Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Brokerages

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) has been given an average rating of “Hold” by the thirteen brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $50.50.

Several research firms have weighed in on PZZA. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Papa John’s International from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Monday, October 20th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Papa John’s International in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $50.00 price target (down previously from $62.00) on shares of Papa John’s International in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Finally, Mizuho raised Papa John’s International to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Papa John’s International

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of 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 worth $290,000 after acquiring an additional 206 shares in the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Papa John’s International by 22.2% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,157 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the last quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management boosted its holdings in Papa John’s International by 3.1% during the second quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management now owns 7,623 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after purchasing an additional 226 shares during the last quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC grew its position in Papa John’s International by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Isthmus Partners LLC now owns 74,589 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,650,000 after purchasing an additional 271 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in Papa John’s International by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 5,176 shares of the company’s stock valued at $249,000 after buying an additional 304 shares during the last quarter.

Papa John’s International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:PZZA opened at $39.30 on Monday. Papa John’s International has a 52-week low of $30.16 and a 52-week high of $55.74. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $43.54 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $45.71. The firm has a market cap of $1.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.09, a PEG ratio of 4.15 and a beta of 1.16.

Papa John’s International (NASDAQ:PZZA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.08). Papa John’s International had a net margin of 1.79% and a negative return on equity of 13.54%. The firm had revenue of $508.15 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $523.67 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.43 EPS. The company’s revenue was up .3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Papa John’s International will post 2.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Papa John’s International Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 28th. Investors of record on Monday, November 17th were given a $0.46 dividend. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 17th. Papa John’s International’s dividend payout ratio is presently 164.29%.

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.