vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Dine Brands Global, Inc. (DIN) and LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc (LEE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Dine Brands Global, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($217.6M vs $130.1M, roughly 1.7× LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc). LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc runs the higher net margin — -4.3% vs -5.6%, a 1.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Dine Brands Global, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.3% vs -10.0%). LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($3.7M vs $-8.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Dine Brands Global, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (2.7% CAGR vs -5.8%).

Dine Brands Global Inc. is a publicly traded food and beverage company based in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1958 as IHOP, it operates franchised and corporate owned full-service restaurants including three restaurant concepts, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, International House of Pancakes (IHOP), and Fuzzy's Taco Shop.

Lee Enterprises, Inc. is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 72 daily newspapers in 25 states, and more than 350 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by Alfred Wilson Lee and is based in Davenport, Iowa.

DIN vs LEE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
DIN
DIN
1.7× larger
DIN
$217.6M
$130.1M
LEE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
DIN
DIN
+16.3% gap
DIN
6.3%
-10.0%
LEE
Higher net margin
LEE
LEE
1.3% more per $
LEE
-4.3%
-5.6%
DIN
More free cash flow
LEE
LEE
$12.3M more FCF
LEE
$3.7M
$-8.6M
DIN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
DIN
DIN
Annualised
DIN
2.7%
-5.8%
LEE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Revenue
$217.6M
$130.1M
Net Profit
$-12.2M
$-5.6M
Gross Margin
42.4%
Operating Margin
-7.6%
4.0%
Net Margin
-5.6%
-4.3%
Revenue YoY
6.3%
-10.0%
Net Profit YoY
-336.1%
66.5%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.79
$-0.92

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$217.6M
$130.1M
Q3 25
$216.2M
$139.1M
Q2 25
$230.8M
$141.3M
Q1 25
$214.8M
$137.4M
Q4 24
$204.8M
$144.6M
Q3 24
$195.0M
$158.6M
Q2 24
$206.3M
$150.6M
Q1 24
$206.2M
$146.6M
Net Profit
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$-12.2M
$-5.6M
Q3 25
$7.3M
$-6.4M
Q2 25
$13.8M
$-1.9M
Q1 25
$8.2M
$-12.5M
Q4 24
$5.2M
$-16.7M
Q3 24
$19.1M
$-10.1M
Q2 24
$23.2M
$-4.3M
Q1 24
$17.5M
$-12.2M
Gross Margin
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
42.4%
Q3 25
39.1%
Q2 25
40.0%
Q1 25
42.0%
Q4 24
41.7%
Q3 24
47.8%
Q2 24
48.1%
Q1 24
47.2%
Operating Margin
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
-7.6%
4.0%
Q3 25
4.7%
-1.0%
Q2 25
8.2%
3.3%
Q1 25
6.0%
-3.3%
Q4 24
3.8%
-2.3%
Q3 24
13.6%
-2.3%
Q2 24
15.1%
3.3%
Q1 24
11.7%
-3.1%
Net Margin
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
-5.6%
-4.3%
Q3 25
3.4%
-4.6%
Q2 25
6.0%
-1.4%
Q1 25
3.8%
-9.1%
Q4 24
2.5%
-11.6%
Q3 24
9.8%
-6.4%
Q2 24
11.2%
-2.8%
Q1 24
8.5%
-8.3%
EPS (diluted)
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$-0.79
$-0.92
Q3 25
$0.48
$-1.02
Q2 25
$0.89
$-0.31
Q1 25
$0.53
$-2.07
Q4 24
$0.35
$-2.80
Q3 24
$1.24
$-1.68
Q2 24
$1.50
$-0.73
Q1 24
$1.13
$-2.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$128.2M
$12.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.2B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-273.9M
$-48.7M
Total Assets
$1.7B
$592.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$128.2M
$12.6M
Q3 25
$167.9M
$10.0M
Q2 25
$194.2M
$14.1M
Q1 25
$186.5M
$4.7M
Q4 24
$186.7M
$6.1M
Q3 24
$169.6M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$153.5M
$13.4M
Q1 24
$145.0M
$16.1M
Total Debt
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$1.2B
Q3 25
$1.2B
Q2 25
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.2B
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.2B
Q1 24
$1.2B
Stockholders' Equity
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$-273.9M
$-48.7M
Q3 25
$-231.9M
$-43.3M
Q2 25
$-212.5M
$-40.5M
Q1 25
$-215.7M
$-38.9M
Q4 24
$-216.0M
$-26.7M
Q3 24
$-216.7M
$-9.9M
Q2 24
$-231.7M
$4.0M
Q1 24
$-244.8M
$7.9M
Total Assets
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$1.7B
$592.6M
Q3 25
$1.8B
$601.7M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$622.7M
Q1 25
$1.8B
$623.9M
Q4 24
$1.8B
$633.0M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$649.2M
Q2 24
$1.7B
$677.5M
Q1 24
$1.7B
$684.8M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$5.7M
$4.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-8.6M
$3.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-3.9%
2.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
6.6%
0.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$53.4M
$1.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$5.7M
$4.5M
Q3 25
$30.2M
$-6.3M
Q2 25
$37.0M
$8.9M
Q1 25
$16.1M
$-790.0K
Q4 24
$30.5M
$-7.3M
Q3 24
$25.5M
$-261.0K
Q2 24
$21.6M
$-1.9M
Q1 24
$30.6M
$3.2M
Free Cash Flow
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
$-8.6M
$3.7M
Q3 25
$18.1M
$-8.3M
Q2 25
$31.0M
$8.3M
Q1 25
$12.8M
$-2.2M
Q4 24
$26.7M
$-8.9M
Q3 24
$22.0M
$-2.9M
Q2 24
$18.2M
$-5.5M
Q1 24
$27.2M
$1.3M
FCF Margin
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
-3.9%
2.9%
Q3 25
8.4%
-6.0%
Q2 25
13.4%
5.9%
Q1 25
6.0%
-1.6%
Q4 24
13.0%
-6.1%
Q3 24
11.3%
-1.8%
Q2 24
8.8%
-3.6%
Q1 24
13.2%
0.9%
Capex Intensity
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
6.6%
0.6%
Q3 25
5.6%
1.4%
Q2 25
2.6%
0.4%
Q1 25
1.5%
1.0%
Q4 24
1.9%
1.1%
Q3 24
1.8%
1.7%
Q2 24
1.7%
2.4%
Q1 24
1.6%
1.3%
Cash Conversion
DIN
DIN
LEE
LEE
Q4 25
Q3 25
4.12×
Q2 25
2.68×
Q1 25
1.97×
Q4 24
5.88×
Q3 24
1.34×
Q2 24
0.93×
Q1 24
1.75×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

DIN
DIN

Franchisor$163.2M75%
Food And Beverage$27.3M13%
Proprietary Product Sales And Other$17.0M8%
Other$8.1M4%
Franchise And Development Fees$2.0M1%

LEE
LEE

Advertising And Marketing Services$60.0M46%
Subscription And Circulation$57.7M44%
Other$12.4M10%

Related Comparisons