Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) Sets New 12-Month Low – Time to Sell?

Posted by George Bondi on Sep 9th, 2026

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA – Get Free Report)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $22.06 and last traded at $21.92, with a volume of 110659 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $22.76.

Papa John’s International News Roundup

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

Positive Sentiment: Papa John’s announced a multiyear partnership with AMB Sports and Entertainment, making it the official pizza partner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. The agreement is expected to support brand visibility, fan promotions and community marketing in the Atlanta market, although no financial terms were disclosed. Atlanta Wins. Papa Johns Delivers.
Neutral Sentiment: Rosen, Faruqi & Faruqi, Bernstein Liebhard, SBS Law and other firms reminded investors that November 2, 2026 is the deadline to seek lead-plaintiff status in the securities class action. These releases primarily solicit shareholder participation and do not represent new findings against the company. Rosen securities class action notice
Negative Sentiment: Law firms announced investigations and promoted litigation against Papa John’s and certain officers over alleged federal securities-law violations involving investors who purchased shares from August 7, 2025, through August 5, 2026. The investigation follows a company disclosure on August 6, 2026, and raises potential legal costs, reputational damage and uncertainty regarding prior corporate statements. The allegations have not been proven. Papa John’s securities fraud investigation

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on PZZA. Weiss Ratings raised Papa John’s International from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Benchmark downgraded Papa John’s International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen raised Papa John’s International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 26th. Stephens reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $24.00 price objective (down from $38.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Mizuho cut their target price on Papa John’s International from $33.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $32.00.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on PZZA

Papa John’s International Stock Performance

The stock’s 50-day moving average is $28.21 and its 200 day moving average is $32.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $718.58 million, a PE ratio of 27.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.08.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $482.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $481.25 million. Papa John’s International had a net margin of 1.34% and a negative return on equity of 10.98%. Papa John’s International’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 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Papa John’s International, Inc. will post 1.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in Papa John’s International by 32.8% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 19,028 shares of the company’s stock valued at $781,000 after purchasing an additional 4,705 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Papa John’s International during the first quarter worth about $600,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 19,785 shares of the company’s stock worth $813,000 after buying an additional 879 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Papa John’s International by 25.0% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 310,653 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,762,000 after buying an additional 62,103 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its position in Papa John’s International by 81.4% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 112,592 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,625,000 after acquiring an additional 50,536 shares during the period.

About Papa John’s International

(Get Free Report)

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.