I thought this was an interesting turn of events. On Friday, MSD Capital (Michael Dell’s group) converted their friendly “G” filing into a not so friendly 13D filing. They own 14% of the common stock and a chunk of the preferred… As you read Item 4 of the filing, keeping mind that DIN is over 7x levered.

Item 4. Purpose of the Transaction.

"The Reporting Persons now intend to have further discussions and other communications with the Company’s management and members of its Board of Directors regarding debt repayment, changes in the Company’s capitalization and dividend policy, disposition of Company owned restaurants, composition of senior management including the hiring of a new Chief Financial Officer and the composition of its Board of Directors."

It goes on……

"The Reporting Persons may also have conversations with other stockholders. In the course of such conversations with members of management, the Board of Directors and other stockholders, the Reporting Persons may suggest actions that could result in, among other things: (a) the acquisition by the Reporting Persons of additional securities of the Company, or the disposition of securities of the Company; (b) an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (c) a sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (d) changes in the present board of directors or management of the Company; (e) a material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Company; (f) any other material change in the Company’s business or corporate structure; (g) changes in the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other actions which may impede the acquisition of control of the Company by any person;"

I have never met the people managing MSD Capital, but I’m sure their future plans will not include the current CEO of DIN.