Fresh Takeover Rumors Send Papa John’s Stock (PZZA) Up 18%

FomoAnxiety · 2026-03-11T17:43:04+00:00

Shares of Papa John’s rose 18% due to rumors of a potential acquisition by Irth Capital, offering $47 per share. This marks the third takeover rumor in six months, as the company faces declining sales. Wall Street analysts give it a Moderate Buy rating.

FomoAnxiety

2026-03-11 17:43:04

Abstract generation in progress

Shares of Papa John’s PZZA +18.56% ▲ are up 18% on fresh rumors that the pizza restaurant chain is about to be acquired.

Claim 70% Off TipRanks Premium

Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions
Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio’s potential

This is the third time in six months that Papa John’s has been rumored to be a takeover target. While previous deals failed to materialize or be finalized, this time media reports claim that the pizza chain has received a takeover bid from a Qatari-backed investment fund.

_The Wall Street Journal _was first to report that Irth Capital Management, with backing from Brookfield Asset Management BAM -1.68% ▼ , has submitted an offer to take acquire Papa John’s and take the company private. Trading in the stock was briefly halted due to a circuit breaker malfunction as the share price surged higher on the report.

Here We Go Again

According to multiple reports, Irth Capital has offered $47 per share for Papa John’s, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. The offer price represents a 50% premium to where PZZA stock had traded before news of the bid surfaced.

Papa John’s is said to be reviewing the takeover proposal from Irth Capital. The company currently has a market capitalization of $1.26 billion and its share price has declined 55% over the last five years. Papa John’s has struggled with declining sales since the Covid-19 pandemic ended.

Is PZZA Stock a Buy?

The stock of Papa John’s has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among eight Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on three Buy and five Hold recommendations issued in the last three months. The average PZZA price target of $42.57 implies 10% upside from current levels.

Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.