Zacks Research Upgrades Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) to Hold

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

PZZA has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded Papa John’s International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 26th. Stephens dropped their price target on shares of 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. Bank of America reissued an “underperform” rating and issued a $34.00 price target (down from $42.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Monday, July 13th. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Papa John’s International from $33.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Benchmark cut shares of Papa John’s International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $31.29.

Papa John’s International Trading Down 1.3%

Shares of PZZA stock opened at $18.73 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $616.59 million, a P/E ratio of 23.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.13. The business’s 50 day moving average is $21.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $29.23. Papa John’s International has a 12-month low of $18.67 and a 12-month high of $55.74.

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Papa John’s International

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Papa John’s International during the second quarter valued at approximately $182,315,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of Papa John’s International in the second quarter valued at approximately $83,186,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of Papa John’s International by 8.5% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 626,352 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,300,000 after acquiring an additional 49,031 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in shares of Papa John’s International in the second quarter valued at approximately $13,942,000. Finally, Alberta Investment Management Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International in the second quarter worth approximately $10,138,000.

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

Papa John’s International Company Profile

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.