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Papa Johns International Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 lowered, 7 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Diluted EPS $0.24 against $0.28: Diluted EPS was $0.24 against $0.28 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS, a non-GAAP measure, was $0.46 against $0.41. Six-month diluted EPS was $0.46 against $0.56. Source
  • Domestic company-owned revenue fell $37 million: Domestic company-owned restaurant revenue fell about $37 million, of which about $25 million related to restaurants refranchised in the fourth quarter of 2025. Segment adjusted EBITDA was $6.6 million against $9.9 million. Source
  • North America comparable sales down 8.3%: North America system-wide sales fell 8% to $850.7 million, excluding currency. Comparable sales declined at both Domestic company-owned and North America franchised restaurants. Source
  • International comparable sales up 1.5%: International comparable sales rose 1.5%, against a 3.7% gain a year earlier. Six-month International comparable sales rose 2.5%. Source
  • Free cash flow down to $9.5 million: Six-month free cash flow was $9.5 million against $36.5 million. Operating cash flow was $35.8 million and capital spending was $26.4 million for the six months. Source
  • Net restaurant count down 42: The system ended the quarter at 5,978 restaurants. North America net declined 48 and International net rose 6. Source

“Second quarter results reflected continued momentum in our International business, where we delivered our seventh consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales”

Todd Penegor, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Global system-wide restaurant sales growth Sourcefiscal 2026Down (2)% to (4)%Lowered from Flat to Down Low Single-Digits
North America comparable sales Sourcefiscal 2026Down (6)% to (8)%Lowered from Down (2)% to (4)%
International comparable sales Sourcefiscal 2026Up 1% to 3%Lowered from Up 2% to 4%
North America gross openings Sourcefiscal 202640 to 50Kept
International gross openings Sourcefiscal 2026180 to 220Kept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal 2026$180 million to $190 millionLowered from $200 million to $210 million
Adjusted depreciation and amortization Sourcefiscal 2026$70 million to $75 millionKept
Interest expense, net Sourcefiscal 2026$35 million to $40 millionKept
GAAP effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 202630% to 34%Kept
Capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026$70 million to $80 millionKept
Diluted shares outstanding Sourcefiscal 2026Approximately 33 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EBITDA guidance for fiscal 2026 changed to $180 million to $190 million from $200 million to $210 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Global system-wide restaurant sales guidance for fiscal 2026 changed to down 2% to 4% from flat to down low single digits. Source
  • Guidance lowered: North America comparable sales guidance for fiscal 2026 changed to down 6% to 8% from down 2% to 4%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: International comparable sales guidance for fiscal 2026 changed to up 1% to 3% from up 2% to 4%. Source
  • Ended: The quarterly dividend is suspended, beginning with the third quarter 2026 dividend. Source
  • New: Capital allocation shifted to accelerate investment in the transformation strategy. Source

Results and earnings

  • Revenue down 8.8% year over year: Total revenues were $482.4 million, down $46.8 million. Management attributed the decline mainly to North America; International revenues rose $1 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS $0.24 against $0.28: Diluted EPS was $0.24 against $0.28 a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS, a non-GAAP measure, was $0.46 against $0.41. Six-month diluted EPS was $0.46 against $0.56. Source
  • Net income down $1.0 million: Net income was $8.7 million against $9.7 million. Management cited lower sales, partly offset by lower cost of sales and lower G&A expenses. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA flat year over year: Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, was $52.7 million, up $0.1 million. Higher International performance and lower cost of sales and G&A offset lower North America sales and volumes. Source
  • Prior-year comparison affected: Management said comparisons with the prior year are affected by a fourth-quarter 2025 refranchising transaction, so results are not directly comparable. Source

Segments and regions

  • Domestic company-owned revenue fell $37 million: Domestic company-owned restaurant revenue fell about $37 million, of which about $25 million related to restaurants refranchised in the fourth quarter of 2025. Segment adjusted EBITDA was $6.6 million against $9.9 million. Source
  • Franchising revenue down on franchise sales: North America franchising segment revenue was $33.3 million against $36.6 million. Segment adjusted EBITDA was $23.7 million against $26.8 million. Source
  • Commissary revenue fell on volumes: Commissary revenues fell $12 million, with higher pricing partly offsetting lower volumes. Segment adjusted EBITDA rose to $22.3 million from $19.7 million. Source
  • International revenue and EBITDA rose: International revenue was $45.0 million against $44.2 million, and segment adjusted EBITDA was $7.4 million against $5.6 million. System-wide sales growth excludes currency. Source

“As we look ahead, we are confident that we have the right operating and capital allocation strategy in place to improve performance and create value for our shareholders, customers and franchisees,”

Todd Penegor, President and CEO

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Cost of sales declined: Cost of sales was $339.0 million against $371.7 million. Management cited the refranchising, lower transaction volumes at company-owned restaurants, lower commissary volumes, and commodity deflation. Source
  • G&A expenses fell $11.2 million: G&A expenses were $59.0 million against $70.1 million. Management cited lower supplemental advertising and lower management and other compensation costs. Source
  • Company-owned restaurant margin computed: Computed from the segment table, 4-wall EBITDA was $15.6 million against $19.8 million. The company gave this definition without a stated quarterly figure. Source
  • Tax expense rose on income mix: Tax expense was $5.0 million against $4.2 million. Net interest expense fell to $9.5 million from $10.6 million on lower average interest rates. Source

Demand and comparable sales

  • North America comparable sales down 8.3%: North America system-wide sales fell 8% to $850.7 million, excluding currency. Comparable sales declined at both Domestic company-owned and North America franchised restaurants. Source
  • International comparable sales up 1.5%: International comparable sales rose 1.5%, against a 3.7% gain a year earlier. Six-month International comparable sales rose 2.5%. Source
  • Global comparable sales down 5.7%: Global comparable sales declined 5.7%, against a 1.6% gain a year earlier. Six-month global comparable sales declined 4.9%, against a 0.1% gain. Source
  • Global system-wide sales down 4.8%: Management said higher International comparable sales were more than offset by lower North America comparable sales and a trailing twelve-month decline in global net restaurants. Source

Customers and digital

  • Papa Rewards membership growing: Management cited Papa Rewards membership growth, supply chain savings, and AI-driven improvements to the ordering experience as recent progress. Source
  • Aggregator and market expansion plans: Planned transformation spending includes a sharper aggregator strategy for new customers, addressable market expansion, product innovation, and core menu improvement. Source
  • Franchisee incentives tied to standards: Planned franchisee financial incentives are tied to operational excellence and restaurant image improvements. Source

Strategy and transformation spend

  • Transformation restructuring costs rose: Restructuring costs were $3.4 million in the quarter, against $2.5 million a year earlier, and $7.5 million for the six months. Source
  • Accelerated software depreciation recorded: Accelerated software depreciation of $0.9 million was recorded in the quarter, tied to shortened lives of legacy software during the new point-of-sale and omnichannel rollout. Source
  • Supply chain optimization planned: Management plans supply chain optimization to improve cost leverage and four-wall EBITDA in restaurants, along with investment to build on International momentum. Source

Capital, cash and debt

  • Free cash flow down to $9.5 million: Six-month free cash flow was $9.5 million against $36.5 million. Operating cash flow was $35.8 million and capital spending was $26.4 million for the six months. Source
  • Collection timing and compensation drove change: Management attributed the change mainly to timing of collections, advertising fund marketing spend, compensation payments including under the Enterprise Transformation Plan, and lower net income. Source
  • Cash balance declined: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash were $28.5 million at June 28, 2026, against $37.0 million at December 28, 2025. Source
  • Long-term debt rose slightly: Long-term debt, less current portion, net was $715.2 million at June 28, 2026, against $710.4 million at December 28, 2025. Source

Restaurant base and openings

  • 50 openings and 92 closures: The company opened 50 restaurants system-wide, 9 in North America and 41 in International. It closed 92, of which 57 were in North America and 35 in International. Source
  • Net restaurant count down 42: The system ended the quarter at 5,978 restaurants. North America net declined 48 and International net rose 6. Source
  • Trailing four-quarter net count down 11: On a trailing four-quarter basis, system-wide net restaurants declined by 11. North America declined by 78 and International rose by 67. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 August 2026

  • Capital return to be revisited: The Board intends to revisit how to return capital through share repurchases and dividends as the company realizes the benefits of its transformation. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales SourceGlobal (5.7)%; North America (8.3)%; International 1.5% (second quarter 2026)
Store openings and closings Source50 opened, 92 closed, net decline of 42 in the second quarter 2026
Inventory Source$32.5 million at June 28, 2026, from $34.3 million at December 28, 2025

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited North America headwinds from a softer consumer environment, lower order volumes, and a highly promotional QSR marketplace. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Delayed: Management said the transformation is taking longer than the company had anticipated. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.