Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) Stock Rated “Reduce” by Sell-Side Analysts

Shares of Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) have been given an average recommendation of “Reduce” by the nine analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $32.00.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $24.00 price target (down from $38.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Friday, August 7th. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $34.00 target price (down from $42.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Papa John’s International from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 7th. Mizuho reduced their price objective on Papa John’s International from $33.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Papa John’s International from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st.

Key Papa John’s International News

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

• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple firms, including Rosen, Pomerantz, Faruqi & Faruqi, and Bernstein Liebhard, reminded investors that November 2, 2026 is the deadline to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. The announcements are procedural and do not establish that Papa John’s committed wrongdoing. Rosen securities class action deadline announcement
• Negative Sentiment: The lawsuit-related claims allege Papa John’s misled investors about the strength of its North American turnaround and comparable-sales outlook. According to the allegations, management projected a 2026 comparable-sales decline of 2% to 4%, but later reported an 8.3% decline, suspended its dividend, and reduced its outlook to a decline of as much as 8%. The company’s shares reportedly lost $5.11 in one session after those developments, increasing litigation, reputational, and potential financial risks. Papa John’s shareholder alert
• Negative Sentiment: The concentration of nearly identical investor-alert releases keeps the alleged disclosure issues in focus and may weigh on sentiment. Investors are likely watching for potential legal costs, settlement exposure, and further evidence that weak sales trends could undermine Papa John’s turnaround strategy. Pomerantz Papa John’s investor alert

Papa John’s International Trading Up 0.2%

Papa John’s International stock opened at $19.58 on Wednesday. Papa John’s International has a 12 month low of $18.92 and a 12 month high of $55.74. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $23.06 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $30.21. The firm has a market cap of $644.57 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.79, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.13.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last announced its quarterly 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. Papa John’s International had a negative return on equity of 10.98% and a net margin of 1.34%.The firm had revenue of $482.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $481.25 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.41 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Papa John’s International will post 1.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Papa John’s International

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PZZA. Moody National Bank Trust Division boosted its stake in shares of Papa John’s International by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 42,439 shares of the company’s stock worth $836,000 after acquiring an additional 954 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Papa John’s International by 656.7% in the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,081 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 1,806 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Papa John’s International by 5,505.0% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 5,661 shares of the company’s stock worth $208,000 after purchasing an additional 5,560 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in Papa John’s International by 63.4% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 6,959 shares of the company’s stock worth $256,000 after purchasing an additional 2,700 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP purchased a new position in Papa John’s International during the second quarter valued at $212,000.

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.