Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Rating Increased to Hold at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Papa John’s International was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a “sell” to a “hold” rating, adding to a mixed analyst picture. Overall, MarketBeat data shows a consensus rating of “Reduce” with a $36.50 price target.
• The stock was trading around $30.37, near its 52-week low of $29.55 and well below its 52-week high of $55.74. It has a market cap of about $999 million and is down from both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Recent earnings were weak: Papa John’s reported $0.32 EPS versus $0.40 expected, and revenue of $478.61 million also came in below estimates. Revenue fell 7.7% year over year, though analysts still expect full-year EPS of $1.48.

Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report released on Sunday.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Papa John's International from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Papa John's International from $32.00 to $30.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Papa John's International from $34.00 to $33.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Bank of America reiterated an "underperform" rating and issued a $34.00 price objective (down from $42.00) on shares of Papa John's International in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Stephens reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Papa John's International in a research note on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and a consensus price target of $36.50.

Papa John's International Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of PZZA opened at $30.37 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $999.17 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.59, a PEG ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.12. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $33.66 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.42. Papa John's International has a 52 week low of $29.55 and a 52 week high of $55.74.

Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.40 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $478.61 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $485.51 million. Papa John's International had a net margin of 1.37% and a negative return on equity of 10.71%. Papa John's International's revenue was down 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.36 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Papa John's International will post 1.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Papa John's International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Papa John's International during the 2nd quarter valued at about $59,000. Leonteq Securities AG purchased a new position in Papa John's International in the 4th quarter worth approximately $71,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Papa John's International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $73,000. Skylands Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Papa John's International during the 1st quarter worth approximately $65,000. Finally, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Papa John's International by 42.9% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,230 shares of the company's stock worth $72,000 after purchasing an additional 670 shares during the last quarter.

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.

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