16,739 Shares in Papa John’s International, Inc. $PZZA Purchased by Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund acquired a new position in Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 16,739 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $806,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of PZZA. Huntington National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Papa John’s International by 7,600.0% in the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,001 shares of the company’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 988 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted 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 acquiring an additional 210 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Papa John’s International during the second quarter worth $59,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in Papa John’s International by 41.0% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,702 shares of the company’s stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Papa John’s International by 342.9% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,767 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 1,368 shares during the period.

Papa John’s International Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:PZZA opened at $32.58 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.07 billion, a PE ratio of 29.09, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $37.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $42.81. Papa John’s International, Inc. has a twelve month low of $30.16 and a twelve month high of $55.74.

Papa John’s International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Monday, February 9th will be paid a $0.46 dividend. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.6%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 9th. Papa John’s International’s payout ratio is currently 164.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on PZZA shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Papa John’s International in a research note on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $42.00 price objective on shares of Papa John’s International in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Zacks Research raised shares of Papa John’s International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Papa John’s International from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Stephens lowered their price target on shares of Papa John’s International from $50.00 to $49.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, November 7th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $49.44.

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.