Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Stock Price Up 5.2% - Still a Buy?

Key Points

• Papa John’s shares rose 5.2% to about $20.16 on Friday, although trading volume was 92% below its average.
• Analyst sentiment is cautious: seven analysts rate the stock Hold and two rate it Sell, for an overall “Reduce” rating. The consensus price target is $28.57.
• Quarterly EPS matched estimates at $0.16, but revenue of $454.84 million fell short of forecasts and declined 10.5% year over year.

Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report)'s share price was up 5.2% on Friday. The stock traded as high as $19.92 and last traded at $20.1560. 106,093 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 92% from the average session volume of 1,285,984 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.16.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PZZA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Mizuho reduced their price objective on shares of Papa John's International from $26.00 to $20.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 30th. 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. Weiss Ratings downgraded Papa John's International from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. UBS Group cut their target price on Papa John's International from $28.00 to $21.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 2nd. Finally, Benchmark lowered Papa John's International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Papa John's International presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and a consensus target price of $28.57.

Papa John's International Stock Up 2.7%

The company has a market cap of $647.99 million, a P/E ratio of 26.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.17. The company's 50-day moving average is $19.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $29.28.

Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.16. The business had revenue of $454.84 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $459.48 million. Papa John's International had a net margin of 1.31% and a negative return on equity of 9.65%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.32 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Papa John's International, Inc. will post 1.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Papa John's International

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in Papa John's International by 42.9% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,230 shares of the company's stock valued at $72,000 after purchasing an additional 670 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new stake in Papa John's International in the second quarter worth $29,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in Papa John's International in the second quarter worth $33,000. Moody National Bank Trust Division raised its stake in shares of Papa John's International by 2.3% in the third quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 42,439 shares of the company's stock valued at $836,000 after buying an additional 954 shares during the period. Finally, PEAK6 LLC raised its stake in shares of Papa John's International by 4.2% in the third quarter. PEAK6 LLC now owns 30,193 shares of the company's stock valued at $595,000 after buying an additional 1,216 shares during the period.

Papa John's International Company Profile

Papa John's International, Inc. operates and franchises pizza restaurants under the Papa Johns brand. Its restaurants offer pizza alongside sides, desserts and beverages, with ordering options that include delivery and carryout. The company was founded in 1984 by John Schnatter, who opened its first restaurant in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Papa Johns has since expanded across the United States and into international markets, serving customers through company-owned restaurants and franchised locations.

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