Papa John's International Inc
NASDAQ: PZZA · CONSUMER CYCLICAL · RESTAURANTS
Updated 2026-06-05
Papa John's International Inc (PZZA) Stock Valuation Analysis
Fair value estimate, historical valuation range, and quality signals for PZZA.
Current price exceeds what fundamentals support. Risk/reward skewed unfavorably.
PZZA historical valuation range
Where current P/E sits in PZZA's own 5Y range.
PZZA intrinsic value (DCF)
DCF-based fair value estimate vs current market price.
Intrinsic value calculated using discounted cash flow (DCF) model based on projected free cash flows, discount rate, and terminal growth assumptions. A positive margin of safety indicates the current price is below estimated fair value, providing a cushion against estimation error.
PZZA valuation signals
Quick-read green flags, caution flags, and risks based on current metrics.
P/E Ratio — History
Current: 39.28x
P/S Ratio — History
Current: 0.53x
Is PZZA overvalued in 2026?
Papa John's International Inc (PZZA) currently trades at $33.38 per share with a market capitalization of $1,072,606,000.00. Based on our multi-factor framework, the stock appears richly valued with a Smart Value Score of 35/100. This score blends growth quality, financial health, and price attractiveness into a single institutional-grade read.
The stock trades at a P/E ratio of 39.3x, above its 5-year median of 38.2x. The PEG ratio of 2.35 indicates the price has run ahead of the underlying growth rate.
Looking at its own history, PZZA is currently trading more expensive than 62% of the last 5Y on P/E. This places it in the 62th percentile of its historical range, a reasonable but unremarkable position.
Our discounted cash flow model estimates PZZA's intrinsic value at $54.44 per share, against the current market price of $33.38. This implies a margin of safety of +37.53%. A meaningful cushion exists against model error, making this a reasonable risk-adjusted entry.
Financial quality is a concern. The Piotroski F-Score of 3/9 flags weakening fundamentals that deserve closer scrutiny before the valuation case can be fully trusted.
Bottom line: PZZA appears richly valued on our framework, with a Smart Value Score of 35/100. At current levels the risk/reward is skewed against the buyer. A materially lower price or significant operational improvement would be needed to change the picture.
Frequently asked questions
Is PZZA overvalued?
PZZA scores 35/100 on our Smart Value Score (Grade D), a weak overall profile. The DCF also shows a positive margin of safety, so price and fundamentals line up reasonably well.
What is PZZA's fair value?
Our DCF model estimates PZZA's intrinsic value at $54.44 per share, versus the current price of $33.38, a margin of safety of +37.53%. Fair value is the present value of the cash flows we project the business to produce, so a price below it means the market is pricing the stock below that conservative estimate.
What P/E ratio does PZZA trade at?
PZZA trades at a P/E of 39.3x on trailing twelve-month earnings, against a 5-year median of 38.2x. P/E is what you pay per dollar of profit, and sitting above its own median means the stock is pricier than usual relative to its earnings.
Is PZZA a buy based on valuation?
Our Smart Value rating for PZZA is Sell, from a Smart Value Score of 35/100 that blends growth, quality, and valuation. The profile skews cautious, and a better price or clearer operating improvement would strengthen the case. This is research to inform your decision, not personalized financial advice.
How does PZZA's valuation compare to its history?
On P/E, PZZA sits in the 62nd percentile of its own 5Y range, above its long-run median relative to where it has traded. A high percentile means today's multiple is near the top of its historical band.
What is PZZA's Smart Value Score?
PZZA's Smart Value Score is 35/100. It is a proprietary WallStSmart metric blending growth quality, financial health, and valuation into a single 0-100 read, and scores above 75 are rare, signaling strong multi-factor alignment.