

Forward PE Ratio: 41.04

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY) stands fourth on our list of best small-cap stocks.

TheFly reported on January 16 that Benchmark upgraded PLAY from Hold to Buy with a $30 price target. The firm cited a “credible setup” for positive same-store sales in Q1, which would mark the first such inflection in roughly 13 quarters. Benchmark’s conviction is supported by improving food and beverage execution and incremental traffic from the expanded Half Price Games promotion launched on January 4.

Separately, earlier this month, on January 5, Truist Securities analyst Jake Bartlett lowered the price target on Dave & Buster’s (NASDAQ:PLAY) to $18 from $23 and gave it a Hold rating. Bartlett noted that after a challenging year for restaurants, the outlook for 2026 is mixed, with temporary tailwinds from tax refunds and favorable weather offset by ongoing headwinds from slowing job growth, declining consumer confidence, and commodity inflation.

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAY) is a U.S. restaurant and entertainment company combining full‑service dining, bars, arcade games, and live sports viewing in “Eat Drink Play Watch” venues.

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