PZZA
Consumer CyclicalPapa John's International, Inc. · Restaurants · $1B
What is Papa John's International, Inc.?
Papa John's International is one of the largest pizza delivery and carryout chains in the world, operating and franchising restaurants across more than 50 countries.
Papa John's generates revenue through company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties, and commissary sales — supplying ingredients and equipment to franchisees. The franchise-heavy model means most locations are independently operated, with Papa John's earning fees and food-service margins rather than bearing full restaurant operating costs.
Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Pizza delivery and carryout
- Franchise operations and royalties
- North America commissary supply chain
- International restaurant licensing
Is PZZA a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates PZZA as Below Average overall.
Valuation is the lone bright spot in PZZA's profile, rated Good — suggesting the market may already be pricing in the company's challenges relative to peers.
Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk all carry Weak ratings, pointing to broad fundamental headwinds across profitability, competitive positioning, and balance-sheet resilience.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does PZZA pay dividends?
Yes — Papa John's International, Inc. pays a dividend.
Papa John's pays a regular dividend, which may appeal to income-oriented investors. Given the Weak Quality and Risk ratings, however, dividend sustainability warrants scrutiny. Investors should review the company's free cash flow trends before relying on the payout.
When does PZZA report earnings?
Papa John's reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, typical for US-listed equities.
Recent quarters have reflected the pressures visible in PZZA's Weak Growth and Quality pillar ratings — including franchise system challenges and cost headwinds. Performance relative to quick-service peers has been a concern for investors tracking the brand's recovery trajectory.
For the most recent quarter's results, visit Papa John's investor relations page directly.
PZZA Price History
-54.1% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Papa John's International, Inc.?
Based on Papa John's International, Inc.'s historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Papa John's do?
Papa John's operates and franchises pizza delivery and carryout restaurants in the United States and internationally. It also runs a commissary business that supplies food ingredients and equipment to franchisees, giving it multiple revenue streams beyond restaurant sales.
Does PZZA pay dividends?
Yes, Papa John's pays a regular dividend. However, with Weak Quality and Risk pillar ratings, investors should assess whether the company's cash generation can comfortably sustain the payout over time before treating it as a reliable income source.
When does PZZA report earnings?
Papa John's follows a standard quarterly earnings schedule. For confirmed dates and the latest results, check the investor relations section of the company's official website, as specific dates are subject to change.
Is PZZA a good stock to buy?
PZZA carries a Below Average UQS Score, with Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk. The Valuation pillar is rated Good, which may interest contrarian investors. The full pillar breakdown is available to UQS Pro members.
Is PZZA overvalued?
The UQS Valuation pillar for PZZA is rated Good, suggesting the stock is not obviously expensive relative to its fundamentals. That said, a favorable valuation rating does not offset the Weak scores across the other four pillars.
What is PZZA's market cap bracket?
Papa John's is classified as a small-cap stock. This places it in a bracket where liquidity and analyst coverage can be thinner than large-cap peers, and where business-specific risks tend to have a more pronounced impact on share price.
Is PZZA a long-term quality indicator?
As a long-term quality indicator, PZZA's UQS profile raises caution. Weak ratings across Moat, Growth, and Quality suggest the business lacks the durable competitive advantages and earnings consistency typically associated with strong long-term holdings.
What sector does PZZA belong to?
Papa John's belongs to the Consumer Cyclical sector. Restaurants in this sector are sensitive to consumer spending trends, discretionary income levels, and macroeconomic conditions — all factors that can amplify both upside and downside in the business cycle.
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Pro Analysis
PZZA — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 34.5 | 34.9 | 18.0 | 27.7 | 26.8 | 78.1 | -0.1 |
| May 19, 2026 | 34.6 | 35.3 | 18.0 | 27.7 | 26.8 | 77.9 | -0.3 |
| May 9, 2026 | 34.9 | 35.1 | 18.0 | 27.8 | 26.7 | 80.8 | -0.2 |
| May 7, 2026 | 35.1 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 27.9 | 26.5 | 79.7 | +0.1 |
| May 3, 2026 | 35.0 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 27.9 | 26.5 | 78.4 | +0.2 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 34.8 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 27.9 | 26.5 | 77.4 | 0.0 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 34.8 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 28.0 | 26.5 | 77.3 | -0.2 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 35.0 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 28.0 | 26.5 | 78.8 | +0.3 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 34.7 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 28.0 | 26.5 | 76.4 | +0.1 |
| Apr 12, 2026 | 34.6 | 36.5 | 18.0 | 28.0 | 26.5 | 75.7 | 0.0 |
PZZA — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 34.9/100 (25%)Papa John's International, Inc. currently shows below-average quality metrics, suggesting challenges with profitability.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 27.7/100 (20%)Papa John's International, Inc. faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 26.8/100 (15%)Papa John's International, Inc. presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 78.1/100 (15%)Papa John's International, Inc. appears attractively valued relative to its earnings, cash flows, and sector peers.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 18/100 (25%)Papa John's International, Inc. operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for PZZA.
Score Composition
Financial Data
More Stock Analysis
How is the PZZA UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Papa John's International, Inc. is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Papa John's International, Inc.'s competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Papa John's International, Inc. is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.