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Brinker agrees to sale and lease-back dealsBrinker agrees to sale and lease-back deals

In two transactions, Chili’s parent plans to sell as many as 98 units

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

August 6, 2018

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Chili's

Brinker International Inc., parent to the Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy brands, has agreed to sell and lease back as many as 98 units, according to federal filings.

The two deals, which were expected to close this week, involve Dallas-based Brinker’s real estate subsidiaries Sun Equity Funding LLC and Four Corners Property Trust Inc., according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings on Aug. 1.

The two deals total about $314.3 million, according to the filings.

Brinker said it agreed on July 31 to sell and lease back 50 properties in a $158.6 million deal with Atlanta-based SunTrust Equity Funding LLC. Initial terms of the lease-back are 15 years with five-year options. That deal was expected to close Monday.

SunTrust affiliate SunTrust Bank is one of the parties to Brinker’s $1 billion revolving line of credit and provides other banking services, the casual-dining company said.

The second sale/lease-back deal was with FCPT Acquisitions LLC, a subsidiary of Mill Valley, Calif.-based Four Corners Property Trust Inc. That included the sale of 48 Brinker properties for about $155.7 million. The deal also carried the 15-year initial term of the lease and five-year options after.

The Four Corners deal is expected to close on Wednesday.

For the third quarter ended March 28, Brinker’s net income was up 10.7 percent to $46.9 million, or $1.02 a share, from $42.4 million, or 86 cents a share, in the prior-year period. Revenues increased 0.2 percent to $812.5 million from $810.6 million in the same quarter last year. 

As of March 28, Brinker International owned, operated and franchised 1,686 restaurants, including 1,634 Chili’s and 52 Maggiano’s.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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