Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Stock Price Up 5.2% – Here’s Why

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) shares rose 5.2% on Friday. The stock traded as high as $19.92 and last traded at $20.1560. Approximately 106,093 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 92% from the average daily volume of 1,285,984 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.16.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on PZZA shares. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on Papa John’s International from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 7th. Stephens reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and set a $19.00 price objective on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Thursday, November 5th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Papa John’s International from $26.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 30th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Papa John’s International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Papa John’s International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $28.57.

Papa John’s International Stock Up 2.7%

The company has a market capitalization of $647.99 million, a PE ratio of 26.28, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $19.80 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $29.28.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.16. The business had revenue of $454.84 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $459.48 million. Papa John’s International had a negative return on equity of 9.65% and a net margin of 1.31%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.32 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Papa John’s International, Inc. will post 1.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Papa John’s International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PEAK6 LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 4.2% in the third quarter. PEAK6 LLC now owns 30,193 shares of the company’s stock worth $595,000 after buying an additional 1,216 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its stake in Papa John’s International by 219.2% during the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 138,470 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,729,000 after acquiring an additional 95,092 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Papa John’s International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $222,000. Edgestream Partners L.P. bought a new stake in Papa John’s International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $4,607,000. Finally, Alberta Investment Management Corp increased its holdings in Papa John’s International by 65.9% during the 3rd quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 457,502 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,015,000 after acquiring an additional 181,800 shares during the period.

Papa John’s International Company Profile

Papa John’s International, Inc. operates and franchises pizza restaurants under the Papa Johns brand. Its restaurants offer pizza alongside sides, desserts and beverages, with ordering options that include delivery and carryout. The company was founded in 1984 by John Schnatter, who opened its first restaurant in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Papa Johns has since expanded across the United States and into international markets, serving customers through company-owned restaurants and franchised locations.