Piper Sandler Cuts Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Price Target to $30.00

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) had its target price reduced by Piper Sandler from $32.00 to $30.00 in a research report released on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the stock.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on PZZA. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $40.00 price objective on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Friday. Benchmark cut their price objective on Papa John’s International from $60.00 to $50.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 27th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Friday, March 27th. Zacks Research upgraded Papa John’s International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Mizuho cut their price target on Papa John’s International from $40.00 to $34.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $41.13.

Papa John’s International Price Performance

Shares of Papa John’s International stock opened at $31.14 on Friday. Papa John’s International has a 1 year low of $29.55 and a 1 year high of $55.74. The company has a market capitalization of $1.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.18. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $34.58 and a 200 day moving average price of $38.12.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.08). Papa John’s International had a negative return on equity of 10.71% and a net margin of 1.37%.The company had revenue of $478.61 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $485.51 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.36 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Papa John’s International will post 1.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Papa John’s International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 29th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 18th will be issued a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, May 18th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.9%. Papa John’s International’s payout ratio is 206.74%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in Papa John’s International by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,507 shares of the company’s stock valued at $290,000 after acquiring an additional 206 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake 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. Private Advisor Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 5,220 shares of the company’s stock worth $251,000 after buying an additional 319 shares during the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank increased its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 9,675 shares of the company’s stock worth $466,000 after buying an additional 322 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 18,642 shares of the company’s stock worth $716,000 after buying an additional 328 shares during the last quarter.

Key Stories Impacting Papa John’s International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Benchmark kept a buy rating on Papa John’s and still sees meaningful upside, although it lowered its price target from $50 to $45. Benchmark price target update
• Positive Sentiment: Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating with a $40 price target, signaling confidence that the stock can recover from current levels. Stephens rating update
• Neutral Sentiment: Papa John’s launched a limited-time marketing campaign, “Skies to Pies,” turning Spirit Airlines loyalty frustration into a free-pizza promotion. The move may support brand awareness, but its near-term financial impact is unclear. Business Wire promotion
• Neutral Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share, which may appeal to income-focused investors, though it is not the main driver of the stock’s move.
• Negative Sentiment: Piper Sandler cut its price target from $32 to $30 and maintained a neutral rating, reflecting limited upside near the current share price. Piper Sandler price target update
• Negative Sentiment: First-quarter results missed estimates, with EPS of $0.32 versus $0.40 expected and revenue of $478.6 million below forecasts, while sales fell 7.7% year over year. Papa John’s press release
• Negative Sentiment: Management said inflation-weary customers are trading down to smaller pizzas and skipping sides and desserts, which is pressuring sales and profitability. WSJ article

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.