Want to own a piece of Dunkin'? Its parent company may go public.

"Inspire Brands, the Atlanta-based conglomerate that owns Dunkin', announced Friday that it plans to go public, setting the stage for the beloved brand to hit the stock market for the third time in eight decades. Inspire Brands, which also owns Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Sonic, said in a release that it filed confidentially with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. However, there is no date set for its stock market debut, price per share, or even its stock ticker symbol."

"An initial public offering is when a private company converts to a public company by offering for sale a portion of its ownership through newly issued shares, Investopedia notes. It allows public investors to purchase equity and trade its stock on a public exchange. Besides raising significant capital for growth or paying down debt, it also gives founders, early backers, and employees a chance to see gains on their investments."

"Since this is a confidential filing, the SEC will allow the company to make its initial IPO filings privately as it works with regulators. Before it can go public, the company will have to file an updated public registration statement that includes more information, such as several years of financial statements, executive pay, and business plans. It's unclear when it will be released."

"It isn't the first time Dunkin' has gone public. The coffee and doughnut chain was founded in 1948 by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Mass., as Open Kettle. According to The Boston Globe, the company first went public in 1968 under the founder before he sold it to the British conglomerate Allied-Lyons in 1990 for $325 million. In 2005, The New York Times reported that three private equity firms - Bain Capital, Carlyle Group, and Tho"

Inspire Brands, the Atlanta-based parent company of Dunkin', announced plans to go public and filed confidentially with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering. The company also owns Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Sonic. No debut date, share price, or stock ticker symbol has been set. An initial public offering converts a private company into a public company by offering newly issued shares for sale, allowing public investors to buy equity and trade the stock on an exchange. IPOs can raise capital for growth or debt repayment and can provide gains for founders, early backers, and employees. After a confidential filing, the company must later submit an updated public registration statement with financial statements, executive pay, and business plans. Dunkin' previously went public in 1968 and later changed ownership, including a sale in 1990 and another reported private equity involvement in 2005.

Read at Boston.com