Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Given New $50.00 Price Target at Benchmark

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) had its target price decreased by Benchmark from $60.00 to $50.00 in a research report released on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. Benchmark currently has a buy rating on the stock.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on PZZA. Zacks Research raised 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 report on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho cut 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. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $42.00 price objective on shares of Papa John’s International in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Stephens lowered their target price on Papa John’s International from $49.00 to $40.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Papa John’s International currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $45.00.

Papa John’s International Stock Up 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:PZZA traded up $0.44 during trading on Friday, reaching $31.35. 2,936,523 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,282,113. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.03 billion, a PE ratio of 35.23, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.20. Papa John’s International has a 52 week low of $30.16 and a 52 week high of $55.74. The company’s 50 day moving average is $36.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $42.41.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last posted its quarterly 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 negative return on equity of 11.26% and a net margin of 1.44%.The business had revenue of $498.18 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $517.25 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.63 earnings per share. Papa John’s International’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Papa John’s International will post 2.19 EPS for the current year.

Papa John’s International Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Papa John’s International

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PZZA. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in Papa John’s International by 7,600.0% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,001 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 988 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Papa John’s International by 22.2% in the third 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 in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Papa John’s International during the second quarter valued at about $59,000. Leonteq Securities AG bought a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International during the fourth quarter worth about $71,000. Finally, Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International in the 4th quarter worth about $73,000.

Papa John’s International News Roundup

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.