Dine Brands Global (DIN) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $441.94M
• Dividend Yield: 5.1%
• Average Volume (3M): 377.30K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 13.7
• Beta (1Y): 0.90
• Revenue Growth: 6.47%
• EPS Growth: -62.84%
• Country: US
• Employees: 992
• Sector: Consumer Cyclical
• Sector Strength: 84
• Industry: Restaurants
• EPS (TTM): 1.46
• Shares Outstanding: 14,423,699
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 398,768
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 377,304
• PEG Ratio: -0.39
• Price to Book (P/B): -1.70
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.53
• P/FCF Ratio: 8.70
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 1.63
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 0.82
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 2.05
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 5.68
• 1Y Price Target: $35.67
• Price Target Upside: 16.23% Upside
• Rating Consensus: Hold
• Number of Analyst Covering: 3
• EPS Forecast (FY): 4.76
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $907.56M

• Rating: 54 Neutral
• Price Target: $31.00 ▲(1.01% Upside)
• Action: Reiterated Date: 02/25/26
• Date: Action: Reiterated 02/25/26

DIN scores mid-range primarily due to elevated balance-sheet risk (negative equity/high leverage) and a 2025 profitability step-down despite positive operating/free cash flow. Technicals add pressure with a clear downtrend, while valuation (moderate P/E and high dividend yield) and earnings-call guidance for modest 2026 stabilization provide partial support.

Positive Factors

Franchise model & scale

A predominantly franchised business generating roughly $7.8B in system sales provides durable, royalty-driven revenue exposure. Franchise royalties and fees create high operating leverage with limited company-store capex, supporting steady cash flows and resilience versus company-operated chains.

Consistent cash generation

Operating and free cash flow remained positive across reported periods, giving management the ability to fund remodels, dual-brand rollouts, dividends and buybacks. Reliable cash generation underpins strategic investments and shareholder returns despite earnings volatility.

Dual-brand & remodel strategy

Targeted dual-brand expansion and remodels deliver structural unit-level revenue upside: dual locations materially outpace single-brand revenue and remodels show mid-single-digit lifts. Ongoing development and conversions create a repeatable growth lever that enhances system economics over time.

Negative Factors

Weak balance sheet

Persistent negative equity and meaningful debt reduce financial flexibility and increase vulnerability to downturns. Even with recent debt reduction, the capital structure limits maneuverability for incremental investments or shocks and elevates refinancing and covenant risks over the medium term.

Profitability & FCF step-down

A steep decline in adjusted free cash flow and lower full‑year adjusted EBITDA reflect investment-driven and operating pressures. Reduced cash conversion constrains debt paydown and reinvestment capacity, making earnings recovery and capital allocation decisions more challenging in the medium term.

Franchise & rental revenue pressure

Declines in franchise and rental revenues, partly from store takebacks and closures, signal franchisee health risks and slower royalty growth. Combined with elevated CapEx for remodels and conversions, this structurally pressures revenue streams that fund corporate royalties and investment programs.

Dine Brands Global Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Dine Brands Global, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, owns, franchises, operates, and rents full-service restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates through five segments: Applebee's Franchise Operations, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) Franchise Operations, Rental Operations, Financing Operations, and Company-Operated Restaurant Operations. The company owns and franchises two restaurant concepts, including Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar in the bar and grill segment of the casual dining category; and IHOP in the family dining category of the restaurant industry. Its Applebee's restaurants offer American fare with drinks and drafts; and IHOP restaurants provide full table services, and food and beverage offerings. As of December 31, 2021, the company had 1,611 Applebee's franchised restaurants, and 1,751 IHOP franchised and area licensed restaurants. It is also involved in the lease or sublease of 598 IHOP franchised restaurants and two Applebee's franchised restaurants; and the financing of franchise fees and equipment leases. the company was formerly known as DineEquity, Inc. and changed its name to Dine Brands Global, Inc. in February 2018. Dine Brands Global, Inc. was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Glendale, California.

How the Company Makes Money

Dine Brands Global generates revenue primarily through franchise fees and royalties from its franchisees, who operate Applebee's and IHOP locations across the globe. The company charges a percentage of sales from franchisees, which contributes significantly to its income. Additionally, Dine Brands earns revenue from company-operated restaurants, as well as from the sale of food and beverage products to its franchisees. The company may also engage in strategic partnerships, marketing initiatives, and promotional campaigns that enhance brand visibility and drive customer traffic to its restaurants, further contributing to its financial performance.

Dine Brands Global Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Financial quality is mixed: income statement trends show choppy revenue and a sharp earnings step-down in 2025, while cash flow remains consistently positive but volatile. The largest drag is balance-sheet risk, with persistent negative equity and elevated leverage (partly offset by debt reduction in 2025).

Income Statement

Revenue has been choppy (down in 2023–2024, modest rebound in 2025), suggesting limited top-line momentum. Profitability was solid through 2021–2024 with healthy gross and operating profitability, but 2025 shows a sharp step-down in earnings (net income fell materially vs. 2024), indicating margin pressure and/or higher costs below the operating line. The business recovered well from 2020’s loss year, but recent earnings volatility keeps the score mid-range.

Balance Sheet

Leverage is a clear concern: total debt remains high, and shareholders’ equity is negative across all reported periods, which reduces financial flexibility and makes the capital structure more fragile in a downturn. While total debt declined sharply in 2025 versus 2021–2024 levels, the company still carries meaningful debt and the negative equity position persists, keeping balance-sheet quality weak overall.

Cash Flow

Cash generation is positive and generally supportive: operating cash flow and free cash flow are consistently positive across the period, including 2025. However, free cash flow growth has been volatile (notably a large decline in 2025 after being roughly flat in 2024), and cash conversion metrics provided for 2022–2024 indicate cash flow covers only a modest portion of total debt. Overall, cash flow is a relative strength versus the balance sheet, but volatility limits the score.

Breakdown	Dec 2025	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue	879.30M	812.31M	831.07M	909.40M	896.17M
Gross Profit	359.30M	375.31M	396.68M	377.36M	375.23M
EBITDA	73.10M	200.84M	217.38M	213.69M	225.10M
Net Income	16.00M	64.89M	97.18M	81.11M	97.86M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	1.74B	1.79B	1.74B	1.88B	2.00B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	128.20M	186.65M	146.03M	269.65M	361.41M
Total Debt	405.10M	1.63B	1.59B	1.74B	1.77B
Total Liabilities	2.01B	2.01B	1.99B	2.18B	2.24B
Stockholders Equity	-273.80M	-216.02M	-250.97M	-301.08M	-242.81M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	53.40M	94.09M	93.97M	54.02M	178.99M
Operating Cash Flow	89.00M	108.16M	131.14M	89.34M	195.84M
Investing Cash Flow	-31.60M	-8.45M	-30.10M	-80.90M	3.86M
Financing Cash Flow	-104.30M	-51.70M	-225.44M	-108.80M	-230.40M

Dine Brands Global Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Negative
• Last Price: 30.69
• 50DMA: Negative
• 100DMA: Negative
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Positive
• RSI: Neutral
• STOCH: Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For DIN, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 30.69 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 33.73, below the 50-day MA of 34.47, and above the 200-day MA of 27.22, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.96 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 34.40 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 21.41 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for DIN.

Dine Brands Global Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
NATH	73 Outperform	$411.82M	19.31	―	2.09%	7.81%	4.58%
LOCO	68 Neutral	$320.22M	12.34	9.63%	―	2.09%	12.10%
Sector *	61 Neutral	$18.38B	12.79	-2.54%	3.03%	1.52%	-15.83%
PTLO	55 Neutral	$401.75M	19.08	4.45%	―	2.40%	-14.90%
DIN	54 Neutral	$441.94M	13.71	―	5.10%	6.47%	-62.84%
JACK	45 Neutral	$331.42M	-4.59	―	9.34%	-6.75%	-118.94%

Dine Brands Global Corporate Events

Dine Brands Global Declares First-Quarter 2026 Cash Dividend

On February 20, 2026, Dine Brands Global, Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a first-quarter 2026 cash dividend of $0.19 per share of common stock. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on April 10, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 18, 2026.

The dividend declaration underscores the company’s continued capital return to shareholders amid its position as a major global full-service restaurant operator. The move signals ongoing confidence by the board in Dine Brands’ financial stability and cash generation, which is significant for income-focused investors tracking the restaurant sector.

The most recent analyst rating on (DIN) stock is a Hold with a $35.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Dine Brands Global stock, see the DIN Stock Forecast page.

Dine Brands Global Adds Two Independent Directors to Board

On February 1, 2026, Dine Brands Global’s board of directors expanded its size from nine to eleven members and elected Amanda Clark and Enrique “Rick” Silva as independent directors, with their appointments announced publicly on February 3, 2026 and effective February 4, 2026. The move continues the company’s board refreshment strategy by adding seasoned franchise and restaurant operators: Silva, former CEO of Checkers & Rally’s and Culver’s franchising and current chairman of Zips Car Wash, and Clark, former Papa John’s international COO and Taco Bell executive and current CEO of WellBiz Brands, both bring deep experience in franchised restaurant and consumer brands; their compensation and indemnification will align with existing non‑employee directors, underscoring an effort to strengthen governance and strategic oversight ahead of the 2026 annual meeting.

The most recent analyst rating on (DIN) stock is a Hold with a $36.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Dine Brands Global stock, see the DIN Stock Forecast page.