In the past few years, Papa John’s had a major leadership shakeup. Perhaps most famously, that includes the introduction of Rob Lynch as Papa John’s CEO. However, a lot of people are curious about who owns the company now. The company has been publicly traded since June 1993 on Nasdaq (ticker symbol: PZZA). So, the vast majority of the company is owned by institutional investors and mutual funds.
What Institutions Own the Most Shares of Papa John’s
Like most public-traded businesses, Papa John’s shares are mostly owned by various institutional investors. These include mutual funds, retirement accounts, hedge funds, investment management companies and more. The five largest owners of Papa John’s shares are all institutional investors:
- The Vanguard Group, Inc. holds around 3.7 million shares, around 10.2%.
- Rowe Price Associates, Inc. holds around 3.6 million shares, just under 10%
- Starboard Value LP holds 3.4 million shares, just under 9.5%
- BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. holds 3.2 million shares, around 8.8%
- Jackson Square Partners, LLC holds 2.3 million shares, just under 6.5%
Together, these businesses own about 45% of the outstanding shares of Papa John’s. The top 10 owners hold about 60% of the shares of the company.
All five of these are investment management/investment services businesses. This means that they are investing in companies like Papa John’s as part of funds. Thus, while they own the largest percentages of shares, they hold them for the benefit of various investors. Many people have their retirement savings invested through companies such as the above.
Thus, there is no single owner of Papa John’s. Instead, the vast majority of the company is owned by various investors big and small from around the country and world.
Which Individual Shareholder Owns the Most of the Cooperate Giant Papa John’s
Although most of the company’s shares are owned by institutional investors, there is one individual with a relatively large share of stocks: the former CEO of Papa Johns and the company’s founder, John Schnatter. He was ousted from the company in 2018 following several controversies including the use of a racial slur. Since then, he has gradually been selling off his ownership of the company and now owns less than 4% of the business.
Another noteworthy individual shareholder is basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal. He joined the board in 2019 and became an endorser of the brand. He also invested in several restaurants that were formerly company-owned. Shaq, along with the new CEO, has helped to greatly improve the company’s image, resulting in an increase in share prices over around 150% between early 2019 and mid-2021, an excellent rally to more than recover from the struggles resulting from 2018.
Learn More About Papa John’s
Discover more about Papa John’s and its ownership today. The company has seen some serious changes in recent years, moving away from its past and into a new era of growth and success. Clearly, those changes have been paying off for the various institutions and mutual funds that own the majority of the business. Expect to see more good news about Papa John’s and its leadership in the future.
