Analysts Set Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) Target Price at $49.44

Shares of Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) have earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the twelve ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $49.4444.

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Bank of America restated a “neutral” rating and set a $50.00 price objective (down previously from $62.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Monday, October 6th. Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Papa John’s International from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Zacks Research raised shares of Papa John’s International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Monday, December 29th.

Key Papa John’s International News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded PZZA from “strong sell” to “hold” and repeatedly nudged up quarterly and full‑year EPS forecasts (multiple Q2–Q4 and FY2026/FY2027 raises). The firm now sees FY2027 EPS around $2.11 (up from prior $2.07) and modest increases to several quarterly estimates — a near‑term ratings/estimate lift that can support buying interest. Zacks Research
• Positive Sentiment: Short interest dropped ~13.5% in January to ~3.32M shares (about 10.3% of shares sold short; days‑to‑cover ~3.8). Lower short positions reduce near‑term selling pressure and the risk of short‑squeeze volatility — a constructive technical/positioning development for the stock.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysis highlighting that PZZA is trading well below a prior Apollo takeover bid (reported ~44% discount) may rekindle investor hopes for M&A upside or a re‑rating toward prior bid levels, supporting demand. Seeking Alpha: Trading At 44% Discount To Prior Apollo Bid
• Neutral Sentiment: Despite the estimate increases, Zacks retains a “Hold” rating and its FY2027 view (~$2.11) remains slightly below the broader consensus (~$2.19), implying that while expectations have improved, meaningful upside requires continued execution and/or upside to consensus.

Institutional Trading of Papa John’s International

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Papa John’s International in the second quarter worth $309,000. WBI Investments LLC boosted its stake in Papa John’s International by 46.5% in the 2nd quarter. WBI Investments LLC now owns 37,844 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,852,000 after purchasing an additional 12,004 shares during the period. Gradient Investments LLC bought a new position in Papa John’s International in the 3rd quarter worth about $13,036,000. Brandes Investment Partners LP grew its holdings in Papa John’s International by 271.6% during the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 690,299 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,783,000 after buying an additional 504,514 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC increased its position in shares of Papa John’s International by 18.9% during the second quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC now owns 922,809 shares of the company’s stock valued at $45,162,000 after buying an additional 146,640 shares during the period.

Papa John’s International Stock Performance

Papa John’s International stock opened at $35.88 on Friday. Papa John’s International has a fifty-two week low of $30.16 and a fifty-two week high of $55.74. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $39.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $43.90. The stock has a market cap of $1.18 billion, a PE ratio of 32.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 1.16.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.08). The firm had revenue of $508.15 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $523.67 million. Papa John’s International had a negative return on equity of 13.54% and a net margin of 1.79%.Papa John’s International’s quarterly revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.43 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Papa John’s International will post 2.19 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Papa John’s International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 9th will be issued a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 9th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.1%. Papa John’s International’s dividend payout ratio is 164.29%.

Papa John’s International Company Profile

Papa John’s International, Inc is a leading American pizza restaurant chain known for its focus on high-quality ingredients and consistent product offerings. Founded in 1984 by John Schnatter in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the company has grown to operate thousands of restaurants across the United States and in more than 40 international markets. Papa John’s restaurants are primarily franchised, supported by a network of corporate-owned outlets that together drive brand standards, operational guidance and marketing efforts.

The core menu at Papa John’s centers on a variety of hand-tossed and pan pizzas made with a signature stone-baked crust and topped with real cheese, vine-ripened tomato sauce and premium meats and vegetables.