Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Given New $40.00 Price Target at Stephens

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) had its price target decreased by Stephens from $49.00 to $40.00 in a research report released on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. Stephens currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on PZZA. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Papa John’s International from $40.00 to $34.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 20th. Zacks Research upgraded Papa John’s International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Papa John’s International in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $42.00 price objective on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Papa John’s International has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $45.00.

Papa John’s International Stock Performance

PZZA traded up $0.44 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $31.35. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,936,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,282,113. The company’s 50-day moving average is $36.00 and its 200-day moving average is $42.41. Papa John’s International has a 52 week low of $30.16 and a 52 week high of $55.74. The firm has a market cap of $1.03 billion, a PE ratio of 35.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.20.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $498.18 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $517.25 million. Papa John’s International had a net margin of 1.44% and a negative return on equity of 11.26%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.63 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Papa John’s International will post 2.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Papa John’s International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Monday, February 9th were given a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 9th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.9%. Papa John’s International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 164.29%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Papa John’s International

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Papa John’s International by 14.1% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 139,662 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,376,000 after buying an additional 17,215 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its position in Papa John’s International by 189.9% during the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 18,291 shares of the company’s stock valued at $704,000 after purchasing an additional 11,982 shares in the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd lifted its stake in Papa John’s International by 38.2% during the fourth quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 12,846 shares of the company’s stock worth $494,000 after purchasing an additional 3,550 shares during the last quarter. Private Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 17.3% in the 4th quarter. Private Capital Management LLC now owns 41,775 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,608,000 after purchasing an additional 6,175 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International in the 4th quarter valued at $758,000.

Papa John’s International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Benchmark trimmed its price target to $50 but kept a “buy” rating, implying ~59.5% upside from current levels, signaling continued analyst confidence. Benchmark Lowers PT to $50
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens cut its price target to $40 but maintained an “overweight” rating, keeping institutional support for the stock despite lower targets. Stephens Lowers PT to $40
• Positive Sentiment: Operational positives highlighted by analysts and commentators: 101 new international stores in Q4, nearly doubled free cash flow in 2025, and management guidance pointing to a return to EPS growth — items that support upside over time. Seeking Alpha: Swing Trade Thesis
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 results: EPS of $0.34 topped consensus by $0.01, but revenue missed ($498.2M vs. ~$517M est.) and revenue declined ~6% year-over-year — a mixed beat/miss that tempers near-term enthusiasm. Zacks: Q4 EPS Top Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Management is accelerating a transformation that includes significant closures — company commentary and some coverage cite 200 North America closures and others report plans to close ~300 underperforming U.S. shops — a sign of footprint contraction and near-term sales headwinds. Seeking Alpha: $60M Savings, 200 Closures
• Negative Sentiment: Broad coverage emphasizes soft North America results and weaker consumer demand, which pressured margins and prompted promotional activity — factors likely to weigh on near-term revenue growth. WSJ: Lower Profit & Revenue
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets ran stories detailing hundreds of store closures and underperforming locations, reinforcing investor concern about U.S. demand and structural adjustments. Yahoo: Close 300 Locations

About Papa John’s International

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.