U.S. stock futures are pointing to a broadly positive open on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, as investors eye the commencement of the Federal Reserve's highly anticipated two-day policy meeting. Major tech companies are leading the premarket charge, building on Monday's record-setting performance for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. Optimism surrounding potential interest rate cuts and positive developments in U.S.-China trade talks continue to fuel investor sentiment.Premarket Trading Activity and Futures M ...

Group 1 - U.S. stock futures are higher, with S&P 500 futures gaining approximately 0.2% [1] - Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc reported second-quarter revenue of $557.41 million, missing analyst estimates of $562.78 million [2] - The company reported adjusted earnings of 40 cents per share, falling short of estimates of 92 cents per share [2] - Shares of Dave & Buster's fell 17.7% to $19.92 in pre-market trading [2] Group 2 - Monte Rosa Therapeutics Inc shares dipped 10% to $6.24 in pre-market trading after a significant 44% increase on Monday due to a collaboration announcement with Novartis [4] - Adtran Holdings Inc fell 9.1% to $9.49 following a $150 million convertible senior notes offering [4] - Iperionx Ltd declined 5.2% to $45.00 after a 6% gain on Monday [4] - Oscar Health Inc fell 5% to $17.79 after proposing an offering of convertible senior subordinated notes [4] - Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Ltd declined 4.2% to $15.65 in pre-market trading [4] - Red Cat Holdings Inc fell 4% to $10.10 after filing for a mixed shelf of up to $300 million [4] - Amber International Holding Ltd fell 3.5% to $4.21 despite reporting a year-over-year increase in second-quarter sales [4]

This pre-work has allowed me to align quickly on areas of success as well as missteps and develop my own views on the clear focus areas of near-term opportunity. Importantly, this largely aligns with the strategic plan put in place by Kevin Sheehan, our Interim CEO and the current Non-Executive Chair of our Board. Just a little bit about my past experience. I officially joined this iconic brand in July with more than thirty years of leadership experience at Yum! Including recent roles as President of the KF ...

Core Viewpoint - Premarket trading is showing notable activity with significant price movements indicating potential investment opportunities before the market opens [1] Premarket Gainers - FGI Industries Ltd. (FGI) is up 278% at $15.02 [3] - Senmiao Technology Limited (AIHS) is up 96% at $4.22 [3] - Conifer Holdings, Inc. (CNFR) is up 86% at $2.11 [3] - WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. (WBTN) is up 39% at $20.81 [3] - Nukkleus Inc. (NUKK) is up 18% at $6.08 [3] - Tantech Holdings Ltd (TANH) is up 12% at $2.13 [3] - Check-Cap Ltd. (CHEK) is up 9% at $2.33 [3] - Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (IE) is up 8% at $9.71 [3] - Wolfspeed, Inc. (WOLF) is up 8% at $3.21 [3] - Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc. (BSLK) is up 5% at $3.95 [3] Premarket Losers - Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (EVTV) is down 17% at $2.27 [4] - Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (PLAY) is down 15% at $20.40 [4] - NanoVibronix, Inc. (NAOV) is down 12% at $9.37 [4] - ADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (ADTN) is down 10% at $9.37 [4] - Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc. (RAIN) is down 10% at $6.00 [4] - CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CNSP) is down 7% at $8.50 [4] - AVITA Medical, Inc. (RCEL) is down 7% at $6.22 [4] - Vince Holding Corp. (VNCE) is down 7% at $2.60 [4] - Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. (GLUE) is down 6% at $6.50 [4] - Meiwu Technology Company Limited (WNW) is down 6% at $2.06 [4]

Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico Joint Venture - Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico are required to terminate their joint venture by January 1, 2026, due to anticompetitive concerns in the U.S.–Mexico City air travel market [2][3] - The Department of Transportation's final order cited that the joint venture has provided both airlines with an unfair competitive advantage [3] - Delta expressed that the decision will significantly harm U.S. jobs, communities, and consumers traveling between the U.S. and Mexico, and is currently reviewing the order [3][4] Economic Impact of the Joint Venture - The partnership, established nearly a decade ago, was under a Joint Cooperation Agreement that allowed for coordinated flight schedules and pricing strategies [3] - The airlines argued that their collaboration generated $310 million for the U.S. economy, and its termination would lead to a loss of economic benefits [4] Federal Reserve Board Appointment - Stephen Miran has been confirmed as a Federal Reserve Board Governor, filling a seat previously held by Adriana Kugler [5][6] - His confirmation was narrowly approved by the Senate with a vote of 48-47, and he plans to take unpaid leave from Trump's Council of Economic Advisers [6] - Concerns have been raised regarding potential political interference due to Miran's close ties to the Trump administration [6][7] Disney and Webtoon Partnership - Disney is partnering with Webtoon Entertainment to develop a digital platform for its comics and has acquired a 2% equity interest in Webtoon [9][10] - The new platform will feature over 35,000 Disney comics, including titles from Marvel and Star Wars, and will be available to current Marvel Unlimited and Disney+ subscribers [10][11] - Webtoon will operate the service, which is expected to enhance Disney's digital comic offerings [12]

Earnings Reports - Ferguson Enterprises Inc. is expected to report quarterly earnings of $2.88 per share on revenue of $8.41 billion [2] - Brand House Collective Inc. is anticipated to post a quarterly loss of 74 cents per share on revenue of $77.63 million [2] - Evolution Petroleum Corp. is projected to report quarterly earnings of 1 cent per share on revenue of $20.90 million [2] Stock Performance - Ferguson shares increased by 0.6% to $215.87 in after-hours trading [2] - Adtran Holdings Inc. shares fell by 10% to $9.40 following the announcement of a $150 million convertible senior notes offering [2] - Brand House Collective shares rose by 1.6% to $1.96 in after-hours trading [2] - Dave & Buster's Entertainment Inc. shares dropped by 17.3% to $20.00 after reporting weaker-than-expected second-quarter results [2] - Evolution Petroleum shares gained 1.5% to $5.35 in after-hours trading [2] Financial Performance - Dave & Buster's reported second-quarter revenue of $557.41 million, missing analyst estimates of $562.78 million [2] - The company reported adjusted earnings of 40 cents per share, falling short of estimates of 92 cents per share [2]

Dave & Buster's reported an EPS of $0.32, missing the estimated $0.88 and indicating a significant decline from the previous year.The company's revenue was $557.4 million, slightly below the estimated $562.7 million, with a modest year-over-year increase.New CEO Tarun Lal was appointed, and the stock experienced a slight decline, with analysts maintaining a cautious sentiment.Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY) is a well-known operator of entertainment and dining venues. The company offers a ...

Core Insights - Dave & Buster's reported revenue of $557.4 million for the quarter ended July 2025, reflecting a slight increase of 0.1% year-over-year, but fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by -0.81% [1] - The company's EPS was $0.40, significantly down from $1.12 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of -54.55% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.88 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Comparable Store Sales decreased by 3%, which was worse than the six-analyst average estimate of -2.6% [4] - The total number of stores at the end of the period remained at 237, aligning with the average estimate [4] - Company-owned stores for Dave & Buster's totaled 177, slightly above the four-analyst average estimate of 176 [4] - Entertainment revenues were reported at $364.5 million, below the six-analyst average estimate of $376.8 million, marking a year-over-year decline of 3% [4] - Food and beverage revenues increased to $192.9 million, surpassing the average estimate of $185.1 million, representing a year-over-year growth of 6.3% [4] Stock Performance - Over the past month, shares of Dave & Buster's have returned -7.6%, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's increase of +2.3% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Company Performance - Dave & Buster's reported quarterly earnings of $0.4 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.88 per share, and down from $1.12 per share a year ago, indicating a significant decline in profitability [1] - The earnings surprise for the quarter was -54.55%, and the company has only surpassed consensus EPS estimates once in the last four quarters [2] - The company posted revenues of $557.4 million for the quarter ended July 2025, which was a slight miss of 0.81% against the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and a marginal increase from $557.1 million year-over-year [3] Stock Performance - Dave & Buster's shares have declined approximately 19% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's gain of 12% [4] - The current Zacks Rank for the stock is 3 (Hold), suggesting that shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [7] Future Outlook - The consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.86 on revenues of $469.07 million, while for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $1.53 on revenues of $2.17 billion [8] - The outlook for the industry, particularly the Retail - Restaurants sector, is currently in the bottom 30% of Zacks industries, which may negatively impact stock performance [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q2 2025, comparable store sales decreased by 3% compared to the prior year period, with a noted decline of 2.2% in the first five weeks of the quarter [11][15] - Revenue for the quarter was $557 million, with a net income of $11 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, and adjusted EBITDA of $130 million, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA margin of 23% [15][18] - The company generated $34 million in operating cash flow during the quarter, ending with $12 million in cash and $443 million in total liquidity [15][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The special events business saw a revenue increase of nearly 10% year-over-year, contributing positively to overall performance [26] - The food and beverage segment experienced improvements due to revamped menu offerings and successful promotions [26][29] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened three new stores in Q2 2025, bringing the total new store openings year-to-date to eight, with an expectation of 11 new store openings for the fiscal year [18][19] - The international franchising segment is expected to drive growth, with five more international openings planned over the next six months [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to reinforce a guest-first culture, deliver memorable experiences, and drive growth in sales, cash flow, and shareholder value [9][10] - A focus on marketing, food and beverage improvements, operational excellence, and game offerings is prioritized to enhance customer experience and brand distinctiveness [27][29] - The management acknowledges execution missteps in the past and is committed to rectifying these issues to unlock business potential [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management recognizes macroeconomic headwinds but believes that delivering value will help the brand prosper [80][81] - The company is optimistic about improving performance in the near term through focused improvements and a back-to-basics strategy [24][26] Other Important Information - The company has a strong balance sheet with no near-term maturities and significant liquidity to invest in its strategy [32] - The management believes the stock is undervalued and sees significant upside potential based on achievable financial results [22][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Comparable store sales trends for Q3 - Management did not quantify specific numbers but indicated trends are consistent with Q2 [36] Question: Value perception challenges - Management acknowledged confusion in marketing and is working on simplifying messaging to clarify value [38] Question: Margins and reinvestment needs - Management noted that cost increases were due to new units and one-off items, but expects moderation in the second half of the year [44] Question: Marketing investment needs - Management believes current marketing investments are sufficient and will focus on refining the media mix [69] Question: Strategic game pricing changes - Management explained that changes in game pricing were aimed at improving value perception and increasing guest dwell time [62] Question: Brand-specific missteps and competitive environment - Management emphasized the importance of clear communication of value and brand distinctiveness in a competitive landscape [82]