Papa John’s(US:PZZA) Benzinga·2025-11-06 15:27Core Insights - Papa John's International, Inc. missed profit expectations for Q3, reporting adjusted earnings per share of 32 cents against a consensus estimate of 41 cents [2] - The company also reported quarterly sales of $508.154 million, which was flat year over year and below the expected $523.793 million [3] - North America comparable sales turned negative, falling 3%, while International comparable sales rose 7% [5] Financial Performance - Net income decreased to $4 million from $42 million a year ago, and adjusted EBITDA was $48 million compared to $50 million in the prior year quarter [5] - Global systemwide restaurant sales were $1.21 billion, up 2% year over year, driven by stronger International sales and net unit growth [5] Operational Highlights - The company opened 45 new restaurants in the quarter, with 18 in North America and 27 in International markets, including two in India [6] - As of September 28, 2025, there were 5,994 Papa John's restaurants operating in 51 countries and territories [6] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2025, the company expects systemwide sales to rise 1% to 2%, down from a previous forecast of 2% to 5% [7] - North American comparable sales are projected to decline by 2% to 2.5%, revised from flat to up 2% [7] - Adjusted EBITDA is forecasted at $190 million to $200 million, down from the previous estimate of $200 million to $220 million [7] Market Sentiment - The company has a short float of 3.45 million shares, representing 14.44% of its publicly traded float, indicating a moderately elevated level of short interest [8] - Following the earnings report, PZZA shares were trading higher by 4.58% to $43.15 [8]