Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Given New $20.00 Price Target at Mizuho

Key Points

• Mizuho cut Papa John’s price target to $20 from $26 while maintaining a “neutral” rating, implying about 6.4% upside from the reported $18.80 share price.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: seven analysts rate the stock “Hold” and two rate it “Sell,” producing a consensus “Reduce” rating and a $29.57 target price.
• Papa John’s reported quarterly EPS of $0.46, slightly above estimates, but revenue declined 8.8% year over year; the company also faces litigation and pressure from expectations for weaker upcoming earnings.

Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report) had its price target decreased by stock analysts at Mizuho from $26.00 to $20.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a "neutral" rating on the stock. Mizuho's target price would suggest a potential upside of 6.38% from the company's current price.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Papa John's International from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of Papa John's International from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Papa John's International from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note 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 for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Finally, Bank of America cut shares of Papa John's International from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and cut their price target for the stock from $42.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Papa John's International has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $29.57.

Papa John's International Trading Up 1.4%

Shares of NASDAQ:PZZA opened at $18.80 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $618.90 million, a PE ratio of 12.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.13. Papa John's International has a 1 year low of $17.69 and a 1 year high of $52.02. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $20.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $30.17.

Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.46 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.01. The business 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%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.41 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Papa John's International will post 1.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Papa John's International

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in Papa John's International in the second quarter valued at approximately $13,942,000. Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new stake in shares of Papa John's International during the 2nd quarter valued at $10,138,000. Man Group plc bought a new stake in shares of Papa John's International during the 2nd quarter valued at $3,333,000. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Papa John's International in the 2nd quarter valued at $182,315,000. Finally, Heartland Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Papa John's International in the 2nd quarter valued at $8,393,000.

Key Headlines Impacting Papa John's International

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

• Positive Sentiment: The upcoming securities litigation deadline could ultimately provide a defined process for investors seeking compensation, although it does not represent a direct financial benefit to Papa John’s. Investors who purchased shares between August 7, 2025, and August 5, 2026, have until November 2, 2026, to seek lead-plaintiff status. Kaplan Fox class action announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Several law firms, including Rosen, Robbins, Kaplan Fox, Pomerantz, Faruqi & Faruqi, and Levi & Korsinsky, reiterated the November 2 lead-plaintiff deadline. The repeated notices largely restate the same pending class action and are not evidence that the allegations have been proven. Robbins LLP deadline reminder
• Negative Sentiment: The class action alleges Papa John’s and certain executives, including CEO Todd Penegor and former CFO Ravi Thanawala, made misleading statements about the progress of the company’s strategic transformation, sales trends, dividend and 2026 financial outlook. The allegations follow an alleged $5.11-per-share single-session loss and dividend suspension reported on August 6, 2026, creating ongoing litigation, reputational and potential financial risks. SueWallSt shareholder alert
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts expect Papa John’s upcoming earnings to decline, and Zacks says the company lacks the combination of factors typically associated with a likely earnings beat. That adds pressure ahead of results, particularly given recent concerns about North American comparable sales and the company’s financial outlook. Zacks earnings preview

About Papa John's International

Papa John's International, Inc operates and franchises restaurants under the Papa Johns brand. The company specializes in pizza and related food products, serving customers primarily through delivery, carryout and dine-in locations, as well as online and mobile ordering platforms.

Its menu includes a variety of pizzas with different crusts and toppings, along with sides such as breadsticks, chicken products and desserts. Papa Johns also offers soft drinks, dipping sauces and other complementary items, with menus and promotions adapted to local markets.

Founded in 1984 by John Schnatter, Papa Johns has grown into an international restaurant system with locations across North America and various markets in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and other regions.

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