Subway acquired by Roark Capital Group affiliates
Roark Capital Group affiliates acquired Subway, a US quick service restaurant franchisor brand, on Aug 24, 2023.
Transaction summary
- Target
- Subway
- Acquirer
- Roark Capital Group affiliates
- Seller
- -
- Announced
- 2023-08-24
- Geography
- United States
- Tags
- ConsumerFood & BeverageQuick Service Restaurant FranchisorRestaurants
- Type
- Acquisition
- Deal type
- Control
- Stake acquired
- -
- First added
- 2026-10-04
- Latest update
- 2026-10-04
Value and multiples
100% enterprise value
USD 8.9B
100% enterprise value | USD
Basis: Estimated
Reported price is assumed to be 100% EV unless stated otherwise. Partial-stake estimates are qualified in the basis notes.
EV / revenue
-
Period: EBITDA Period Unspecified In Reported Multiple
Basis: Estimated
EV / EBITDA
12x
EBITDA basis not stated
Basis: Public source
Amounts paid and other reported values
Original reported amounts and bases; a stake payment is distinct from the estimated whole-company valuation.
Consideration: USD 8.9B
Secondary-reported guaranteed base price USD8.95bn, excluding contingent earnout; total eventual consideration is unknown.
Basis
- USD 8.9bn enterprise value is a FundComb estimate. Public sources reviewed confirm the transaction, but do not independently disclose every valuation input.
- Valuation covers 100% of the target; the amount invested or paid for a stake is separate.
- EV / EBITDA: 12x.
- EBITDA and multiple inputs are not fully disclosed in public transaction materials reviewed; treat the multiple as an estimate.
- Secondary reports put base price at approximately USD8.95bn, used as estimated whole-company EV proxy under FCR-211. Reuters headline USD9.55bn includes USD600m earnout; another report gives maximum USD9.55–9.6bn and earnout USD600–650m, preserved as ranges. Secondary article attributes FY2023 revenue USD971.9m to franchise disclosure document; underlying document and corporate perimeter unverified. Reuters Breakingviews reports approximately USD800m EBITDA and roughly12x at rounded USD9.6bn. The reported revenue and EBITDA perimeters cannot be reconciled (the commentary also cites around5% margins), so scalars remain blank and figures are retained here separately. Reported12x is not recalculated from base price; EBITDA period and basis unspecified. Reported roughly12x multiple uses USD9.6bn headline value, distinct from approximate USD8.95bn base EV proxy. No operating denominator or margin inferred. Reported roughly12x multiple uses USD9.6bn headline value, distinct from approximate USD8.95bn base EV proxy. No operating denominator or margin inferred.
Source summary
Subway® Sale to Roark is Complete
Confirmedtoday completed its previously announced sale to affiliates of Roark.
Open sourceSubway Newsroom press releases
ConfirmedAug 24, 2023 Subway® Announces Sale to Roark Capital
Open sourceSubway® Sale to Roark is Complete - Apr 30, 2024
ConfirmedApril 30, 2024 / PRNewswire / -- Subway®, one of the world's largest restaurant brands, today completed its
Open sourceSubway® Sale to Roark is Complete - Apr 30, 2024
ConfirmedRoark is an Atlanta-based private equity firm with $38 billion in equity under management.
Open sourceBreakingviews: Roark scores sandwich deal better than $5 footlong
ConfirmedAt $9.6 billion, Roark is paying roughly 12 times Subway’s $800 million in EBITDA
Open sourceThe Deal With Two Prices: Roark Capital's Earn-Out Purchase of Subway
Confirmedguaranteed $8.95 billion, with an additional $600-650 million contingent
Open sourceThe Deal With Two Prices: Roark Capital's Earn-Out Purchase of Subway
Confirmedrevenue rising 10.3% to $971.9 million in 2023
Open sourceBreakingviews: Roark scores sandwich deal better than $5 footlong | Lipper Alpha Insight | LSEG
ConfirmedThe deal is valued at $9.55 billion, including a $600 million earn-out
Open sourceBreakingviews: Roark scores sandwich deal better than $5 footlong | Lipper Alpha Insight | LSEG
ConfirmedRoark is paying roughly 12 times Subway’s $800 million in EBITDA
Open source