Posted: 06/25/2025 03:19 am
Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY), a prominent player in the retail-eating places industry, has recently come under scrutiny, partly due to ongoing investigations into potential securities law violations. However, a closer look at the company's compensation strategies for its key executives offers critical insight into its corporate ethos and financial management.
The compensation packages for Dave & Buster's top executives show a distinct reliance on various forms of incentive compensation beyond the traditional salaries. For instance, Antonio Bautista, the Chief International Development Officer in 2024, received a total compensation of $777,735. His package comprised a significant portion of stock awards and option awards at $142,327 and $56,655 respectively, alongside a performance-driven incentive plan compensation of $128,100. This combination of direct and strategy-aligned incentives highlights the company's focus on aligning executive interests with shareholder value, especially amid tumultuous financial times^1.
Comparatively, in 2023, John B. Mulleady, then Chief Development Officer, had a slightly lower total compensation of $738,885, with notable stock awards and options, but absent an incentive plan payout. This indicates a potential shift in performance-based reward structures or company performance that year^2.
Furthermore, in 2021, Michael Quartieri, Chief Financial Officer, had a total compensation of $344,225, predominantly driven by stock awards amounting to $299,994. This indicates either a strategic depth in stock-based compensation or potential budget constraints on traditional salary components^3.
Reflecting back to 2019, Margo L. Manning, Senior Vice President and COO, amassed a total compensation of $1,373,058. The significant variance in her compensation structure, characterized by a high incentive plan compensation and a combination of stock and option awards, marks a period where performance, perhaps, took precedence in an aggressive growth strategy^4.
Interestingly, analyses amidst these compensatory frameworks gain additional context against the backdrop of recent leadership changes within the company. As disclosed in December 2024, CEO Chris Morris resigned, spurring an investigation by Levi & Korsinsky into possible violations of federal securities laws^5. This heightens the stakes for the new leadership to tackle financial and strategic challenges ahead, including meeting investors' expectations and rectifying the company's earnings performance, which recently lagged behind estimates^6.
As of June 2025, Dave & Buster's shares retain moderate stability despite external challenges, reflecting investor resilience or renewed confidence. The company's stock price hovers around $31.86 with a positive change percentage, yet remains under recent highs^7.
In summary, Dave & Buster's executive compensation strategies reveal deliberate integration of incentive-based structures aligning with corporate ambitions. These dynamics become even more pertinent as the company navigates legal scrutiny and earnings pressures, urging a deepened evaluation of both governance and market strategies in upcoming fiscal quarters.
1. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Compensation for Antonio Bautista," accessed from https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1525769/0001628280-25-023548-index.htm.
2. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Compensation for John B. Mulleady," accessed from https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1525769/0001628280-24-021430-index.htm.
3. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Compensation for Michael Quartieri," accessed from https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1525769/0001628280-23-015021-index.htm.
4. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, "Compensation for Margo L. Manning," accessed from https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1525769/0001193125-21-151005-index.htm.
5. LEVI & KORSINSKY, "Notification of Investigation on Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc.,” accessed from https://www.accesswire.com/612433/LEVI-KORSINSKY-NOTIFIES-INVESTORS.
6. Zacks Investment Research, "Dave & Buster’s Q1 2025 Earnings Lag Estimates,” accessed from https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2493245/dave-busters-play-q1-earnings-lag-estimates?cid=CS-STOCKNEWSAPI-FT-tale_of_the_tape%7Cyseop_template_4-2493245.
7. NASDAQ, "Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. Current Stock Price,” accessed from NASDAQ June 2025.
