Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) was upgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Zacks reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Benchmark cut Papa John’s International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Papa John’s International from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Stephens decreased their price target on Papa John’s International from $24.00 to $19.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Papa John’s International from $33.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and issued a $34.00 target price (down from $42.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Monday, July 13th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Papa John’s International presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $31.29.

Papa John’s International Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of PZZA opened at $18.73 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $616.59 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.17, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.13. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $21.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $29.23. Papa John’s International has a 1-year low of $18.67 and a 1-year high of $55.74.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $482.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $481.25 million. Papa John’s International had a net margin of 1.34% and a negative return on equity of 10.98%. Papa John’s International’s quarterly revenue was down 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.41 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Papa John’s International will post 1.16 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Papa John’s International

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PZZA. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its holdings in Papa John’s International by 8.2% in the first quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 7,953 shares of the company’s stock worth $258,000 after purchasing an additional 600 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its holdings in Papa John’s International by 42.9% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,230 shares of the company’s stock worth $72,000 after purchasing an additional 670 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new stake in Papa John’s International during the second quarter worth $29,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Moody National Bank Trust Division increased its stake in Papa John’s International by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 42,439 shares of the company’s stock valued at $836,000 after buying an additional 954 shares during the last quarter.

Key Headlines Impacting Papa John’s International

Here are the key news stories impacting Papa John’s International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Seeking Alpha upgraded PZZA to Strong Buy, arguing that the substantial stock decline has created a valuation disconnect. The company’s restructuring—store closures, cost reductions and a focus on product quality—along with its Walmart delivery partnership could support margin expansion and EBITDA growth. Management expects at least 200 basis points of four-wall EBITDA improvement by 2028, while suspending the dividend could unlock approximately $61 million in annual free cash flow. Papa John’s: This Painful Reset Could Set The Stage For Recovery
• Neutral Sentiment: Papa John’s Canada is bringing back its limited-time Jack-o’-Lantern Pizza for Halloween. The seasonal promotion may support short-term customer traffic, but it is unlikely to materially change the company’s broader financial outlook. Papa John’s Jack-o’-Lantern Pizza Returns
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms are publicizing a securities class action against Papa John’s and urging investors who purchased shares from August 7, 2025 through August 5, 2026 to seek lead-plaintiff status before the November 2, 2026 deadline. The complaints allege that the company misrepresented North American comparable-sales trends and its business prospects before reporting an 8.3% comparable-sales decline, resetting 2026 guidance and suspending its dividend. The repeated legal notices increase reputational and potential litigation risk, although the allegations have not been proven. PZZA Securities Fraud Lawsuit Deadline

About Papa John’s International

Papa John’s International, Inc is a restaurant company that operates and franchises Papa Johns pizza restaurants. Its menu includes pizzas made with various crusts, toppings and specialty recipes, along with sides, desserts and beverages. Customers can order through delivery, carryout and digital ordering channels.

Founded in 1984 by John Schnatter in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the company has grown into an international quick-service restaurant brand. Papa Johns serves customers across the United States and in international markets through a combination of company-operated restaurants and franchised locations.