who owns papa john's
Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is a publicly traded company , meaning it's owned by its shareholders rather than a single individual or entity. No buyout has taken it private as of early 2026, despite ongoing rumors and bids from firms like Apollo Global Management.
Ownership Breakdown
The largest shareholders include a mix of insiders and institutions, based on the latest filings. Here's a snapshot of top holders:
Shareholder| Ownership %| Shares Held| Value (approx.)
---|---|---|---
John H. Schnatter (Founder)| 17.76%| 5,822,153| $214.84M 5
BlackRock Inc.| 14.23%| 4,664,424| $172.12M 5
Vanguard Group Inc.| 11.08%| 3,634,185| $134.10M 5
Bank of America Corp.| 5.08%| 1,666,265| $61.49M 5
Irth Capital Management| 4.97%| 1,628,503| $60.09M 5
John Schnatter, the original "Papa John," stepped down as chairman in 2017 amid controversy but retains significant influence as the top individual owner. Institutions dominate, reflecting typical public company structures.
Recent Developments
- No full buyout confirmed : Apollo upped its offer to $64/share in late 2025, but talks remain fluid with "activists circling." Papa John's stayed public into 2026.
- Franchise shifts : Most locations (over 90%) are franchise-owned. Recent news highlights Chris Patel's Pie Investments taking over 85 stores in D.C./Baltimore, with plans for 52 more by 2030.
- Trending buzz : Forums like Reddit speculate on buyouts ("Papa John’s bought out?"), but it's unsubstantiated chatter tied to stock volatility.
Historical Context
Founded in 1984 by Schnatter, it went public in 1993. Ownership has diluted over decades through sales—Schnatter once held majority control but now owns "just a slice." Speculation persists due to activist interest and pizza chain consolidation trends.
TL;DR : Publicly owned, led by Schnatter (18%) and institutions like BlackRock/Vanguard. No private takeover yet.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.