IPO, private equity activity were hot for restaurants in 2014

With 288 deals and $95.2 billion raised, 2014 will end with record activity in the US IPO markets, according to the EY Global IPO Trends: 2014 Q4 report released this week.

EY Global said 2013 revived the IPO market in the US, with the momentum picking up this year. As of December, the number of listing was at its highest point since 2000 and is a 27-percent increase over 2013.

IPO listings in 2014 also raised 54 percent more in capital than last year.

In addition, as stock markets have been trending higher, IPOs have been outperforming market indices. Companies that have listed on US exchanges in 2014 have averaged year-to-date returns of 27.8 percent, compared to the S&P 500 at 12.2 percent. One of the stock market's top performers this year has been Domino's Pizza, which has turned in seven straight weeks of lifetime highs and is trading 3,000-percent higher than it was in 2010.

The most IPO activity this year came from the health care sector, but restaurants were also at play. Notable filings this year include Papa Murphy's, El Pollo Loco and Habit Burger.

EY Global expects the momentum to continue in 2015. Rumors have swirled around possible IPOs for Bojangles, Café Rio and Shake Shack.

Private equity activity also heating up

This years has also been a boon for private equity investments in the restaurant industry.

The parent company of Checkers and Rally's restaurant chains was sold to Sentinel Capital Partners earlier this year. Sentinel Capital also added TGI Friday's and Newk's Eatery to its roster.

An affiliate of Apollo Global Management finalized its acquisition of Chuck E. Cheese's in February. 

And Global Franchise Group, which is the parent company of Great American Cookies, Pretzelmaker, Marble Slab Creamery and MaggieMoo's, acquired Hot Dog on a Stick in August.