An $8.8B Deal Puts Dunkin' Donuts Under Same Roof As Sonic, Jimmy John's

Private-equity backed Inspire Brands Inc. agreed to purchase Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. DNKN for $8.8 billion, or $106.50 a share.

The transaction is the second-largest acquisition of a North American restaurant chain in at least 10 years at $11.3 billion including debt, according to The Wall Street Journal. It tails the $13.3 billion Tim Hortons takeover in 2014. 

Inspire Brands, a holding company of Roark Capital Group, will also takeover ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins. That puts Dunkin' under the same roof as Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John's and some 11,000 Arby's.

This isn't the first time Dunkin' Donuts has been under PE control. The franchise was sold by Pernod Ricard SA to Bain Capital, Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners for $2.4 billion back in 2005.

The company went public in 2011.

Dunkin', prior to the coronavirus pandemic, touted that America "runs" on it, since it was typically a go-to spot for workers on morning commute.

However, breakfast sales took a hit due to the recent economic downturn and work-at-home culture becoming the norm. 

Over a three-month period that ended on June 27, sales at US Dunkin' locations dropped nearly 19%.