Stephens Cuts Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Price Target to $40.00

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) had its price objective cut by Stephens from $49.00 to $40.00 in a report issued on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the stock.

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

Papa John’s International Stock Up 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:PZZA opened at $31.35 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.03 billion, a PE ratio of 35.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.23. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $36.00 and its 200-day moving average price is $42.35. Papa John’s International has a twelve month low of $30.16 and a twelve month high of $55.74.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.01. Papa John’s International had a net margin of 1.44% and a negative return on equity of 11.16%. The business had revenue of $498.18 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $517.25 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.63 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 6.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect 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 disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 9th were paid a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 9th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.9%. Papa John’s International’s payout ratio is 164.29%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in Papa John’s International by 7,600.0% during the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,001 shares of the company’s stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 988 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Papa John’s International by 22.2% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,157 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 210 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $59,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in Papa John’s International by 41.0% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,702 shares of the company’s stock valued at $82,000 after acquiring an additional 495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Papa John’s International by 342.9% in the third quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,767 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after acquiring an additional 1,368 shares during the period.

More Papa John’s International News

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

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.