Quarterlytics / Consumer Cyclical / Restaurants / Papa John's International, Inc.

Papa John's International, Inc.

pzza · NASDAQ Consumer Cyclical
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Ticker pzza
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Consumer Cyclical
Industry Restaurants
Employees 11400
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FY2021 Annual Report · Papa John's International, Inc.
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UNITED STATES 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

Washington, D.C.  20549 

FORM 10-K 

(Mark One) 

☒  Annual Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

☐ 

Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

For the fiscal year ended December 26, 2021 

or 

For the transition period from                                            to                                            

Commission File Number:  0-2166050 

PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

Delaware 
(State or other jurisdiction of 
incorporation or organization) 

2002 Papa John’s Boulevard 
Louisville, Kentucky 
(Address of principal executive offices) 

61-1203323 
(I.R.S. Employer 
Identification No.) 

40299-2367 
(Zip Code) 

(502) 261-7272 
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: 

(Title of Each Class) 
Common Stock, $0.01 par value 

Trading Symbol(s) 
PZZA 

(Name of each exchange on which registered) 
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes ☒  No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ☐  No ☒ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months 

(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☒  No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this 

chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes ☒  No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See 

the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 

Large accelerated filer ☒ 
Non-accelerated filer   ☐ 

Accelerated filer ☐ 
Smaller reporting company ☐ 
Emerging growth company ☐ 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting 

standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under 

Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☒ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  Yes ☐  No ☒ 

The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, computed by reference to the closing sale price on The Nasdaq Stock Market as of the last 

business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, June 27, 2021, was $3,727,485,157. 

As of February 17, 2022, there were 36,018,400 shares of the Registrant’s common stock outstanding. 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 

Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held April 27, 2022 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this annual report where 
indicated.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

PART I 

Item 1. 
Item 1A.   
Item 1B.   
Item 2. 
Item 3. 
Item 4. 

Business 
Risk Factors 
Unresolved Staff Comments 
Properties 
Legal Proceedings 
  Mine Safety Disclosures 

PART II 

Item 5. 

Item 6. 
Item 7. 

Item 7A.   
Item 8. 
Item 9. 

Item 9A.   
Item 9B.   
Item 9C.  

PART III 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer 
Purchases of Equity Securities 
Intentionally Omitted 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of 
Operations 
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial 
Disclosure 
Controls and Procedures 
Other Information 
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 

Item 10. 
Item 11. 
Item 12. 

Item 13. 
Item 14. 

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 
Executive Compensation 
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related 
Stockholder Matters 
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 
Principal Accounting Fees and Services 

PART IV 

Item 15. 

Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 

3 
10 
21 
22 
24 
24 

27 
28 

29 
44 
45 

87 
87 
89 

89 

89 
89 

89 
90 
90 

90 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PART I 

Item 1.  Business 

General 

Papa John’s International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to as the “Company”, “Papa John’s” or in the first person 
notations  of  “we”,  “us”  and  “our”),  operates  and  franchises  pizza  delivery  and  carryout  restaurants  and,  in  certain 
international markets, dine-in and delivery restaurants under the trademark “Papa John’s”.  Papa John’s began operations 
in 1984. At December 26, 2021, there were 5,650 Papa John’s restaurants in operation, consisting of 600 Company-owned 
and 5,050 franchised restaurants operating in 50 countries and territories. Our Company-owned restaurants include 188 
restaurants operated under four joint venture arrangements. All of the 2,311 international restaurants are franchised.   

Strategy 

We are committed to delivering on our brand promise “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.®” and a business 
strategy designed to drive sustainable long-term, profitable growth.   

We believe that using high quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Our original crust pizza dough is made 
from six simple ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. We also top our pizzas with real cheese made from mozzarella, 
pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes, and meat free of fillers. Our marketing and menu strategies emphasize the 
quality of our ingredients and our new product innovations to accelerate sales. One of our most recent menu innovations, 
the  new  Epic  Stuffed  Crust  pizza,  was  officially  launched  in  the  first  quarter  of  2021  and  has  been  one  of  our  most 
successful launches to date. The Epic Stuffed Crust pizza, and other menu innovations like our recently announced New 
York Style pizza, along with Garlic Parmesan Crust, toasted handheld “Papadias” flatbread-style sandwiches and Jalapeno 
Popper Rolls launched in 2020, demonstrates our commitment to building new long-term sustainable menu products on 
which we can continue to innovate. These products form the foundation of our growing comparable sales and improving 
unit economics.  

We utilize technology to deliver a better customer experience, improve operational efficiencies and inform our decision-
making. Our loyalty program (“Papa Rewards”) and one-to-one marketing platforms help us retain loyal customers and 
attract new ones. As our loyalty program grows, it continues to deliver strategic benefits. Papa Rewards customers are 
significantly  more  profitable  than  non-loyalty  customers  since  we  are  able  to  directly  engage  them  with  targeted 
personalized offers that drive higher frequency, ticket price and satisfaction. We also partner with top domestic delivery 
aggregators to meet customer demand for our products. Aggregators have also helped navigate the labor shortage that the 
Company is experiencing by providing supplemental delivery drivers, especially during peak times when our delivery 
teams are working at full capacity.  

We continue to pursue a growth strategy by expanding our footprint, both domestically and internationally. In August 
2021, we announced our expanded partnership with Drake Food Service International to open over 220 restaurants across 
Latin  America,  Spain,  Portugal  and  the  United  Kingdom  (“UK”)  by  2025.  In  September  2021,  we  announced  the 
Company's largest domestic development deal ever with Sun Holdings, who will open 100 new locations in high-growth 
markets in Texas and the South by 2029. Most recently, in January 2022, we announced a partnership with FountainVest 
Partners, one of Asia’s leading independent private equity firms, to open more than 1,350 new stores across South China 
by 2040, the largest franchisee development agreement in our history. 

A large majority of Papa John’s restaurants are franchised. We believe a franchised model provides resiliency of earnings 
and presents us with an opportunity to enhance growth with less capital investment than a traditional company-operated 
restaurant model. We seek to attract and retain franchisees with experience in restaurant or retail operations and with the 
financial resources and management capabilities to open single or multiple locations. While each Papa John’s franchisee 
manages  and  operates  its  own  restaurants  and  business,  we  devote  significant  resources  to  providing  franchisees  with 
assistance in restaurant operations, quality assurance, technology, training, marketing, site selection and restaurant design. 
Papa John’s franchise owners benefit from our award-winning brand, food service capabilities and the Papa John’s digital 
and delivery model.  

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Segment Overview 

Papa John’s has four defined reportable segments: Domestic Company-owned restaurants, North America commissaries 
(Quality Control Centers), North America franchising and International operations. 

Domestic Company-owned Restaurants  

The Domestic Company-owned restaurant segment consists of the operations of all domestic Company-owned restaurants 
(“domestic” is defined as the contiguous United States) and derives its revenues principally from retail sales of pizza, 
Papadias, and side items, including breadsticks, cheesesticks, chicken poppers and wings, dessert items and canned or 
bottled beverages.  

Of the total 3,339 North American restaurants open as of December 26, 2021, 600 units, or approximately 18%, were 
Company-owned.  In 2021, the 579 domestic Company-owned restaurants included in the full year’s comparable restaurant 
base  generated  average  annual  unit  sales  of  $1.3  million.  We  are  committed  to  maintaining  sound  restaurant  unit 
economics.   

Operating Company-owned restaurants allows us to improve operations, training, marketing and quality standards for the 
benefit of the entire Papa John’s system. 

North America commissary 

The North America commissary segment comprises 11 full-service regional dough production and distribution Quality 
Control Centers (“QC Centers”) in the United States (“U.S.”), which supply pizza sauce, dough, food products, paper 
products, smallwares and cleaning supplies twice weekly to each traditional restaurant served. This system enables us to 
monitor and control product quality and consistency while lowering food and other costs. We also have one QC Center in 
Canada, which produces and distributes fresh dough. We evaluate the QC Center system capacity in relation to existing 
restaurants’ volumes and planned restaurant growth, and facilities are developed or upgraded as operational or economic 
conditions warrant. To ensure consistent food quality, each domestic franchisee is required to purchase dough and pizza 
sauce from our QC Centers and to purchase all other supplies from our QC Centers or other approved suppliers. 

North America franchising  

The North America franchising segment consists of our franchise sales and support activities and derives its revenues from 
the sale of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our franchisees located in the United 
States  and  Canada.  Our  North  American  franchised  restaurants,  which  included  2,384  restaurants  in  the  full  year’s 
comparable base for 2021, generated average annual unit sales of $1.1 million. These sales, while not included in the 
Company’s  revenues,  contribute  to  our  royalty  revenues,  franchisee  marketing  fund  contributions,  and  commissary 
revenue.   

International  

The International segment principally consists of distribution sales to franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the UK 
and our franchise sales and support activities, which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and 
the  collection  of  royalties  from  our  international  franchisees.  International  franchisees  are  defined  as  all  franchise 
operations outside of the United States and Canada. As of December 26, 2021, there were 2,311 international restaurants, 
all of which are franchised. The Company currently operates one international QC Center, which is in the UK. Other QC 
Centers outside the U.S. are operated by franchisees pursuant to license agreements or by other third parties.  

All others 

All other business units that do not meet the quantitative thresholds for determining reportable segments, which are not 
operating  segments,  we  refer  to  as  “all  others”.  These  consist  of  operations  that  derive  revenues  from  franchise 
contributions  to  our  marketing  funds  and  the  sale,  principally  to  Company-owned  and  franchised  restaurants,  of 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
information systems and related services used in restaurant operations, including our point-of-sale system, online and other 
technology-based ordering platforms, and printing and promotional items. 

See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Note 22” of “Notes 
to Consolidated Financial Statements” for financial information about our segments. 

Development 

At December 26, 2021, there were 5,650 Papa John’s restaurants operating in 50 countries and territories, as follows: 

Domestic 
Company- 
owned 

Franchised  
North 
America  

Total North 
America 

      International        System-wide 

Beginning - December 27, 2020 
Opened 
Closed 
Acquired 
Sold 
Ending - December 26, 2021 
Net unit growth 

 588  
 11  
 —  
 1  
 —  
 600  
 12  

 2,701  
 74  
 (35) 
 —  
 (1) 
 2,739  
 38  

 3,289  
 85  
 (35)  
 1  
 (1)  
 3,339  
 50  

 2,111  
 304  
 (104) 
 —  
 —  
 2,311  
 200  

 5,400 
 389 
 (139)
 1 
 (1)
 5,650 
 250 

Although  most  of  our  domestic  Company-owned  markets  are  well-penetrated,  our  Company-owned  restaurant  growth 
strategy  is  to  continue  to  open  domestic  restaurants  in  existing  markets  as  appropriate,  thereby  increasing  consumer 
awareness and enabling us to take advantage of operational and marketing scale efficiencies. Our experience in developing 
markets  indicates  that  market  penetration  through  the  opening  of  multiple  restaurants  in  a  particular  market  results  in 
increased average restaurant sales in that market over time. We have co-developed domestic markets with some franchisees 
or divided markets among franchisees and will continue to use market co-development in the future, where appropriate. 

Franchise Program 

We continue to attract qualified and experienced franchisees, whom we consider to be a vital part of our system’s continued 
growth. We believe our relationship with our franchisees is fundamental to the performance of our brand and we strive to 
maintain  a  collaborative  relationship  with  our  franchisees.    Franchisees  are  approved  on  the  basis  of  the  applicant’s 
business background, restaurant operating experience and financial resources.  

North America Development and Franchise Agreements.  We enter into development agreements with our franchisees in 
North  America  for  the  opening  of  a  specified  number  of  restaurants  within  a  defined  period  of  time  and  specified 
geographic area. The franchise agreement is generally executed once a franchisee secures a location. Our current standard 
franchise agreement requires the franchisee to pay a royalty fee of 5% of sales, and the majority of our existing franchised 
restaurants  have  a  5%  contractual  royalty  rate  in  effect.  Incentives  offered  from  time  to  time,  including  new  store 
incentives, will reduce the contractual royalty rate paid. We provided financial assistance for traditional North America 
franchisees in 2020 and 2019 in the form of lower royalties, royalty-based service incentives, and targeted relief as well 
as  additional  contributions  to  Papa  John’s  Marketing  Fund  (“PJMF”).  This  temporary  franchisee  assistance  program 
concluded in the third quarter of 2020. 

Over  the  past  several  years,  we  have  offered  various  development  incentive  programs  for  domestic  franchisees  to 
accelerate unit openings. Such incentives included the following for 2021 traditional openings: (1) waiver of all or part of 
the standard one-time franchise fee; (2) waiver of all or part of the 5% royalty fee for a period of time; (3) credit for new 
store  equipment;  and  (4) credit  to  be  applied  toward  a  future  food  purchase,  under  certain  circumstances.  We  believe 
development incentive programs have accelerated unit openings, and we expect to continue to utilize such development 
incentives. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Substantially all existing franchise agreements have an initial 10-year term with a 10-year renewal option. We have the 
right to terminate a franchise agreement for a variety of reasons, including a franchisee’s failure to make payments when 
due or failure to adhere to our operational policies and standards. Many state franchise laws limit our ability as a franchisor 
to terminate or refuse to renew a franchise. 

International Development and Franchise Agreements.   In international markets, we have either a development agreement 
or a master franchise agreement with a franchisee for the opening of a specified number of restaurants within a defined 
period of time and specified geographic area. Under a master franchise agreement, the franchisee has the right to sub-
franchise a portion of the development to one or more sub-franchisees approved by us.   

Our current standard international master franchise and development agreements provide for payment to us of a royalty 
fee of 5% of sales. For international markets with sub-franchise agreements, the effective sub-franchise royalty received 
by  the  Company  is  generally  3%  of  sales  and  the  master  franchisee  generally  receives  a  royalty  of  2%  of  sales.  The 
remaining  terms  applicable  to  the  operation  of  individual  restaurants  are  substantially  equivalent  to  the  terms  of  our 
domestic  franchise  agreement.  Development  agreements  will  be  negotiated  at  other-than-standard  terms  for  fees  and 
royalties, and we may offer various development and royalty incentives to help drive unit growth and results. 

Franchise Operations. All franchisees are required to operate their Papa John’s restaurants in compliance with our policies, 
standards and specifications, including matters such as menu items, ingredients, and restaurant design. Franchisees have 
full discretion in human resource practices, and generally have full discretion to determine the prices to be charged to 
customers, but we generally have the authority to set maximum price points for nationally advertised promotions. 

Franchisee  Loans. Selected  domestic  and  international  franchisees  have  borrowed  funds  from  us,  principally  for  the 
purchase of restaurants from us or other franchisees or, in certain international markets, for construction and development 
of new restaurants. Loans made to franchisees can bear interest at fixed or floating rates and in most cases are secured by 
the fixtures, equipment and signage of the restaurant and/or are guaranteed by the franchise owners. At December 26, 
2021,  net  loans  outstanding  totaled  $47.9  million.  See  “Note  2”  of  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements”  for 
additional information. 

Marketing Programs 

Our domestic marketing strategy consists of both national and local components. Our national strategy includes national 
advertising via television, print, direct mail, digital, mobile marketing and social media channels. Our digital marketing 
activities have increased significantly over the past several years in response to increasing customer use of online and 
mobile technology. Local advertising programs include television, radio, print, direct mail, store-to-door flyers, digital, 
mobile marketing and local social media channels.  

Domestic Company-owned and franchised Papa John’s restaurants within a defined market may be required to join an area 
advertising cooperative (“Co-op”). Each member restaurant contributes a percentage of sales to the Co-op for market-wide 
programs, such as television, radio, digital and print advertising, and sports sponsorships. The rate of contribution and uses 
of the monies collected are determined by a majority vote of the Co-op’s members.  

The restaurant-level and Co-op marketing efforts are supported by media, print, digital and electronic advertising materials 
that are produced by PJMF, our national marketing fund. PJMF is a consolidated nonstock corporation, designed to operate 
at break-even for the purpose of designing and administering advertising and promotional programs for all participating 
domestic restaurants. PJMF produces and buys air time for Papa John’s national television commercials and advertises the 
Company’s  products  through  digital  media  including  banner  advertising,  paid  search-engine  advertising,  mobile 
marketing, social media advertising and marketing, text messaging, and email.  PJMF also engages in other brand-building 
activities, such as consumer research and public relations activities. Domestic Company-owned and franchised Papa John’s 
restaurants are required to contribute a certain minimum percentage of sales to PJMF.   

In international markets, our marketing focuses on reaching customers who live or work within a small radius of a Papa 
John’s restaurant. Our international markets use a combination of advertising strategies, including television, radio, print, 
digital, mobile marketing and local social media depending on the size of the local market. 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Human Capital 

Our team members are critical to our success. As of December 26, 2021, we employed approximately 14,000 persons, of 
whom approximately 11,500 were team members at Company-owned restaurants, approximately 700 were management 
personnel at Company-owned restaurants, approximately 700 were corporate personnel and approximately 1,100 were QC 
Center and our print and promotions subsidiary personnel. Our team members are non-unionized, and most restaurant team 
members work part-time and are paid on an hourly basis.  

Our franchisees are independent business owners, so their employees are not our employees and therefore are not included 
in our employee count. We estimate the total number of persons in the Papa John’s system, including our team members, 
franchisees and the team members of franchisees, was approximately 115,000 as of December 26, 2021. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is rooted in our belief that having a Papa John's family that fully reflects 
and celebrates the global nature of our brand is the right way to do business. After being recognized by Forbes in 2021 as 
one of America's Best Employers for Diversity, Papa John's joined Forbes' annual list of the World's Best employers. We 
were honored to rank #1 amongst all pizza companies and #2 in the entire restaurant category. Also, for the second year 
in a row, we received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index. 

Creating an inclusive and diverse culture that supports and values team members is important to attracting and retaining 
talented, dedicated employees. We’re implementing initiatives to diversify our workforce and leadership pipeline, embed 
policies and practices that ensure fairness and instill and reward behaviors across the organization that foster belonging 
and increase employee engagement. Out of the 19 members of our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors, nine 
are female, three are Black, and one is Hispanic. We have also initiated multiple corporate initiatives over the past several 
years, including required unconscious bias training for team members, annual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training for 
all team members, the launch of The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community, our Day of Service with Boys and 
Girls Clubs of America, and the creation of eight employee resource affinity groups.  

Talent Attraction, Retention and Development 

Our ability to attract and retain hourly employees in our restaurants has become more challenging, especially as the job 
market has become more competitive and COVID-19 related factors, especially the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, 
have prevented employees from being able to work due to illness or quarantine.  While we expect the impact of Omicron 
to subside, we expect labor and inflationary cost challenges to be a continued priority focus for us in 2022. We continue 
to aspire to be the employer of choice in our industry, including through commitment to diversity and inclusion, and our 
investments in our team members. In 2021, we announced new hiring, referral and appreciation bonuses. We also made 
permanent the expanded health, wellness, paid time off and college tuition benefits that we rolled out during the pandemic, 
including free virtual healthcare visits for all part-time and full-time team members. We intend to continue making these 
kinds of investments to ensure we support our team members as they support our customers.  

To help our team members succeed in their roles and to ensure consistent operational execution, we emphasize continuous 
training and development opportunities, including providing innovative tools and materials for the operational training 
and  development  of  team  members.  Operations  personnel  complete  our  management  training  program  and  ongoing 
development  programs,  including  multi-unit  training,  in  which  instruction  is  given  on  all  aspects  of  our  systems  and 
operations. In addition, to further support our team members’ development, we have established our Dough & Degrees 
program, which allows our team members to earn a college degree for free or at a reduced tuition in partnership with 
Purdue University Global and the University of Maryland Global Campus. We also offer a tuition reimbursement program 
that provides another opportunity for our team members to advance their careers.  

Workplace Health and Safety 

As part of the Company’s enterprise-wide safety management system, we invest in training, technology and people to 
protect both our customers and team members. All Papa John’s team members, from those at our corporate offices to 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
those working in  our  warehouses  and restaurants,  receive annual  safety  training based  on  the  requirements  of  their 
roles. Our QC Centers and restaurant operations undergo annual safety audits, as well as random safety checks by regional 
safety managers and field safety coordinators.  

We have also taken steps to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our team members and our customers by 
implementing extra health and safety measures across our business, including No Contact Delivery and enhanced cleaning 
and sanitization measures.  

Industry and Competition 

The United States Quick Service Restaurant pizza (“QSR Pizza”) industry is mature and highly competitive with respect 
to price, service, location, food quality, customer loyalty programs and product innovation. The QSR Pizza category is 
largely fragmented, and competitors include a few large national chains and many smaller regional chains, as well as a 
large number of local independent pizza operators, any of which can utilize a growing number of food delivery services.  
Some  of  our  competitors  have  been  in  existence  for  substantially  longer  periods  than  Papa  John’s,  have  substantially 
greater resources than Papa John’s and can have higher levels of restaurant penetration and stronger, more developed brand 
awareness in markets where we compete. Competition from delivery aggregators and other food delivery concepts also 
continues to increase. 

Internationally, the pizza delivery model is not as mature as the domestic market and presents a growth opportunity for 
Papa John’s. We believe demand from international consumers will continue to increase as the demand for pizza delivery 
and carryout continues. We continue to execute on our growth strategy and expand throughout the world.  

With respect to the sale of franchises, we compete with many franchisors of restaurants and other business concepts. There 
is also active competition for management personnel, drivers and hourly team members, and attractive commercial real 
estate sites suitable for Papa John’s restaurants. 

Government Regulation 

We, along with our franchisees, are subject to various federal, state, local and international laws affecting the operation of 
our respective businesses, including laws and regulations related to our marketing and advertising as well as the preparation 
and sale of food, food safety and menu labeling. Each Papa John’s restaurant is subject to licensing and regulation by a 
number of governmental authorities, which include zoning, health, safety, sanitation, building and fire agencies in the state 
or municipality in which the restaurant is located. Difficulties in obtaining, or the failure to obtain, required licenses or 
approvals could delay or prevent the opening of a new restaurant in a particular area. Our QC Centers are licensed and 
subject to regulation by state and local health and fire codes, and the operation of our trucks is subject to federal and state 
transportation regulations. We are also subject to federal and state environmental regulations. In addition, our domestic 
operations are subject to various federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wage requirements, benefits, 
taxation, working conditions, citizenship requirements, and overtime. 

We are subject to Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) regulation and various state laws regulating the offer and sale of 
franchises. The laws of several states also regulate substantive aspects of the franchisor-franchisee relationship. The FTC 
requires us to furnish to prospective franchisees a franchise disclosure document containing prescribed information. State 
laws that regulate the franchisor-franchisee relationship presently exist in a significant number of states, and bills have 
been introduced in Congress from time to time that would provide for federal regulation of the U.S. franchisor-franchisee 
relationship in certain respects if such bills were enacted. State laws often limit, among other things, the duration and scope 
of non-competition provisions and the ability of a franchisor to terminate or refuse to renew a franchise. Some foreign 
countries  also  have  disclosure  requirements  and  other  laws  regulating  franchising  and  the  franchisor-franchisee 
relationship.  National,  state  and  local  government  regulations  or  initiatives,  including  health  care  legislation,  “living 
wage,” or other current or proposed regulations, and increases in minimum wage rates affect Papa John’s as well as others 
within the restaurant industry. We are also subject to applicable laws in each non-U.S. jurisdiction in which we operate. 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Privacy and Data Protection 

We are subject to privacy and data protection laws and regulations globally. The legal and regulatory landscape for privacy 
and data protection continues to evolve, and there has been an increase in attention given to privacy and data protection 
issues with the potential to impact our business. This includes recently enacted laws and regulations in the U.S. and in 
other  countries  which  require  notification  to  individuals  and  government  authorities  of  breaches  involving  certain 
categories of personal information. Any changes in privacy and data protection laws or regulations could also adversely 
impact the way we use e-mail, text messages and other marketing techniques and could require changes in our marketing 
strategies. We have a privacy policy posted on our website at www.papajohns.com. The security of our financial data, 
customer information and other personal information is a priority for us. 

Trademarks, Copyrights and Domain Names 

We protect our intellectual property through a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, foreign 
intellectual  property  laws,  confidentiality  agreements  and  other  contractual  provisions.  We  have  also  registered,  and 
applied for the registration of, U.S. and international trademarks, service marks, domain names and copyrights. From time 
to time, we are made aware of the use by other persons in certain geographical areas of names and marks that are the same 
as  or  substantially  similar  to  our  marks.  It  is  our  policy  to  pursue  registration  of  our  marks  whenever  possible  and  to 
vigorously oppose any infringement of our marks. 

We hold copyrights in authored works used in our business, including advertisements, packaging, training, website, and 
promotional materials. In addition, we have registered and maintain Internet domain names, including “papajohns.com,” 
and country code domains patterned as papajohns.cc, or a close variation thereof, with “.cc” representing a specific country 
code. 

Environmental Matters 

We are not aware of any federal, state, local or international environmental laws or regulations that we expect to materially 
affect our earnings or competitive position or result in material capital expenditures. However, we cannot predict the effect 
of possible future environment legislation or regulations on our operations. During 2021, we had no material environmental 
compliance-related capital expenditures, and no such material expenditures are anticipated in 2022. 

Impact of COVID-19 

Please refer to “Recent Business Matters” within “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition 
and  Results  of  Operations”  for  a  discussion  of  recent  business  developments,  including  the  impact  the  COVID-19 
pandemic is having on our business and results of operations and financial condition. 

Additional Information 

All  of  our  periodic  and  current  reports  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the  “SEC”)  pursuant  to 
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are available, free 
of charge, through our website located at www.papajohns.com.  These reports include our annual reports on Form 10-K, 
quarterly reports  on  Form 10-Q,  current reports  on  Form 8-K  and  any  amendments  to those  reports. These  reports are 
available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with the SEC. We also 
make available free of charge on our website our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Board Committee Charters, and our 
Code of Ethics, which applies to Papa John’s directors, officers and employees. Printed copies of such documents are also 
available  free  of  charge  upon  written  request  to  Investor  Relations,  Papa  John’s  International, Inc.,  P.O. Box  99900, 
Louisville, KY 40269-0900. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, 
and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us, at www.sec.gov. The references 
to these website addresses do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the websites, which 
should not be considered part of this document. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 1A. Risk Factors 

We are subject to risks that could have a negative effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. 
These risks could cause actual operating results to differ from those expressed in certain “forward-looking statements” 
contained in this Form 10-K as well as in other Company communications. You should carefully consider the following 
risk factors together with all other information included in this Form 10-K and our other publicly filed documents. 

Industry Risks 

We are subject to risks related to epidemic and pandemic outbreaks, including COVID-19, which may have a material 
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

We are subject to risks related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has had, and is expected to continue to have, 
significant  adverse  impacts  on  economic  and  market  conditions.  In  response  to  the  pandemic,  governments  and  other 
authorities  around  the  world  have  imposed  or  re-imposed  measures  to  attempt  to  control  the  spread  of  COVID-19, 
including restrictions on freedom of movement and business operations such as travel bans, social distancing requirements, 
including  limitations  on  gatherings,  shelter-in-place  orders  and  quarantines,  facial  covering  mandates  and  mandated 
business closures, which have resulted in significant changes in commercial activity and consumer behavior. We cannot 
predict when the effects of the pandemic will subside, how long there will be continuing resurgences of the virus or its 
variants, including the Delta and Omicron variants, or the effectiveness and uptake of vaccines and treatment therapies. 
To the extent that the COVID-19 pandemic continues or worsens, restrictions imposed by governments may not be lifted, 
or additional restrictions may be imposed. As a result, businesses such as our restaurants or QC Centers are subject to 
restrictions or other requirements intended to control the spread of COVID-19, including vaccine or testing mandates, and 
our employees may be prohibited from working, and our supply chains may be interrupted. It may be challenging to staff 
our QC Centers and restaurants and to obtain and process ingredients and raw materials to support our business needs. In 
addition, individuals have and may continue to become ill, quarantined or otherwise unable to work and/or travel due to 
health  reasons,  vaccine  mandates  or  other  governmental  restrictions.  Also,  governments  may  impose  other  laws, 
regulations or taxes that could adversely impact our business, financial condition or results of operations.  

The potential adverse effects of COVID-19 also could include, but may not be limited to, our ability to meet consumer 
demand through the continued availability of our workforce and our franchisees’ workforce; adverse impacts from new 
laws and regulations affecting our business; increased cyber risks and reliance on technology infrastructure to support our 
business and operations, including through remote-work protocols; fluctuations in foreign currency markets; credit risks 
of  our  customers  and  counterparties;  and  impairment  of  long-lived  assets,  the  carrying  value  of  goodwill  or  other 
indefinite-lived intangible assets.  However, given the evolving health, economic, social, and governmental environments, 
the specific impact that COVID-19 could have on these risks remains uncertain. 

Moreover, during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced a significant increase in comparable sales 
and revenues. While we believe that as pandemic-related restrictions are lifted, we are benefitting from the increase in 
customers we have experienced due to our menu innovation, customer loyalty programs and our offerings of high-quality 
pizza and other menu items, we do not expect to be able to maintain the same level of annual growth rates in comparable 
sales and revenues in the future. 

Our profitability may suffer as a result of intense competition in our industry.  

The U.S. QSR Pizza industry is mature and highly competitive. Competition is based on price, service, location, food 
quality, brand recognition and loyalty, product innovation, effectiveness of marketing and promotional activity, use of 
technology, and the ability to identify and satisfy consumer preferences. We may need to reduce the prices for some of 
our  products  to  respond  to  competitive  and  customer  pressures,  which  may  adversely  affect  our  profitability.  When 
commodity  and  other  costs  increase, we  may be  limited  in  our  ability  to  increase prices.  With  the  significant  level  of 
competition and the pace of innovation, we may be required to increase investment spending in several areas, particularly 
marketing and technology, which can decrease profitability.  

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
In addition to competition with our larger competitors, we face competition from new competitors such as fast casual pizza 
concepts. We also face competitive pressures from an array of food delivery concepts and aggregators delivering for quick 
service or dine in restaurants, using new delivery technologies or delivering for competitors who previously did not have 
delivery capabilities, some of which may have more effective marketing. The emergence or growth of new competitors, 
in the pizza category or in the food service industry generally, may make it difficult for us to maintain or increase our 
market share and could negatively impact our sales and our system-wide restaurant operations.   We also face increasing 
competition from other home delivery services and grocery stores that offer an increasing variety of prepped or prepared 
meals in response to consumer demand. As a result, our sales can be directly and negatively impacted by actions of our 
competitors, the emergence or growth of new competitors, consumer sentiment or other factors outside our control. 

One of our competitive strengths is our “BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA.®” brand promise. This means we 
may use ingredients that cost more than the ingredients some of our competitors may use. Because of our investment in 
higher-quality ingredients, we could have lower profit margins than some of our competitors if we are not able to establish 
a quality differentiator that resonates with consumers. Our sales may be particularly impacted as competitors increasingly 
emphasize lower-cost menu options. 

Changes in consumer preferences or discretionary consumer spending could adversely impact our results.  

Changes in consumer preferences and trends could negatively affect us (for example, changes in consumer perceptions of 
certain ingredients that could cause consumers to avoid pizza or some of its ingredients in favor of foods that are or are 
perceived  as  healthier,  lower-calorie,  or  lower  in  carbohydrates  or  otherwise  based  on  their  ingredients  or  nutritional 
content).  Preferences for a dining experience such as fast casual pizza concepts could also adversely affect our restaurant 
business  and  reduce  the  effectiveness  of  our  marketing  and  technology  initiatives.  Also,  our  success  depends  to  a 
significant extent on numerous factors affecting consumer confidence and discretionary consumer income and spending, 
such  as  general  economic  conditions,  customer  sentiment  and  the  level  of  employment.  Any  factors  that  could  cause 
consumers to spend less on food or shift to lower-priced products could reduce sales or inhibit our ability to maintain or 
increase pricing, which could adversely affect our operating results. 

Food safety and quality concerns may negatively impact our business and profitability.  

Incidents or reports of food- or water-borne illness or other food safety issues, investigations or other actions by food 
safety regulators, food contamination or tampering, employee hygiene and cleanliness failures, improper franchisee or 
employee conduct, or presence of communicable disease at our restaurants (both Company-owned and franchised), QC 
Centers, or suppliers could lead to product liability or other claims. If we were to experience any such incidents or reports, 
our brand and reputation could be negatively impacted. This could result in a significant decrease in customer traffic and 
could  negatively  impact  our  revenues  and  profits.  Similar  incidents  or  reports  occurring  at  quick  service  restaurants 
unrelated to us could likewise create negative publicity, which could negatively impact consumer behavior towards us. 

We rely on our domestic and international suppliers, as do our franchisees, to provide quality ingredients and to comply 
with applicable laws and industry standards. A failure of one of our domestic or international suppliers to meet our quality 
standards, or meet domestic or international food industry standards, could result in a disruption in our supply chain and 
negatively impact our brand and our results. 

Failure to preserve the value and relevance of our brand could have a negative impact on our financial results. 

Our  results  depend upon  our  ability  to  differentiate  our brand  and our  reputation  for quality.  Damage  to  our brand  or 
reputation  could negatively  impact our  business  and financial  results. Our brand  has  been  highly rated  in  certain  U.S. 
surveys, and we strive to build the value of our brand as we develop international markets.   

Consumer perceptions of our brand are affected by a variety of factors, such as the nutritional content and preparation of 
our food, the quality of the ingredients we use, our corporate culture, our policies and systems related to diversity, equity 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
and  inclusion,  our  business  practices,  our  engagement  in  local  communities  and  the  manner  in  which  we  source  the 
commodities we use.  

Consumer acceptance of our offerings is subject to change for a variety of reasons, and some changes can occur rapidly.  
Consumer perceptions may also be affected by third parties, including former employees and executives, presenting or 
promoting adverse commentary or portrayals of our industry, our brand, our suppliers or our franchisees, or otherwise 
making statements, disclosing information or taking actions that could damage our reputation.  If we are unsuccessful in 
managing incidents that erode consumer trust or confidence, particularly if such incidents receive considerable publicity 
or result in litigation, our brand value and financial results could be negatively impacted.  

Our  inability  or  failure  to  recognize,  respond  to  and  effectively  manage  the  accelerated  impact of  social media  could 
adversely impact our business. 

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including blogs, chat platforms, 
social media websites, and other forms of internet-based communications that allow individuals access to a broad audience 
of  consumers  and  other  persons.  The  rising  popularity  of  social  media  and  other  consumer-oriented  technologies  has 
increased the speed and accessibility of information dissemination. The dissemination of negative information via social 
media  could  harm  our  business,  brand,  reputation,  marketing  partners,  financial  condition,  and  results  of  operations, 
regardless of the information’s accuracy.  

In addition, we frequently use social media to communicate with consumers and the public in general. Failure to use social 
media effectively could lead to a decline in brand value and revenue. Other risks associated with the use of social media 
include  improper  disclosure  of  proprietary  information,  negative  comments  about  our  brand,  exposure  of  personally 
identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes or malicious dissemination of false information.  

Our franchise business model presents a number of risks.  

Our success increasingly relies on the financial success and cooperation of our franchisees, yet we have limited influence 
over their operations. Our franchisees manage their businesses independently, and therefore are responsible for the day-
to-day operation of their restaurants. The revenues we realize from franchised restaurants are largely dependent on the 
ability of our franchisees to maintain or grow their sales. If our franchisees do not maintain or grow sales, our revenues 
and margins could be negatively affected. Also, if sales trends worsen for franchisees, especially in emerging markets 
and/or  high-cost  markets,  their  financial  results  may  deteriorate,  which  could  result  in,  among  other  things,  required 
financial  support  from  us,  higher  numbers  of  restaurant  closures,  reduced  numbers  of  restaurant  openings,  delayed  or 
reduced payments to us, or increased franchisee assistance, which reduces our revenues. 

Our  success  also  increasingly  depends  on  the  willingness  and  ability  of  our  franchisees  to  remain  aligned  with  us  on 
operating, promotional and marketing plans. Franchisees’ ability to continue to grow is also dependent in large part on the 
availability of franchisee funding at reasonable interest rates and may be negatively impacted by the financial markets in 
general or by the creditworthiness of our franchisees. Our operating performance could also be negatively affected if our 
franchisees  experience  food  safety  or  other  operational  problems  or  project  an  image  inconsistent  with  our  brand  and 
values, particularly if our contractual and other rights and remedies are limited, costly to exercise or subjected to litigation. 
If franchisees do not successfully operate restaurants in a manner consistent with our required standards, the brand’s image 
and reputation could be harmed, which in turn could hurt our business and operating results. 

We may be adversely impacted by increases in the cost of food ingredients and other costs. 

We are exposed to fluctuations in prices of commodities. An increase in the cost or sustained high levels of the cost of 
cheese or other commodities could adversely affect the profitability of our system-wide restaurant operations, particularly 
if  we  are  unable  to  increase  the  selling  price  of  our  products  to  offset  increased  costs.  We  have  recently  experienced 
inflation  in  commodities  prices,  including  food  ingredients,  which  has  increased  our  operating  expenses.  Cheese, 
representing our largest food cost, and other commodities can be subject to significant cost fluctuations due to weather, 
availability,  global  demand  and  other  factors  that  are  beyond  our  control.  Additionally,  increases  in  labor,  mileage, 
insurance, fuel, and other costs could adversely affect the profitability of our restaurant and QC Center businesses. Many 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
of the factors affecting costs in our system-wide restaurant operations are beyond our control, and we may not be able to 
adequately mitigate these costs or pass along these costs to our customers or franchisees, given the significant competitive 
pricing pressures we face. 

Changes in privacy or data protection laws could adversely affect our ability to market our products effectively.  

We  rely  on  a  variety  of  direct  marketing  techniques,  including  email,  text  messages  and  postal  mailings.  Any  future 
restrictions in federal, state or foreign laws regarding marketing and solicitation or domestic or international data protection 
laws that govern these activities could adversely affect the continuing effectiveness of email, text messages and postal 
mailing techniques and could force changes in our marketing strategies. If this occurs, we may need to develop alternative 
marketing strategies, which may not be as effective and could impact the amount and timing of our revenues. 

Our international operations are subject to increased risks and other factors that may make it more difficult to achieve or 
maintain profitability or meet planned growth rates. 

Our international operations could be negatively impacted by volatility and instability in international economic, political, 
security or health conditions in the countries in which the Company or our franchisees operate, especially in emerging 
markets. In addition, there are risks associated with differing business and social cultures and consumer preferences. We 
may  face  limited  availability  for  restaurant  locations,  higher  location  costs  and  difficulties  in  franchisee  selection  and 
financing. We may be subject to difficulties in sourcing and importing high-quality ingredients (and ensuring food safety) 
in a cost-effective manner, hiring and retaining qualified team members, marketing effectively and adequately investing 
in information technology, especially in emerging markets. 

Our international operations are also subject to additional risk factors, including import and export controls, compliance 
with  anti-corruption  and  other  foreign  laws,  difficulties  enforcing  intellectual  property  and  contract  rights  in  foreign 
jurisdictions,  and  the  imposition  of  increased  or  new  tariffs  or  trade  barriers.  We  intend  to  continue  to  expand 
internationally, which would make the risks related to our international operations more significant over time. 

Our international restaurants’ results, which are completely franchised, depend heavily on the operating capabilities and 
financial  strength  of  our  franchisees.  Any  changes  in  the  ability  of  our  franchisees  to  run  their  stores  profitably  in 
accordance with our operating standards, or to effectively sub-franchise restaurants, could result in brand damage, a higher 
number of restaurant closures and a reduction in the number of new restaurant openings.   

Sales made by our franchisees in international markets and certain loans we provide to such franchisees are denominated 
in their local currencies, and fluctuations in the U.S. dollar occur relative to the local currencies. Accordingly, changes in 
currency  exchange  rates  will  cause  our  revenues,  investment  income  and  operating  results  to  fluctuate.  We  have  not 
historically  hedged  our  exposure  to  foreign  currency  fluctuations.  Our  international  revenues  and  earnings  may  be 
adversely impacted as the U.S. dollar rises against foreign currencies because the local currency will translate into fewer 
U.S. dollars.  Additionally, the value of certain assets or loans denominated in local currencies may deteriorate. Other 
items denominated in U.S. dollars, including product imports or loans, may also become more expensive, putting pressure 
on franchisees’ cash flows. 

We are subject to risks and uncertainties associated with the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union 
(referred  to  as  “Brexit”),  including  implications  for  the  free  flow  of  labor  and  goods  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  the 
European Union and other financial, legal, tax and trade implications. 

Adverse global economic conditions subject us to additional risk. 

Our financial condition and results of operations are impacted by global markets and economic conditions over which 
neither we nor our franchisees have control. An economic downturn, including deterioration in the economic conditions 
in the U.S. or international markets where we compete, may result in a reduction in the demand for our products, longer 
payment cycles, slower adoption of new technologies and increased price competition. 

Poor economic conditions may adversely affect the ability of our franchisees to pay royalties or amounts owed and could 
also disrupt our business and adversely affect our results. Higher inflation, and a related increase in costs, including rising 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
interest rates, could also impact our franchisees and their ability to open new restaurants or operating existing restaurants 
profitability. 

Higher labor costs, increased competition for qualified team members and ensuring adequate staffing in our restaurants 
and QC Centers increase the cost of doing business. Additionally, changes in employment and labor laws, including health 
care legislation and minimum wage increases, could increase costs for our system-wide operations.  

Our success depends in part on our and our franchisees’ ability to recruit, motivate, train and retain a qualified workforce 
to work in our restaurants in an intensely competitive environment. Our ability to attract and retain hourly employees in 
our restaurants has recently become more challenging, especially as the job market has become more competitive, and we 
expect  staffing  and  labor  challenges  to  continue  into  2022.  Increased  costs  associated  with  recruiting,  motivating  and 
retaining qualified employees to work in Company-owned and franchised restaurants, which have stemmed in part from 
the labor shortage experienced by the QSR industry in 2021, have had, and may in the future have, a negative impact on 
our Company-owned restaurant margins and the margins of franchised restaurants.  Competition for qualified drivers for 
both our restaurants and supply-chain function also continues to increase as more companies compete for drivers or enter 
the  delivery  space,  including third  party  aggregators. Additionally,  economic  actions,  such  as boycotts,  protests, work 
stoppages or campaigns by labor organizations, could adversely affect us (including our ability to recruit and retain talent) 
or  our  franchisees  and  suppliers.  Social  media  may  be  used  to  foster  negative  perceptions  of  employment  with  our 
Company in particular or in our industry generally, and to promote strikes or boycotts. 

We are also subject to federal, state and foreign laws governing such matters as minimum wage requirements, overtime 
compensation, benefits, working conditions, citizenship requirements and discrimination and family and medical leave 
and employee related litigation. Labor costs and labor-related benefits are primary components in the cost of operation of 
our restaurants and QC Centers.  Labor shortages, increased employee turnover and health care mandates could increase 
our system-wide labor costs. 

A significant number of hourly personnel are paid at rates close to the federal and state minimum wage requirements. 
Accordingly, the enactment of additional state or local minimum wage increases above federal wage rates or regulations 
related  to  exempt  employees  has  increased  and  could  continue  to  increase  labor  costs  for  our  domestic  system-wide 
operations. A significant increase in the federal minimum wage requirement could adversely impact our financial condition 
and results of operations. 

We rely on information technology to operate our businesses and maintain our competitiveness, and any failure to invest 
in or adapt to technological developments or industry trends could harm our business.  

We rely heavily on information systems, including digital ordering solutions, through which over half of our domestic 
sales originate. We also rely heavily on point-of-sale processing in our Company-owned and franchised restaurants for 
data collection and payment systems for the collection of cash, credit and debit card transactions, and other processes and 
procedures. Our ability to efficiently and effectively manage our business depends on the reliability and capacity of these 
technology systems. In addition, we anticipate that consumers will continue to have more options to place orders digitally, 
both domestically and internationally. We plan to continue to invest in enhancing and improving the functionality and 
features of our information technology systems.  However, we cannot ensure that our initiatives will be beneficial to the 
extent, or within the timeframes, expected or that the estimated improvements will be realized as anticipated or at all.  Our 
failure to adequately invest in new technology and adapt to technological developments and industry trends, particularly 
our digital ordering capabilities, could result in a loss of customers and related market share. Notwithstanding adequate 
investment  in  new  technology,  our  marketing  and  technology  initiatives  may  not  be  successful  in  improving  our 
comparable sales results. Additionally, we are in an environment where the technology life cycle is short and consumer 
technology demands are high, which requires continued reinvestment in technology that will increase the cost of doing 
business and will increase the risk that our technology may not be customer-centric or could become obsolete, inefficient 
or otherwise incompatible with other systems. 

We rely on our international franchisees to maintain their own point-of-sale and online ordering systems, which are often 
purchased  from  third-party  vendors,  potentially  exposing  international  franchisees  to  more  operational  risk,  including 
cyber and data privacy risks and governmental regulation compliance risks. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company Risks 

Our  reorganization  activities  may  increase  our  expenses,  may  not  be  successful,  and  may  adversely  impact  employee 
hiring and retention. 

On September 17, 2020, we announced plans to open an office in Atlanta, Georgia, which opened in October 2021.  As a 
result, we have incurred and may continue to incur certain non-recurring corporate reorganization costs, and these expenses 
have  impacted  and  could  adversely  impact  our  results  of  operations  during  the  relevant  periods  and  reduce  our  cash 
position.  Additionally,  our  ability  to  achieve  the  anticipated  benefits  of  our  corporate  reorganization  are  subject  to 
assumptions  and  uncertainties.   If we do  not  realize  the  anticipated benefits  from  these  measures,  or  if  we  incur  costs 
greater than anticipated, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected. 

In addition, turnover in our corporate office support teams due to certain functions relocating to our office in Georgia could 
distract our employees, decrease employee morale, harm our reputation, and negatively impact the overall performance of 
our corporate support teams. As a result of these or other similar risks, our business, results of operations and financial 
condition may be adversely affected.  

We may not be able to effectively market our products or maintain key marketing partnerships.  

The success of our business depends on the effectiveness of our marketing and promotional plans. We may not be able to 
effectively execute our national or local marketing plans, particularly if we experienced lower sales that would result in 
reduced  levels  of  marketing  funds.    We  may  be  required  to  expend  additional  funds  to  effectively  improve  consumer 
sentiment  and sales,  and we may  also be required  to  engage  in  additional  activities  to  retain  customers or  attract  new 
customers  to  the  brand.  Such  marketing  expenses  and  promotional  activities,  which  could  include  discounting  our 
products, could adversely impact our results. 

Persons or marketing partners who endorse our products could take actions that harm their reputations, which could also 
cause harm to our brand. From time to time, in response to changes in the business environment and the audience share of 
marketing channels, we expect to reallocate marketing resources across social media and other channels. That reallocation 
may  not  be  effective  or  as  successful  as  the  marketing  and  advertising  allocations  of  our  competitors,  which  could 
negatively impact the amount and timing of our revenues. 

We may not be able to execute our strategy or achieve our planned growth targets, which could negatively impact our 
business and our financial results. 

Our growth strategy depends on our and our franchisees’ ability to open new restaurants and to operate them on a profitable 
basis. We expect substantially all of our international unit growth and much of our domestic unit growth to be franchised 
units. Accordingly, our profitability increasingly depends upon royalty revenues from franchisees. If our franchisees are 
not  able  to  operate  their  businesses  successfully  under  our  franchised  business  model,  our  results  could  suffer. 
Additionally, we may fail to attract new qualified franchisees or existing franchisees may close underperforming locations. 
Planned  growth  targets  and  the  ability  to  operate  new  and  existing  restaurants  profitably  are  affected  by  economic, 
regulatory  and  competitive  conditions  and  consumer  buying  habits.  A  decrease  in  sales,  or  increased  commodity  or 
operating costs, including, but not limited to, employee compensation and benefits or insurance costs, could slow the rate 
of new store openings or increase the number of store closings. Our business is susceptible to adverse changes in local, 
national and global economic conditions, which could make it difficult for us to meet our growth targets. Additionally, we 
or our franchisees may face challenges securing financing, finding suitable store locations at acceptable terms or securing 
required domestic or foreign government permits and approvals.  Declines in comparable sales, net store openings and 
related operating profits can impact our stock price.  If we do not continue to grow future sales and operating results and 
meet our related growth targets or external expectations for net restaurant openings or our other strategic objectives in the 
future, our stock price could decline. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our  franchisees  remain  dependent  on  the  availability  of  financing  to  remodel  or  renovate  existing  locations,  upgrade 
systems and enhance technology, or construct and open new restaurants. From time to time, the Company may provide 
financing to certain franchisees and prospective franchisees in order to mitigate store closings, allow new units to open, or 
complete required upgrades. If we are unable or unwilling to provide such financing, which is a function of, among other 
things, a franchisee’s creditworthiness, the number of new restaurant openings may be slower or the rate of closures may 
be higher than expected and our results of operations may be adversely impacted. To the extent we provide financing to 
franchisees, our results could be negatively impacted by negative performance of these franchisee loans. 

Our dependence on a sole supplier or a limited number of suppliers for some ingredients could result in disruptions to our 
business.  

Domestic  restaurants purchase  substantially  all  food  and  related  products  from our QC  Centers. We are dependent on 
Leprino Foods Dairy Products Company (“Leprino”) as our sole supplier for mozzarella cheese, one of our key ingredients. 
Leprino, one of the major pizza category suppliers of cheese in the United States, currently supplies all of our mozzarella 
cheese domestically and substantially all of our mozzarella cheese internationally. We also depend on a sole source for 
our supply of certain desserts and garlic sauce, which constitute less than 10% of our domestic Company-owned restaurant 
sales. While we have no other sole sources of supply for key ingredients or menu items, we do source other key ingredients 
from a limited number of suppliers. Alternative sources of mozzarella cheese, desserts, other key ingredients or menu 
items may not be available on a timely basis or may not be available on terms as favorable to us as under our current 
arrangements.  

Increase in ingredient and other operating costs, including those caused by weather, climate change, COVID-19 and food 
safety, could adversely affect our results of operations. 

Our Company-owned and franchised restaurants could also be harmed by supply chain interruptions including those caused 
by factors beyond our control or the control of our suppliers. We experienced limited interruptions in our supply chain in 
2021.  However, prolonged disruption in the supply of products from or to our QC Centers due to weather, climate change, 
natural disasters, COVID-19, crop disease, food safety incidents, regulatory compliance, labor dispute or interruption of 
service by carriers could increase costs, limit the availability of ingredients critical to our restaurant operations and have a 
significant impact on results. Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including 
related to global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients.  In 
particular, adverse weather or crop disease affecting the California tomato crop could disrupt the supply of pizza sauce to 
our  and  our  franchisees’  restaurants.  Insolvency  of  key  suppliers  could  also  cause  similar  business  interruptions  and 
negatively impact our business. 

We rely on third parties for certain business processes and services, and failure or inability of such third-party vendors to 
perform subjects us to risks, including business disruption and increased costs.  

We depend on the performance of suppliers, aggregators and other third parties in our business operations. Third-party 
business  processes  we  utilize  include  information  technology,  gift  card  authorization  and  processing,  other  payment 
processing, benefits, and other accounting and business services.  We conduct third-party due diligence and seek to obtain 
contractual  assurance  that  our  vendors  will  maintain  adequate  controls,  such  as  adequate  security  against  data 
breaches.   However,  the  failure  of  our  suppliers  to  maintain  adequate  controls  or  comply  with  our  expectations  and 
standards could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and operating results. 

Changes in purchasing practices by our domestic franchisees could harm our commissary business. 

Although  our  domestic  franchisees  currently  purchase  substantially  all  food  products  from  our  QC  Centers,  the  only 
required QC Center purchases by franchisees are pizza sauce, dough and other items we may designate as proprietary or 
integral to our system. Any changes in purchasing practices by domestic franchisees, such as seeking alternative approved 
suppliers of  ingredients or  other  food products,  could  adversely  affect  the financial results of our  QC  Centers  and  the 
Company. 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our current insurance may not be adequate and we may experience claims in excess of our reserves. 

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability, property, and 
health insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention levels under our 
retention programs. Retention limits generally range up to $1.0 million. These insurance programs may not be adequate to 
protect us, and it may be difficult or impossible to obtain additional coverage or maintain current coverage at a reasonable 
cost. We also have experienced claims volatility and high costs for our insurance programs.  We estimate loss reserves 
based  on  historical  trends,  actuarial  assumptions  and  other  data  available  to  us,  but  we  may  not  be  able  to  accurately 
estimate reserves. If we experience claims in excess of our projections, our business could be negatively impacted.  Our 
franchisees could be similarly impacted by higher claims experience, hurting both their operating results and/or limiting 
their ability to maintain adequate insurance coverage at a reasonable cost. 

Risks Related to our Indebtedness 

We have incurred substantial debt obligations, which could adversely affect our financial condition, and we may be able 
to incur substantially more indebtedness, including secured debt, and take other actions that could further exacerbate the 
risks associated with our substantial indebtedness or affect our ability to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness. 

Our outstanding debt as of December 26, 2021 was $490.0 million, which was comprised of $400.0 million outstanding 
under our 3.875%  senior  notes  due  2029  (the  “Notes”)  and  $90.0 million  under our revolving  credit  facility  (the  “PJI 
Revolving Facility”) that forms part of our amended and restated credit agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”). 
We had approximately $510.0 million of remaining availability under the PJI Revolving Facility as of December 26, 2021.  

Our substantial level of indebtedness could have important consequences, including the following: 

 

 

 

 

 
 

require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, 
thereby  reducing  the  availability  of  our  cash  flow  to  fund  working  capital,  capital  expenditures,  growth 
opportunities, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; 
increase our vulnerability to and limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business, the 
industry in which we operate, regulatory and economic conditions; 
expose us  to  the  risk of  increased  interest rates  as borrowings under  our Amended  Credit  Agreement  will  be 
subject to variable rates of interest; 
increase our vulnerability to a downgrade of our credit rating, which could adversely affect our cost of funds, 
liquidity and access to capital markets; 
place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; and 
limit our ability to borrow additional funds. 

We  expect  to  fund  our  expenses  and  to  pay  the  principal  of  and  interest  on  our  indebtedness  from  cash  flow  from 
operations. Our ability to meet our expenses and to pay principal of and interest on our indebtedness when due thus depends 
on our future performance, which will be affected by financial, business, economic and other factors. We will not be able 
to  control  many  of  these  factors,  such  as  economic  conditions  in  the  markets  where  we  operate  and  pressure  from 
competitors. 

In addition, subject to restrictions in the agreements governing our existing and future indebtedness, we may be able to 
incur substantially more indebtedness in the future, resulting in higher leverage. The Indenture and the Amended Credit 
Agreement  allow  us  to  incur  additional  indebtedness,  including  secured  debt.  Such  additional  indebtedness  may  be 
substantial. Our ability to recapitalize, incur additional debt and take a number of other actions that are not prohibited by 
the  Indenture  or  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement  could  have  the  effect  of  exacerbating  the  risks  associated  with  our 
substantial indebtedness or diminishing our ability to make payments on our indebtedness when due, which would reduce 
the availability of cash flow to fund acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures, other growth opportunities and 
other general corporate purposes. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The agreements governing our debt, including the Indenture governing our Notes and the Amended Credit Agreement, 
contain various covenants that impose restrictions on us.  

The  Indenture  and  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement  impose  operating  and  financial  restrictions  on  our  activities.  In 
particular, such agreements limit or prohibit our ability to, among other things: 

incur additional indebtedness; 

 
  make certain investments; 
 
 
 
 
 

sell assets, including capital stock of certain subsidiaries; 
declare or pay dividends, repurchase or redeem stock or make other distributions to stockholders; 
consolidate, merge, liquidate or dissolve; 
enter into transactions with our affiliates; and 
incur liens. 

In addition, our Amended Credit Agreement requires us to maintain compliance with specified leverage ratios under certain 
circumstances.  Our  ability  to  comply  with  these  provisions  may  be  affected  by  events  beyond  our  control,  and  these 
provisions could limit our ability to plan for or react to market conditions, meet capital needs or otherwise conduct our 
business activities and plans. 

These restrictions on our ability to operate our business could seriously harm our business by, among other things, limiting 
our ability to take advantage of financing, merger and acquisition and other corporate opportunities.  

Furthermore,  various  risks,  uncertainties  and  events  beyond  our  control  could  affect  our  ability  to  comply  with  these 
covenants. Failure to comply with any of the covenants in our existing or future financing agreements could result in a 
default under those agreements and under other agreements containing cross-default or cross-acceleration provisions. Such 
a default would permit lenders to accelerate the maturity of the debt under these agreements and to foreclose upon any 
collateral securing the debt. Under these circumstances, we might not have sufficient funds or other resources to satisfy 
all of our obligations. In addition, the limitations imposed by financing agreements on our ability to incur additional debt 
and to take other actions might significantly impair our ability to obtain other financing. We cannot assure you that we 
will  be  granted  waivers  or  amendments  to  these  agreements  if  for  any  reason  we  are  unable  to  comply  with  these 
agreements or that we will be able to refinance our debt on terms acceptable to us, or at all. 

We are exposed to variable interest rates under our Amended Credit Agreement, and increases in interest rates would also 
increase our debt service costs and could materially impact our profitability. 

We are exposed to variable interest rates under the Amended Credit Agreement. We have entered into interest rate swaps 
that fix a significant portion of our variable interest rate risk.  However, by using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures 
to  changes  in  interest  rates,  we  also  expose  ourselves  to  credit  risk.  Credit  risk  is  due  to  the  possible  failure  of  the 
counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. 

General Risks 

Natural disasters, hostilities, social unrest, severe weather and other catastrophic events may disrupt our operations or 
supply chain.  

The  occurrence  of  a  natural  disaster,  hostilities,  cyber-attack,  social  unrest,  terrorist  activity,  outbreak  of  epidemic, 
pandemic or other contagious disease, power outages, severe weather (such as tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, 
floods, heat waves, etc.) or other catastrophic events may disrupt our operations or supply chain and result in the closure 
of our restaurants (Company-owned or franchised), our corporate offices, any of our QC Centers or the facilities of our 
suppliers, and can adversely affect consumer spending, consumer confidence levels and supply availability and costs, any 
of which could materially adversely affect our results of operations. 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Increasingly complex laws and regulations could adversely affect our business.  

We operate in an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and the cost of regulatory compliance is increasing. Our 
failure, or the failure of any of our franchisees, to comply with applicable U.S. and international labor, health care, food, 
health and safety, consumer protection, anti-bribery and corruption, competition, environmental and other laws may result 
in civil and criminal liability, damages, fines and penalties. Enforcement of existing laws and regulations, changes in legal 
requirements, and/or evolving interpretations of existing regulatory requirements may result in increased compliance costs 
and  create  other  obligations,  financial  or  otherwise,  that  could  adversely  affect  our  business,  financial  condition  or 
operating results. Increased regulatory scrutiny of food matters and product marketing claims, and increased litigation and 
enforcement actions may increase compliance and legal costs and create other obligations that could adversely affect our 
business, financial condition or operating results. Governments may also impose requirements and restrictions that impact 
our business. For example, some local government agencies have implemented ordinances that restrict the sale of certain 
food or drink products. 

Compliance with new or additional domestic and international government laws or regulations, including the European 
Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) which could 
increase costs for compliance.  These laws and regulations are increasing in complexity and number, change frequently 
and increasingly conflict among the various countries in which we operate, which has resulted in greater compliance risk 
and costs. If we fail to comply with these laws or regulations, we could be subject to reputational damage and significant 
litigation, monetary damages, regulatory enforcement actions or fines in various jurisdictions. For example, a failure to 
comply with the GDPR could result in fines up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of annual global revenues.   

There also has been increased stakeholder focus, including by U.S. and foreign governmental authorities, investors, media 
and  nongovernmental  organizations,  on  environmental  sustainability  matters,  such  as  climate  change,  the  reduction  of 
greenhouse  gases  and  water  consumption.  Legislative,  regulatory  or  other  efforts  to  combat  climate  change  or  other 
environmental  concerns  could  result  in  future  increases  in  taxes,  restrictions  on  or  increases  in  the  costs  of  supplies, 
transportation and utilities, any of which could increase our operating costs and those of our franchisees, and necessitate 
future investments in facilities and equipment. These risks also include the increased pressure to make commitments, set 
targets, or establish additional goals to take actions to meet them, which could expose us and our franchisees to market, 
operational,  execution  and  reputational  costs  or  risks.  Conversely,  if  we  are  not  effective  in  addressing  social  and 
environmental sustainability matters, consumer trust and investor confidence in our Company may suffer.  

Disruptions of our critical business or information technology systems could harm our ability to compete and conduct our 
business. 

Our critical business and information technology systems have in the past and could in the future be damaged or interrupted 
by power loss, various technological failures, user errors, cyber-attacks, ransomware sabotage or acts of God. In particular, 
the Company and our franchisees have experienced occasional interruptions of our digital ordering solutions, which make 
online ordering unavailable or slow to respond, negatively impacting sales and the experience of our customers. If our 
digital ordering solutions do not perform with adequate speed and security, our customers may be less inclined to return 
to our digital ordering solutions.  

Part of our technology infrastructure, such as our domestic point-of-sale system, is specifically designed for us and our 
operational systems, which could cause unexpected costs, delays or inefficiencies when infrastructure upgrades are needed 
or  prolonged  and  widespread  technological  difficulties  occur.  Significant  portions  of  our  technology  infrastructure, 
particularly in our digital ordering solutions, are provided by third parties, and the performance of these systems is largely 
beyond our control. Occasionally, we have experienced or could experience temporary disruptions in our business due to 
third-party systems failing to adequately perform. Failure to manage future failures of these systems, particularly as our 
online  sales  grow,  could  harm  our  business  and  the  satisfaction  of  our  customers.  Such  third-party  systems  could  be 
disrupted  either  through  system  failure  or  if  third  party  vendor  patents  and  contractual  agreements  do  not  afford  us 
protection against similar technology. In addition, we may not have or be able to obtain adequate protection or insurance 
to mitigate the risks of these events or compensate for losses related to these events, which could damage our business and 
reputation and be expensive and difficult to remedy or repair. 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Failure to maintain the integrity of internal or customer data could result in damage to our reputation, loss of sales, and/or 
subject us to litigation, penalties or significant costs.  

We are subject to a number of privacy and data protection laws and regulations. We collect and retain large volumes of 
internal and customer data, including credit card data and other personally identifiable information of our employees and 
customers housed in the various information systems we use. Constantly changing information security threats, particularly 
persistent cyber security threats, pose risks to the security of our systems and networks, and the confidentiality, availability 
and integrity of our data and the availability and integrity of our critical business functions.  As techniques used in cyber-
attacks evolve, we may not be able to timely detect threats or anticipate and implement adequate security measures. The 
integrity  and  protection  of  the  customer,  employee,  franchisee  and  Company  data  are  critical  to  us.  Our  information 
technology systems and databases, and those provided by our third-party vendors, including international vendors, have 
been and will continue to be subject to computer viruses, malware attacks, unauthorized user attempts, phishing and denial 
of service and other malicious cyber-attacks. The failure to prevent fraud or security breaches or to adequately invest in 
data security could harm our business and revenues due to the reputational damage to our brand. Such a breach could also 
result in litigation, regulatory actions, penalties, and other significant costs to us and have a material adverse effect on our 
financial results. These costs could be significant and well in excess of, or not covered by, our cyber insurance coverage. 

We have been and will continue to be subject to various types of investigations and litigation, including collective and 
class action litigation, which could subject us to significant damages or other remedies.  

We are subject to the risk of investigations and litigation from various parties, including vendors, customers, franchisees, 
state  and  federal  agencies,  stockholders  and  employees.  From  time  to  time,  we  are  involved  in  a  number  of  lawsuits, 
claims, investigations, and proceedings consisting of securities, antitrust, intellectual property, employment, consumer, 
personal injury, corporate governance, commercial and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business.  

We have  been  subject  to  claims  in  cases  containing  collective  and  class action  allegations.  Plaintiffs in  these  types of 
lawsuits often seek recovery of very large or indeterminate amounts, and the magnitude of the potential loss and defense 
costs relating to such lawsuits may not be accurately estimated. Litigation trends involving personal injury, employment 
law, intellectual property and the relationship between franchisors and franchisees may increase our cost of doing business. 
We  evaluate  all  of  the  claims  and  proceedings  involving  us  to  assess  the  expected  outcome,  and  where  possible,  we 
estimate the amount of potential losses to us. In many cases, particularly collective and class action cases, we may not be 
able to estimate the amount of potential losses and/or our estimates may prove to be insufficient. These assessments are 
made by management based on the information available at the time made and require the use of a significant amount of 
judgment, and actual outcomes or losses may materially differ. Regardless of whether any claims against us are valid, or 
whether we are ultimately held liable, such litigation may be expensive to defend and may divert resources away from our 
operations and negatively impact earnings. Further, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance to protect us from 
these types of litigation matters or extraordinary business losses. 

We  may  be  subject  to  harassment  or  discrimination  claims  and  legal  proceedings.  Our  Code  of  Ethics  and  Business 
Conduct policies prohibit harassment and discrimination in the workplace, in sexual or in any other form.  To monitor and 
enforce these policies, we have ongoing programs for workplace training and compliance, and we investigate and take 
disciplinary  action  with  respect  to  alleged violations.   Nevertheless,  actions  by our  team  members  could violate  those 
policies.  Franchisees  and  suppliers  are  also  required  to  comply  with  all  applicable  laws  and  govern  themselves  with 
integrity.  Any violations (or perceptions thereof) by our franchisees or suppliers could have a negative impact on consumer 
perceptions of us and our business and create reputational or other harm to the Company.   

We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, which could negatively affect our results of 
operations.  

We depend on the Papa John’s brand name and rely on a combination of trademarks, service marks, copyrights, and similar 
intellectual  property  rights  to  protect  and  promote  our  brand.  We  believe  the  success  of  our  business  depends  on  our 
continued ability to exclusively use our existing marks to increase brand awareness and further develop our brand, both 
domestically and abroad. We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, and we may be required 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
to pursue litigation to prevent consumer confusion and preserve our brand’s high-quality reputation. Litigation could result 
in high costs and diversion of resources, which could negatively affect our results of operations, regardless of the outcome. 

We may be subject to impairment charges. 

Impairment  charges  are  possible  due  to  the  nature  and  timing  of  decisions  we  make  about  underperforming  assets  or 
markets, or if previously opened or acquired restaurants perform below our expectations. This could result in a decrease 
in our reported asset value and reduction in our net income.  

We operate globally and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our results. 

We operate globally  and  changes  in  tax  laws  could  adversely  affect our results.  We have  international  operations  and 
generate substantial revenues and profits in foreign jurisdictions. The domestic and international tax environments continue 
to evolve as a result of tax changes in various jurisdictions in which we operate and changes in the tax laws in certain 
countries,  including  the  United  States,  could  impact  our  future  operating  results.    A  significant  increase  in  the  U.S. 
corporate tax rate could negatively impact our financial results. 

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments 

None. 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 2.  Properties 

As of December 26, 2021, there were 5,650 Papa John’s restaurants worldwide. The following tables provide the locations 
of our restaurants. We define “North America” as the United States and Canada and “domestic” as the contiguous United 
States. 

North America Restaurants: 

     Company (1)      Franchised       Total 

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Alaska  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Delaware  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
District of Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Florida  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Hawaii  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Idaho  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Illinois  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Kansas  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Kentucky  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Louisiana  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Maryland  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Michigan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
New Hampshire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
North Carolina  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
North Dakota  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
South Carolina  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
South Dakota  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Virginia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Total U.S. Papa John’s Restaurants  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
Total North America Papa John’s Restaurants  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     

 3    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 39    
 86    
 —    
 —    
 8    
 44    
 —    
 16    
 42    
 —    
 —    
 60    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 41    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 101    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 8    
 —    
 36    
 90    
 —    
 26    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 —    
 600    
 —    
 600    

 83    
 11    
 69    
 26    
 179    
 46    
 5    
 17    
 10    
 254    
 100    
 14    
 13    
 73    
 93    
 24    
 19    
 64    
 60    
 3    
 42    
 7    
 33    
 35    
 33    
 27    
 9    
 13    
 25    
 3    
 53    
 16    
 85    
 81    
 9    
 161    
 37    
 14    
 83    
 3    
 78    
 13    
 79    
 215    
 30    
 118    
 43    
 23    
 24    
 9    
 2,564    
 175    
 2,739    

 86 
 11 
 69 
 26 
 179 
 46 
 5 
 17 
 10 
 293 
 186 
 14 
 13 
 81 
 137 
 24 
 35 
 106 
 60 
 3 
 102 
 7 
 33 
 35 
 33 
 68 
 9 
 13 
 25 
 3 
 53 
 16 
 85 
 182 
 9 
 161 
 37 
 14 
 83 
 3 
 86 
 13 
 115 
 305 
 30 
 144 
 43 
 23 
 24 
 9 
 3,164 
 175 
 3,339 

(1)  Company-owned Papa John’s restaurants include restaurants owned by majority-owned subsidiaries. There were 188 

such restaurants at December 26, 2021 (60 in Maryland, 90 in Texas, 26 in Virginia, and 12 in Georgia). 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International Restaurants:  

Azerbaijan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       
Bahrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Bolivia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Cambodia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
Cayman Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Chile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
China  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Colombia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Costa Rica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Cyprus  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Dominican Republic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Ecuador  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Egypt  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
El Salvador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
Guam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Guatemala  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Iraq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Ireland  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Kazakhstan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Kuwait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Kyrgyzstan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Morocco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
Netherlands  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Oman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Pakistan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Peru  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Poland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Portugal  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
Puerto Rico  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Qatar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Russia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Saudi Arabia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
South Korea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Trinidad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Tunisia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Turkey  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
United Arab Emirates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
United Kingdom  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    
Total International Papa John’s Restaurants  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

      Franchised 
 12 
 18 
 20 
 5 
 5 
 2 
 135 
 226 
 55 
 40 
 7 
 19 
 24 
 64 
 31 
 5 
 13 
 3 
 25 
 1 
 79 
 15 
 6 
 30 
 3 
 68 
 4 
 32 
 4 
 11 
 15 
 27 
 46 
 15 
 7 
 3 
 26 
 38 
 186 
 7 
 219 
 82 
 9 
 10 
 60 
 66 
 507 
 26 
 2,311 

23 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Most Papa John’s Company-owned restaurants are located in leased space. The initial term of most domestic restaurant 
leases is five years with most leases providing for one or more options to renew for at least one additional term. Generally, 
the leases are triple net leases, which require us to pay all or a portion of the cost of insurance, taxes and utilities. As a 
result of assigning our interest in obligations under property leases as a condition of the refranchising of certain restaurants, 
we are also contingently liable for payment of approximately 70 domestic leases. 

Our corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia, is located in a leased space. Nine of our 12 North America QC Centers are located 
in leased spaces, with the remaining three QC centers located in buildings we own. Our corporate office and our printing 
operations located in Louisville, KY are in buildings owned by us. We also maintain a Company-owned office and a full-
service QC Center outside of London, United Kingdom (“UK”), where our international operations are managed. 

At December 26, 2021, we leased and subleased approximately 425 Papa John’s restaurant sites to franchisees in the UK. 
The initial lease terms on the franchised sites in the UK are generally 15 years. The initial lease terms of the franchisee 
subleases are generally five to ten years. See “Note 3” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional 
information. 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings  

The information contained in “Note 19, Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial 
Statements” is incorporated by reference herein. 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures 

None. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Set forth below are the current executive officers of Papa John’s: 

Information about our Executive Officers 

Name 

      Age (a)        Position 

Robert M. Lynch 

45 

  President and Chief Executive Officer 

Ann B. Gugino 

Marvin Boakye 

Amanda Clark 

49 

  Chief Financial Officer 

48 

  Chief People and Diversity Officer 

42 

  Chief Development Officer 

Caroline M. Oyler 

56 

  Chief Legal and Risk Officer 

Jack H. Swaysland 

57 

  Chief Operating Officer, International 

C. Max Wetzel 

(a)    Ages are as of January 1, 2022 

45 

Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial 
Officer 

First Elected  
Executive Officer 

2019 

2020 

2019 

2020 

2018 

2018 

2019 

Robert M. Lynch was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in August 2019. Mr. Lynch joined Papa John’s 
after  serving  as  President  of  Arby’s  Restaurant  Group  since  August  2017,  and  served  as  Brand  President  and  Chief 
Marketing Officer from August 2013 to August 2017.  Prior to Arby’s, he served as Vice President of Marketing at Taco 
Bell. Mr. Lynch has more than 20 years combined experience in the QSR and consumer packaged goods industries, and 
also held senior roles at HJ Heinz Company and Procter & Gamble. 

Ann B. Gugino was appointed to Chief Financial Officer in October 2020.  Ms. Gugino joined Papa John’s from Target 
Corporation where she served as Senior Vice President, Financing Planning and Analysis since 2018, providing overall 
strategy, guidance, and direction in the development and execution of Target’s planning, analysis and capital investment 
portfolios.  Prior to Target, Ms. Gugino spent 18 years at Patterson Companies Inc., including four years as Executive Vice 
President and Chief Financial Officer. 

Marvin Boakye was appointed Chief People and Diversity Officer in November 2019 after previously serving as Papa 
John’s first Chief People Officer since January 2019. Mr. Boakye joined Papa John’s after serving as Vice President of 
Human Resources at petroleum company Andeavor, in Texas where he also led diversity, equity and inclusion. Prior to 
Andeavor, he was Chief Human Resources Officer for MTS Allstream, a telecommunications company now part of Bell 
Canada from June 2015 to March 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Boakye held senior human resources positions for organizations 
across the United States, Canada and Latin America, including at Goodyear, the Pulte Group and The Home Depot. 

Amanda Clark was appointed as Chief Development Officer in February 2020.  Ms. Clark joined Papa John’s from Taco 
Bell,  where  she  was  responsible  for  design,  consumer  facing  technology,  merchandising,  customer  marketing,  new 
concepts and company development, serving as Executive Vice President Restaurant Experience from February 2019 to 
February 2020, Senior Vice President North America Development from May 2017 to February 2019 and the General 
Manager for Taco Bell Canada from November 2015 to August 2018. Previously, Ms. Clark served in roles of increasing 
responsibility in Brand Marketing at Taco Bell since 2013. Prior to joining Taco Bell, Ms. Clark worked at Procter and 
Gamble in various marketing roles for nearly 12 years on P&G brands including Olay, Pampers and Oral-B. 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Caroline M. Oyler was appointed Chief Legal and Risk Officer in October 2018. Ms. Oyler previously served as Senior 
Vice President, Chief Legal Officer from May 2018 to October 2018 and Senior Vice President, General Counsel from 
May 2014 to May 2018. Additionally, Ms. Oyler served as Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs from November 2012 to 
May 2014.  She joined the Company’s legal department in 1999. She also served as interim head of Human Resources 
from  December  2008  to  September  2009.  Prior  to  joining  Papa  John’s,  Ms.  Oyler  practiced  law  with  the  firm  Wyatt, 
Tarrant and Combs LLP.  

Jack H. Swaysland was appointed  to  Chief Operating Officer, International  in May 2018  after  serving  as Senior  Vice 
President, International since April 2016. Mr. Swaysland previously served as Vice President, International from April 
2015 to April 2016, Regional Vice President, International from May 2013 to April 2015, and Vice President, International 
Operations from April 2010 to May 2013. Mr. Swaysland has served in various capacities of increasing responsibility in 
International Operations since joining the Company 13 years ago. 

C. Max Wetzel was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer in November 2021 after previously 
serving as Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer since November 2019.  Mr. Wetzel joined Papa John’s after serving 
as Vice President Consumer Brands and Business Transformation – U.S. and Canada since July 2018 at PPG Architectural 
Coatings. Also at PPG, Mr. Wetzel served as Vice President Home Centers and Global Strategic Marketing from June 
2016 through July 2018 and as General Manager Home Centers and Chief Marketing Officer U.S. & Canada starting in 
November 2014.  Prior to PPG, Mr. Wetzel worked at H.J. Heinz Company for ten years in a variety of domestic and 
global roles, leading consumer-driven businesses, developing brand marketing strategies and delivering profitable growth. 

There are no family relationships between any of the directors or executive officers of the Company. 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PART II 

Item 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity 
Securities 

Our  common  stock  trades  on  The  Nasdaq  Global  Select  Market  tier  of  The  Nasdaq  Stock  Market  under  the  symbol 
“PZZA”.  As of February 17, 2022, there were 1,359 record holders of our common stock. However, there are significantly 
more beneficial owners of our common stock than there are record holders.  

On  January  27,  2022,  our  Board  of  Directors  declared  a  first  quarter  dividend  of  $0.35  per  share  of  common  stock, 
representing an approximate $12.7 million aggregate dividend that was paid on February 18, 2022 to common stockholders 
of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2022.   

We  anticipate  continuing  the  payment  of  quarterly  cash  dividends.  The  actual  amount  of  such  dividends  is  subject  to 
declaration by our Board of Directors and will depend upon future earnings, results of operations, capital requirements, 
our financial condition, contractual restrictions, including the terms of the agreements governing our debt and any future 
indebtedness we may incur and other relevant factors. There can be no assurance that the Company will continue to pay 
quarterly cash dividends at the current rate or at all. 

On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to 
$425.0 million of the Company’s common stock.  This share repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 
million share repurchase authorization, which began on November 4, 2020 and expired on December 26, 2021.  In fiscal 
2021, approximately 594,000 shares with an aggregate cost of $72.5 million and an average price of $121.96 per share 
were repurchased under these programs.  Funding for the share repurchase programs were provided through our operating 
cash flows and our $600.0 million PJI Revolving Facility.   

The following table summarizes our repurchase activity by fiscal period during the fourth quarter ended December 26, 
2021 (in thousands, except per share amounts): 

Fiscal Period 
9/27/2021 - 10/24/2021 
10/25/2021 - 11/21/2021 
11/22/2021 - 12/26/2021 
Total 

Total 

    Number   
of Shares  

       Purchased      Share 

     Total Number 

  Average    of Shares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly   

Price 

      Maximum Dollar 
Value of Shares 
that May Yet Be 

or Programs 

Paid per    Announced Plans    Purchased Under the
      Plans or Programs 
 35,026 
 451,219 
 424,800 
 424,800 

 132   $ 
 70   $ 
 205   $ 
 407   $ 

 132   $  126.44   
 70   $  125.25   
 205   $  128.84   
 407   $  127.44   

Subsequent  to  year-end,  we  acquired  an  additional  109,000  shares  at  an  aggregate  cost  of  $13.3  million.  
Approximately $411.5  million  remained  available  under  the  Company’s  share  repurchase  program  as  of  February  17, 
2022. 

The Company utilizes a written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 
from time to time to facilitate the repurchase of shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program. There 
can be no assurance that we will repurchase shares of our common stock either through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan or 
otherwise. 

The information required by Item 5 with respect to securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans is 
incorporated herein by reference to Part III, Item 12 of this Form 10-K. 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
      
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
    
    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
Stock Performance Graph  

The following performance graph compares the cumulative shareholder return of the Company’s common stock for the 
five-year period between December 25, 2016 and December 26, 2021 to (i) the Nasdaq US Benchmark TR Index and (ii) a 
group of the Company’s peers consisting of U.S. companies listed on Nasdaq with standard industry classification (SIC) 
codes  5800-5899  (eating  and  drinking  places).  Management  believes  the  companies  included  in  this  peer  group 
appropriately reflect the scope of the Company’s operations and match the competitive market in which the Company 
operates. The graph assumes the value of the investments in the Company’s common stock and in each index was $100 
on December 25, 2016, and that all dividends were reinvested.  

300

200

100

0

Dec. 25, 2016
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00

Dec. 31, 2017
65.27
127.42
120.11
101.14

Dec. 30, 2018
47.88
124.37
112.58
110.07

Dec. 29, 2019
77.72
171.21
149.35
146.25

Dec. 27, 2020
106.77
244.04
179.02
171.08

Dec. 26, 2021
163.35

225.86
192.60

Papa John's International, Inc.

NASDAQ Stock Market (U.S. Companies)

NASDAQ US Benchmark TR Index

NASDAQ Stocks (SIC 5800‐5899 U.S. Companies) Eating and Drinking

(Note) The Nasdaq Stock Market (U.S. Companies) Index was replaced with the Nasdaq US Benchmark TR Index in 
2021. 

Item 6.  Intentionally Omitted 

28 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 

Introduction 

Papa John’s International, Inc. (referred to as the “Company,” “Papa John’s” or in the first-person notations of “we,” “us” 
and  “our”)  began  operations  in  1984.  At  December  26,  2021,  there  were  5,650  Papa  John’s  restaurants  in  operation, 
consisting of 600 Company-owned and 5,050 franchised restaurants. Our revenues are derived from retail sales of pizza 
and other food and beverage products to the general public by Company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties, and sales 
of franchise and development rights. Additionally, approximately 47% of our North America revenues in each of the last 
two  fiscal  years  were  derived  from  sales  to  franchisees  of  various  items  including  food  and  paper  products  from  our 
domestic  Quality  Control  Centers  (“QC  Centers”),  operation  of  our  international  QC  Center  in  the  United  Kingdom 
(“UK”), contributions received by Papa John’s Marketing Fund (“PJMF”) which is our national marketing fund, printing 
and promotional items and information systems equipment, and software and related services. We believe that in addition 
to supporting both Company and franchised profitability and growth, these activities contribute to product quality and 
consistency throughout the Papa John’s system.  

Recent Business Matters  

In 2021, the Company focused on executing strategic priorities and building a foundation for long-term success, including 
the specific items described below. 

Growth  Strategy.  The  Company  delivered  its  tenth  consecutive  quarter  of  system-wide  sales  growth  and  continues  to 
expand both domestically and internationally, as evidenced by our comparable sales and restaurant unit growth.  Our two-
year comparable sales increases were 29.4% in North America and 25.6% internationally, driven by menu innovation and 
customer retention.  Product innovation is an important part of our plan to continue building sales and also represents our 
platform for longer-term strategy and opportunity. Additionally, our expanding development pipeline is on track to be a 
key long-term growth driver.  In 2021, we announced one of our largest domestic development deals to open 100 new 
locations in high growth markets in Texas and the South by 2029.  We also announced our expanded partnership with 
Drake Food Service International to open over 220 Papa John’s restaurants internationally by 2025, and most recently 
announced a partnership with FountainVest Partners to open more than 1,350 new stores across South China by 2040, the 
largest franchisee development agreement in Papa John’s history.  We plan to continue focusing on our strategic innovative 
products and restaurant development across our platforms to drive sustainable growth this year and beyond. 

Capital Allocation Strategy.  During 2021, we executed on key components of our capital structure and allocation strategy 
by aligning our capital structure to support the long-term growth potential of the Company. During the fourth quarter of 
2021, we announced a $425.0 million share repurchase program. Earlier in the year, we issued $400.0 million of 3.875% 
senior notes which will mature on September 15, 2029 and concurrently refinanced our revolving credit facility. We also 
increased  our  annual  dividend  rate  and  completed  the  repurchase  and  conversion  of  all  of  our  Series  B  Convertible 
Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”). This strategic capital realignment will allow us to deliver on our broader 
growth strategy and provide ongoing value to our shareholders. 

Coronavirus  (“COVID-19”)  and  Related  Market  Impact.  The  COVID-19  outbreak  has  presented  evolving  risks  and 
developments domestically and internationally, as well as new opportunities for our business. Our delivery and carryout 
model positioned us to continue to experience strong demand for our products. Increased demand partly driven by changes 
in consumer behavior during the pandemic contributed to our strong comparable sales growth during 2021 and 2020. To 
ensure we can continue to meet the demand of our customers, we continue to monitor our supply chain and labor force 
availability. We have recently experienced inflation in commodities prices, including food ingredients, which has increased 
our  operating  expenses.  Our  ability  to  attract  and  retain  hourly  employees  in  our  restaurants  has  also  become  more 
challenging, especially as the job market has become more competitive. We have continued to address labor shortages 
during 2021 through new hiring, referral and appreciation bonuses in the Company’s corporate restaurants and supply 
chain, holding national recruiting events, supplementing delivery drivers with delivery aggregator partnerships as needed 
and  technology  advancements.  We  expect  labor  and  inflationary  cost  challenges,  including  the  impact  on  store 
development, to be a continued priority focus for us in 2022. We continue to monitor the progression of the COVID-19 
pandemic and state, local and federal government regulatory and public health responses thereto, including the federal 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Occupational  Health  and  Safety  Administration’s  efforts  to  implement  a  nationwide  vaccine  requirement  for  large 
employers. 

We believe the pandemic has accelerated our efforts to innovate and bring new customers to the Papa John’s system. While 
we  believe  that  as  the  pandemic-related  restrictions  are  lifted,  we  will  benefit  in  the  long-term  from  the  increase  in 
customers we have experienced during the duration of the pandemic due to our menu innovation, customer loyalty program 
and our offerings of high-quality pizza and other menu items, we do not expect to be able to maintain the same level of 
annual growth rates in comparable sales and revenues in the future. 

Strategic  Corporate  Reorganization  for  Long-term  Growth. Our  corporate  office  in  Atlanta,  Georgia  located  in  Three 
Ballpark  Center  at  The  Battery  Atlanta  opened  in  October  2021.  The  Atlanta  office  is  part  of  a  broader  strategic 
reorganization of corporate functions reflecting the Company’s ongoing transformation into a brand and culture that can 
effectively and efficiently deliver on the Company’s purpose, values and strategic business priorities. Affected employees 
who did not relocate to Atlanta were offered a separation package. As a result, we incurred certain one-time corporate 
reorganization  costs  of  approximately  $19.1  million  related  to  employee  severance  and  transition,  recruitment  and 
relocation and other third-party costs from the fourth quarter of 2020 through 2021. Of that amount, we incurred costs of 
approximately  $13.1  million  in  2021  and  $6.0  million  in  2020.    Looking  forward  to  2022,  our  one-time  corporate 
reorganization costs are substantially complete and we do not anticipate that any significant remaining reorganization costs 
will be incurred.  See “Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures” for additional information.   

Presentation of Financial Results 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates    

The results of operations are based on our Consolidated Financial Statements, which were prepared in conformity with 
accounting  principles  generally  accepted  in  the  United  States  (“GAAP”).  The  preparation  of  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements  requires  management  to  select  accounting  policies  for  critical  accounting  areas  as  well  as  estimates  and 
assumptions  that  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements.  The  Company’s  significant 
accounting policies, including recently issued accounting pronouncements, are more fully described in “Note 2” of “Notes 
to Consolidated Financial Statements.” A number of our significant accounting policies are critical due to the fact that they 
involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our 
financial condition or results of operations.  Significant changes in assumptions and/or conditions in our critical accounting 
policies could materially impact the operating results. 

Allowance for Credit Losses on Franchisee Notes Receivable 

The  Company  has  provided  financing  (recorded  as  notes  receivable)  to  select  domestic  and  international  franchisees 
principally for use in the construction and development of their restaurants and for the purchase of restaurants from the 
Company or other franchisees. Most notes receivable bear interest at fixed or floating rates and are generally secured by 
the  assets  of  each  restaurant  and  the  ownership  interests  in  the  franchise.  The  Company  has  also  provided  long-term 
financing to certain franchisees with royalty payment plans. 

The Company establishes an allowance for credit losses on franchisee notes receivables when it is more likely than not 
that some portion or all of the balance will not be realized. The allowance for credit losses on notes receivable is highly 
judgmental  and  subjective  based  on  management’s  judgments  of  each  franchisee’s  economic  performance  and  future 
market conditions.  The Company considers each individual note receivable separately for evaluation of its allowance for 
credit losses which represent specific reserve calculations, except for certain notes receivable issued related to equipment 
development incentives where a general portfolio reserve exists supported by historical write-off experiences.  Included 
in the terms of the notes receivable agreements, the Company is provided collateral rights of the franchisee’s stores (e.g., 
underlying franchise business, property and equipment) and personal guarantees from the operators to recover the carrying 
value of the outstanding note receivable in the event collectability concerns arise.  As a result, the Company also considers 
the fair value of the underlying collateral rights (e.g., underlying franchisee business, property and equipment) and any 
guarantees when assessing the allowance for credit losses (which may require third-party valuations of fair value). Further, 
the Company also considers overall franchisee credit quality, which is monitored through the timing of payments compared 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
to the prescribed payment terms and known facts regarding the financial condition of the franchisee or customer, including 
metrics such as comparable store sales of the franchisees operations and weekly per store sales averages. Notes receivable 
balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.  

Franchisee notes receivable was $49.4 million with an allowance for credit losses of $1.5 million as of December 26, 2021 
compared to $51.1 million with an allowance for credit losses of $3.2 million as of December 27, 2020.   

Insurance Reserves  

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability and property 
insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention. Retention limits range 
up to $1.0 million.  We record the liability for losses based upon undiscounted estimates of the liability for claims incurred 
and  for  events  that  have  occurred  but  have  not  been  reported  using  certain  third-party  actuarial  projections  and  our 
historical claims loss experience.  

As of December 26, 2021, our insurance reserves were $88.1 million as compared to $82.0 million at December 27, 2020.  
Our insurance reserves primarily relate to auto liability and workers’ compensation claims and includes the gross up of 
claims above our retention levels, with a corresponding receivable recorded in Prepaid and other current assets and Other 
assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The insurance reserves represent the mid-point of the range as determined by 
our actuarial analysis, which considered various actuarial valuation methodologies.  The determination of the recorded 
insurance reserves is highly complex due to the significant uncertainty in the potential value of reported claims and the 
number and potential value of incurred but not reported claims.   

Income Tax Accounts and Tax Reserves 

Papa  John’s  is  subject  to  income  taxes  in  the  United  States  and  several  foreign  jurisdictions.  Significant  judgment  is 
required in determining Papa John’s provision for income taxes and the related assets and liabilities. The provision for 
income  taxes  includes  income  taxes  paid,  currently  payable  or  receivable  and  those  deferred.  Deferred  tax  assets  and 
liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are 
measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences reverse. Deferred tax 
assets are also recognized for the estimated future effects of tax attribute carryforwards (e.g., net operating losses, capital 
losses, and foreign tax credits). The effect on deferred taxes of changes in tax rates is recognized in the period in which 
the new tax rate is enacted.  

Valuation allowances are established when necessary on a jurisdictional basis to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts 
we  expect  to  realize  and  were  $28.6  million  and  $23.0  million  as  of  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020, 
respectively. The determination as to whether a deferred tax asset will be realized is based on the evaluation of historical 
profitability,  future  market  growth,  future  taxable  income,  the  expected  timing  of  the  reversals  of  existing  temporary 
differences and tax planning strategies. The Company assesses deferred taxes and the adequacy or need for a valuation 
allowance on a quarterly basis. 

Tax  authorities  periodically  audit  the  Company.  We  record  reserves  and  related  interest  and  penalties  for  identified 
exposures as income tax expense. We evaluate these issues and adjust for events, such as statute of limitations expirations, 
court rulings or audit settlements, which may impact our ultimate payment for such exposures.  

In the event the Company is unable to generate future taxable income, there is a material change in the actual effective tax 
rates, the time period within which the underlying temporary differences become taxable or deductible, or if the tax laws 
change unfavorably, then we could be required to increase the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets, resulting in 
an increase in income tax expense and the effective tax rate. Each change of income tax expense of $1.5 million would 
impact  the  fiscal  2021  effective  tax  rate  by  one  percentage  point.  See  “Note  17”  of  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements” for additional information.   

31 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Global Restaurant Sales and Unit Information 

“Comparable  sales”  represents  the  change  in  year-over-year  sales  for  the  same  base  of  restaurants  for  the  same  fiscal 
periods.  “Global  system-wide  restaurant  sales”  represents total  restaurant  sales  for  all  company-owned  and  franchised 
stores open during the comparable periods, and “Global system-wide restaurant sales growth” represents the change in 
total  system  restaurant  sales  year-over-year.  We  believe  North  America,  international  and  global  restaurant  and 
comparable sales growth and Global system-wide restaurant sales information is useful in analyzing our results since our 
franchisees pay royalties and marketing fund contributions that are based on a percentage of franchise sales. Comparable 
sales and Global system-wide restaurant sales results for restaurants operating outside of the United States are reported on 
a  constant  dollar  basis,  which  excludes  the  impact  of  foreign  currency  translation.  Franchise  sales  also  generate 
commissary revenue in the United States and in certain international markets. Franchise restaurant and comparable sales 
growth information is also useful for comparison to industry trends and evaluating the strength of our brand. Management 
believes the presentation of franchise restaurant sales growth, excluding the impact of foreign currency, provides investors 
with useful information regarding underlying sales trends and the impact of new unit growth without being impacted by 
swings in the external factor of foreign currency. Franchise restaurant sales are not included in the Company’s revenues. 

Comparable sales growth: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America franchised restaurants 
North America restaurants 
International restaurants 
Total comparable sales growth 

System-wide restaurant sales growth: 
(excluding the impact of foreign currency) 
Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America franchised restaurants 
North America restaurants 
International restaurants 
Total global system-wide restaurant sales growth 

Restaurant Progression 

North America Company-owned: 

Beginning of period 
Opened 
Closed 
Acquired 
End of period 

North America franchised: 
Beginning of period 
Opened 
Closed 
Sold 
End of period 

International franchised: 
Beginning of period 
Opened 
Closed 
End of period 

Total restaurants – end of period 

Full year net store growth 

32 

December 26, 2021 

December 27, 2020 

Year Ended 

11.3%  
12.0%  
11.8%  
13.0%  
12.1%  

11.1%  
13.0%  
12.6%  
24.4%  
15.4%  

14.2% 
18.6% 
17.6% 
12.6% 
16.3% 

7.5% 
18.7% 
16.0% 
15.5% 
15.9% 

December 26, 2021 

December 27, 2020 

Year Ended 

 588  
 11  
 —  
 1  
 600  

 2,701  
 74  
 (35) 
 (1) 
 2,739  

 2,111  
 304  
 (104) 
 2,311  
 5,650  

 250  

 598 
 2 
 (12)
 — 
 588 

 2,690 
 62 
 (51)
 — 
 2,701 

 2,107 
 156 
 (152)
 2,111 
 5,400 

 5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Fiscal Year 

Our  fiscal  year  ends  on  the  last  Sunday  in  December of  each  year.  All  fiscal  years  presented  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Financial Statements consist of 52 weeks. 

Results of Operations 

2021 Compared to 2020 

This  section  of  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  generally  discusses  fiscal  2021  and  2020  items  and  year-to-year 
comparisons between fiscal 2021 and 2020.  Discussion of 2019 items and year-to-year comparisons between fiscal 2020 
and 2019 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on From 10-K for the fiscal year 
ended December 27, 2020. 

The  following  table  sets  forth  the  various  components  of  the  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  expressed  as  a 
percentage  of  total  revenues,  except  operating  costs  which  are  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  associated  revenue 
component. 

($ in thousands) 
Revenues: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales 
North America franchise royalties and fees 
North America commissary revenues 
International revenues 
Other revenues 

Total revenues 
Costs and expenses: 
Operating costs (excluding depreciation and 
amortization shown separately below): 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant 
expenses 
North America commissary expenses 
International expenses 
Other expenses 

  General and administrative expenses 
  Depreciation and amortization 
Total costs and expenses 
Operating income 
Investment income 
Interest expense 
Income before income taxes 

Revenues   

December 26, 2021 

December 27, 2020 

Year Ended 

  % of Related 

Revenues 

  % of Related  

Revenues 

Increase 
(Decrease) 

  $ 

 778,323  
 129,310  
 761,305  
 150,771  
 248,712  
 2,068,421  

 621,871  
 703,622  
 87,286  
 226,320  
 212,265  
 48,816  
 1,900,180  
 168,241  
 1,912  
 (19,205) 
 150,948  

  $ 

  $ 

 700,757  
 96,732  
 680,793  
 123,963  
 210,989  
 1,813,234  

79.9%  
92.4%  
57.9%  
91.0%  
10.3%  
2.4%  
91.9%  
8.1%  
0.1%  
(0.9)%  

7.3%   $ 

 563,799  
 630,937  
 73,994  
 200,304  
 204,242  
 49,705  
 1,722,981  
 90,253  
 2,131  
 (17,022)  
 75,362  

80.5%  
92.7%  
59.7%  
94.9%  
11.3%  
2.7%  
95.0%  
5.0%  
0.1%  
(0.9)% 
4.2%  

(0.6)%
(0.3)%
(1.8)%
(3.9)%
(1.0)%
(0.3)%
(3.1)%
3.1% 
0.0% 
0.0% 
3.1% 

Consolidated revenues increased $255.2 million, or 14.1%, to $2.07 billion in 2021, compared to $1.81 billion in 2020. 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales increased $77.6 million, or 11.1%, in 2021. The increase was primarily due to 
positive comparable sales of 11.3%, which were positively impacted  by new product innovation, including the successful 
launch of our new Epic Stuffed Crust pizza in the first quarter of 2021, and due to higher demand that has been sustained 
during the pandemic, which was not reflected in the first quarter of 2020.     

33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
North America franchise royalties and fees increased $32.6 million, or 33.7%, in 2021.  The increase was primarily due to 
positive comparable sales of 12.0% and a higher effective royalty rate from higher franchise royalties of $14.3 million in 
2021 as a result of ending our temporary franchise assistance program in the third quarter of 2020.  The franchise assistance 
program was above and beyond the level of franchise assistance the Company would incur in the ordinary course of its 
business. 

North America franchise restaurant sales increased 13.0% to $2.8 billion for 2021 compared to prior year.  North America 
franchise  restaurant  sales  are  not  included  in  Company  revenues;  however,  our  North  America  franchise  royalties  are 
derived from these sales. 

North  America  commissary  revenues  increased  $80.5  million,  or  11.8%,  primarily  due  to  higher  volumes  and  higher 
pricing from higher commodities costs. 

International  revenues  increased  $26.8  million,  or  21.6%  in  2021  primarily  due  to  higher  royalties  from  increased 
equivalent units and higher comparable sales of 13.0%.  International revenues also increased $8.1 million in 2021 due to 
favorable foreign exchange rates.  “Equivalent units” represents the number of restaurants open at the beginning of a given 
period, adjusted for restaurants opened, closed, acquired or sold during the period on a weighted average basis.   

International franchise restaurant sales increased 24.4% to $1.2 billion in 2021, excluding the impact of foreign currency, 
primarily due to increases in comparable sales and net new restaurant openings. International franchise restaurant sales are 
not included in Company revenues; however, our international royalty revenue is derived from these sales.  

Other  revenues,  which  primarily  includes  our  national  marketing  funds,  online  and  mobile  ordering  business  and  our 
wholly-owned  print  and  promotions  subsidiary,  increased  $37.7  million,  or  17.9%  in  2021  primarily  due  to  higher 
marketing fund revenues from an increase in franchise sales and higher revenues from our technology platform, including 
our mobile ordering business which benefited from increased restaurant sales.   

Costs and Expenses 

Total costs and expenses were approximately $1.90 billion, or 91.9% of total revenues in 2021, as compared to $1.7 billion, 
or 95.0% of total revenues for the prior year. The decrease in total costs and expenses, as a percentage of revenues, were 
primarily due to the following: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses were $621.9 million or 79.9% of related revenues in 2021, compared to 
expenses of $563.8 million, or 80.5% of related revenues for the prior year.  The 0.6% decrease in expenses, as a percentage 
of revenues, was primarily due to leveraging fixed costs on higher revenues, partially offset by higher commodity and 
labor costs.  

North America commissary expenses were $703.6 million, or 92.4% of related revenues in 2021, compared to $630.9 
million, or 92.7% of related revenues, for the prior year. The 0.3% decrease in expenses, as a percentage of revenues, was 
primarily due to leveraging fixed costs on higher revenues. 

International expenses were $87.3 million, or 57.9% of related revenues, for 2021 compared to $74.0 million, or 59.7% of 
related revenues for the prior year. The 1.8% decrease in expenses as a percentage of revenues was primarily due to lower 
operating costs on higher royalties from a 13.0% increase in comparable sales for 2021 and the favorable impact of foreign 
currency exchange rates in 2021. 

Other expenses were $226.3 million, or 91.0% of related revenues in 2021, as compared to $200.3 million, or 94.9% of 
related revenues for the prior year. The 3.9% decrease in expenses, as a percentage of related revenues, was primarily due 
to higher margins from our technology platform, including our mobile ordering business.  

34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses were $212.3 million, or 10.3% of revenues for 2021 compared to $204.2 
million, or 11.3% of revenues for 2020.  G&A expenses consisted of the following (dollars in thousands): 

Year Ended 

Administrative expenses (a) 
Special items (b) 
Other general expenses (c) 
General and administrative expenses 

  December 27, 

December 26, 
2021 
 199,452   $ 
 13,094  
 (281) 
 212,265   $ 

  $ 

  $ 

2020 
 185,202 
 5,985 
 13,055 
 204,242 

(a)  The increase in administrative expenses of $14.3 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 compared to prior 

year was primarily due to higher professional and legal fees and travel and labor costs. 

(b)  Represents $13.1 million and $6.0 million in strategic reorganization costs for the years ended December 26, 2021 
and  December  27,  2020,  respectively,  associated  with  the  opening  of  our  new  office  in  Atlanta,  Georgia.    See 
“Note 16” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information. 

(c)  The decrease in other general expenses of $13.3 million in 2021 was primarily due to discretionary marketing fund 
investments of $15.0 million which was part of our temporary franchisee assistance program that concluded in the 
third quarter of 2020. 

See “Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures” for additional information regarding the Special items.   

Depreciation and amortization.  Depreciation and amortization expense was $48.8 million, or 2.4% of revenues in 2021, 
as compared to $49.7 million, or 2.7% of revenues for 2020.  The 0.3% decrease is primarily due to higher revenues in 
2021. 

Operating Income by Segment 

Operating  income  is  summarized  in  the  following  table  on  a  reporting  segment  basis.  Operating  income  increased 
approximately $78.0 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 as compared to the prior year. Alongside the GAAP 
operating income data, we have included “adjusted” operating income to exclude Special items. Special items in 2021 and 
2020  consist  of  strategic  corporate  reorganization  costs  associated  with  our  corporate  office  in  Atlanta,  Georgia.  The 
reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial results, as well as the Special items, are included in “Items Impacting 
Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures.”  We believe these non-GAAP measures are important for comparability purposes.  

(In thousands) 

Domestic Company-owned 
restaurants 
North America franchising 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Unallocated corporate 
expenses 
Elimination of intersegment 
(profits) 
Total 

      Reported       Special 
items 
  Dec. 26, 
in 2021 

2021 

      Adjusted 
  Dec. 26, 

2021 

Year Ended 
   Reported 
Dec. 27, 
2020 

      Special 
items 
in 2020 

      Adjusted       Adjusted 
Increase 
     (Decrease) 

  Dec. 27, 

2020 

  $   49,628   $ 
   120,949  
 39,873  
 34,896  
 17,704  

 —   $   49,628   $ 
   120,949  
 —  
 39,873  
 —  
 —  
 34,896  
 —  
 17,704  

 37,049   $ 
 89,801  
 33,185  
 24,034  
 7,043  

 —   $   37,049   $  12,579 
   31,148 
 —  
 —  
 6,688 
   10,862 
 —  
   10,661 
 —  

 89,801  
    33,185  
 24,034  
 7,043  

   (94,114) 

 13,094  

 (81,020) 

   (100,069) 

 5,985  

   (94,084) 

   13,064 

 (695) 

 —  

 (695) 

  $  168,241   $  13,094   $  181,335   $ 

 (790) 
 90,253   $ 

 —  

 95 
 (790) 
 5,985   $   96,238   $  85,097 

35 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
     
    
     
   
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The increase in operating income, excluding Special items, of $85.1 million, or 88.4% in 2021 compared to 2020 was 
primarily due to the following:  

  Domestic  Company-owned  restaurants  increased  $12.6  million  in  2021  primarily  due  to  higher  profits  from 

comparable sales increases of 11.3%, partially offset by higher commodities and labor costs.   

  North America franchising increased $31.1 million in 2021 primarily due to higher comparable sales of 12.0% 
and a higher effective royalty rate from higher franchise royalties of $14.3 million driven by the conclusion of 
our temporary royalty reduction program in the third quarter of 2020.  This temporary royalty support was above 
and beyond the level of franchise assistance the Company would incur in the ordinary course of its business.   
  North America commissaries increased $6.7 million in 2021 primarily due to higher profits from higher volumes.  
 
International  increased  approximately  $10.9  million  in  2021  primarily  due  to  higher  royalty  revenue  from 
comparable sales of 13.0% and increased equivalent units.   

  All Others, which primarily includes our online and mobile ordering business and our marketing funds, increased 
$10.7  million  in  2021  primarily  due  to  higher  revenues  from  our  technology  platform,  including  our  mobile 
ordering business. 

  Unallocated corporate expenses decreased approximately $13.1 million in 2021 primarily due to our discretionary 
marketing  fund  investments  of  $15.0  million  in  2020  which  was  part  of  our  previously  announced  franchise 
assistance program that concluded in the third quarter of 2020.  This decrease was partially offset by higher travel 
and labor costs.   

Interest expense. Interest expense increased approximately $2.2 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 primarily 
due to higher interest rate for our senior notes and higher average outstanding debt on our revolving credit facility drawn 
to partially fund the repurchase and conversion of our Series B Preferred Stock. Total debt outstanding was $490.0 million 
and $350.0 million as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively. 

Income before income taxes.  Income before income taxes was $150.9 million in 2021, compared to $75.4 million in 2020, 
or an increase of $75.5 million due to the reasons discussed above. 

Income tax expense. The effective income tax rate was 17.2% for 2021, compared to 19.6% for 2020. The effective rate 
was lower in 2021 due to the finalization of our 2020 federal income tax return, which resulted in a $2.7 million benefit to 
income tax expense. The rate also included excess tax benefits from stock option exercise and restricted shares vesting 
activity. The following compares income tax expense for 2021 and 2020:  

Income before income taxes 
Income tax expense 
Effective tax rate 

Year Ended 
December 26, 2021        December 27, 2020 

$ 
$ 

150,948  
25,993  
17.2% 

  $ 
  $ 

75,362  
14,748  
19.6% 

See  “Items  Impacting  Comparability;  Non-GAAP  Measures”  and  “Note  7”  and  “Note  17”  of  “Notes  to  Consolidated 
Financial Statements,” for additional information. 

Diluted earnings per share. Diluted earnings per common share was $0.12 for 2021 compared to diluted earnings per 
common share of $1.28 in 2020, representing a decrease of $1.16. Excluding Special items, adjusted diluted earnings per 
common share was $3.51 in 2021, compared to $1.40 in 2020, representing an increase of $2.11. Diluted earnings per 
common  share  for  the  year  ended  December  26,  2021  included  $3.10  from  a  reduction  in  net  income  attributable  to 
common shareholders related to the repurchase and conversion of all shares of previously outstanding Series B Preferred 
Stock during the second quarter. This reduction reflects the excess of the one-time cash payment over the carrying value 
of the Series B Preferred Stock. See “Note 6” and “Note 7” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional 
information. 

36 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Items Impacting Comparability; Non-GAAP Measures  

The table below reconciles our GAAP financial results to our adjusted financial results, which are non-GAAP measures 
(collectively defined as “Special items”). We present these non-GAAP measures because we believe the Special items 
impact the comparability of our results of operations. See “Note 6”, “Note 16”, and “Note 17” of “Notes to Consolidated 
Financial Statements,” for additional information about the Special items. 

(In thousands, except per share amounts) 

GAAP operating income 

Strategic corporate reorganization costs (1) 

Adjusted operating income 

GAAP net income attributable to common shareholders 

Strategic corporate reorganization costs (1) 
Repurchase and conversion of Series B Preferred Stock (2) 
Tax effect of strategic corporate reorganization costs (3) 
Two-class impact for Non-GAAP adjustment to net income (4) 

Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders 

GAAP diluted earnings per common share 

Strategic corporate reorganization costs (1) 
Repurchase and conversion of Series B Preferred Stock (2) 
Tax effect of strategic corporate reorganization costs (3) 
Two-class impact for Non-GAAP adjustment to net income (4) 

Adjusted diluted earnings per common share 

Year Ended 

Dec. 26, 
2021 
(Note) 

      Dec. 27, 

2020 

  $   168,241   $ 
 13,094  
  $   181,335   $ 

 90,253 
 5,985 
 96,238 

  $ 

 4,073   $ 

 13,094  
 109,852  
 (2,946) 
 —  

  $   124,073   $ 

 41,737 
 5,985 
 — 
 (1,346)
 (662)
 45,714 

  $ 

  $ 

 0.12   $ 
 0.37  
 3.10  
 (0.08) 
 —  
3.51   $ 

 1.28 
 0.18 
 — 
 (0.04)
 (0.02)
 1.40 

(Note)   The above table does not include the impact of the allocation of undistributed earnings to participating securities 

for Special items in 2021.  

(1)  Represents strategic corporate reorganization costs associated with our new office in Atlanta, Georgia. 
(2)  Represents the one-time charge related to the repurchase and conversion of all shares of Series B Preferred Stock and 

includes related professional fees incurred as part of the transaction. 

(3)  The tax effect for strategic corporate reorganization costs was calculated by applying the marginal tax rate of 22.5% 
for 2021 and 2020, respectively. There was no tax effect on the repurchase and conversion of the Series B Preferred 
Stock as the one-time charge was non-deductible for tax purposes. 

(4)  Represents  an  adjustment  to  the  allocation  of  undistributed  earnings  to  participating  securities  for  the  strategic 

corporate reorganization costs. 

The non-GAAP adjusted results shown above and within this document, which exclude the Special items, should not be 
construed  as  a  substitute  for  or  a  better  indicator  of  the  Company’s  performance  than  the  Company’s  GAAP  results.  
Management believes presenting certain financial information excluding the Special items is important for purposes of 
comparing our  historical  operating results  and providing  transparency  in  how  we  evaluate  our  operating performance.  
Management uses these metrics to evaluate the Company’s underlying operating performance and to analyze trends. 

In addition, we present free cash flow in this report, which is a non-GAAP measure. Please see “Liquidity and Capital 
Resources – Free Cash Flow” for a discussion of why we believe free cash flow provides useful information regarding our 
financial condition and results of operations, and a reconciliation of free cash flow to the most directly comparable GAAP 
measure. 

The  presentation  of  the  non-GAAP  measures  in  this  report  is  made  alongside  the  most  directly  comparable  GAAP 
measures. 

37 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources 

Cash Flows  

The table below summarizes our cash flows from continuing operations for each of the last two fiscal years (in thousands): 

Total cash provided by (used in): 

Operating activities 
Investing activities 
Financing activities 

Change in cash and cash equivalents, excluding the impact of foreign currency 

Operating Activities 

2021 

2020 

  $ 

 184,675   $ 
 (63,512) 
 (180,526) 

  $ 

 (59,363)  $ 

 186,439 
 (41,071)
 (43,461)
 101,907 

Total cash provided by operating activities was $184.7 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 which was generally 
consistent with the prior year comparable period.  The Company benefited from strong comparable sales growth of 12.1% 
in 2021 driven by our product innovation, customer retention and expansion both domestically and internationally, which 
more than doubled our net income to $125.0 million from $60.6 million a year ago.  This was offset by unfavorable changes 
in  working  capital,  including  the  repayment  of  previously  deferred  employer  payroll  taxes  from  the  Coronavirus  Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act and the timing of payments associated with our national marketing fund.   

Investing Activities 

Cash flow used in investing activities was $63.5 million in 2021 compared to $41.1 million in 2020.  The increase of $22.4 
million was primarily driven by a $32.9 million increase in capital spend as part of our long-term growth strategy and 
expansion both domestically and internationally, including expenditures for the buildout of our corporate office located in 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  information  technology  upgrades  for  our  corporate  and  restaurant  facilities,  and  the  development  of 
Company-owned restaurants.  This was partially offset by higher repayments from notes issued to franchisees. 

Financing Activities 

Cash flow used in financing activities was $180.5 million in 2021 compared to $43.5 million in 2020, an increase of $137.0 
million.  During 2021, the Company executed a new capital allocation strategy to optimize its capital structure, accelerating 
our  long-term  earnings  potential  and  providing  ongoing  value  to  our  shareholders.  This  strategy  included  cash 
consideration paid for the repurchase of the Company’s outstanding shares of Series B Preferred stock totaling $188.6 
million, share repurchases made under the Company’s share repurchase programs of $72.5 million, and an increase to our 
dividend rate per common share, from $0.90 to $1.40 on an annual basis. These cash uses were partially offset by net 
proceeds of $60.0 million from the issuance of our 3.875% senior notes due 2029 and refinancing of our revolving credit 
facility, and also $80.0 million in net proceeds received from our revolving credit facility which were mainly used to fund 
our share repurchases. 

Debt 

On September 14, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million of 3.875% senior notes (the “Notes”) which will mature on 
September 15, 2029.  Concurrently with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into an amended and restated 
credit  agreement  (the  “Amended  Credit  Agreement”)  replacing  the  previous  credit  agreement  (“Previous  Credit 
Agreement”).  The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate 
available principal amount of $600.0 million (the “PJI Revolving Facility”), of which up to $40.0 million is available as 
swingline  loans  and  up  to  $80.0  million  is  available  as  letters  of  credit.    The  PJI  Revolving  Facility  will  mature  on 
September 14, 2026.   

The  net  proceeds  from  the  Notes,  together  with  borrowings  under  the  PJI  Revolving  Facility,  were  used  to  repay 
outstanding revolver and term loan borrowings under the Company’s Previous Credit Agreement. 

38 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
        
        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our outstanding debt as of December 26, 2021 was $490.0 million, which was comprised of $400.0 million outstanding 
under the Notes and $90.0 million outstanding under the PJI Revolving Facility. Remaining availability under the PJI 
Revolving Facility was approximately $510.0 million as of December 26, 2021. 

Our Amended Credit Agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants that, among other things, require customary 
reporting obligations and restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens, the 
consummation  of  certain  mergers,  consolidations,  sales  of  assets  and  similar  transactions,  the  making  of  investments, 
equity distributions and other restricted payments, and transactions with affiliates.  The Company is also subject to certain 
financial  covenants,  as  shown  in  the  following  table,  that  could  restrict  or  impose  constraints  on  the  liquidity  of  our 
business: 

Leverage ratio 

Interest coverage ratio 

      Actual Ratio for the 

Permitted Ratio 
   Not to exceed 5.25 to 1.0   

Year Ended 
December 26, 2021 
2.0 to 1.0 

   Not less than 2.00 to 1.0   

5.0 to 1.0 

Our leverage ratio is defined as outstanding debt divided by consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and 
amortization (“EBITDA”) for the most recent four fiscal quarters.  Our interest coverage ratio is defined as the sum of 
consolidated  EBITDA  and  consolidated  rental  expense  for  the  most  recent  four  fiscal  quarters  divided  by  the  sum  of 
consolidated  interest  expense  and  consolidated  rental  expense  for  the  most  recent  four  fiscal  quarters.  We  were  in 
compliance with all financial covenants as of December 26, 2021. 

In addition, the Indenture governing the Notes contains customary covenants that, among other things and subject to certain 
exceptions, limit our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to: incur additional indebtedness and guarantee 
indebtedness; pay  dividends or  make other distributions or  repurchase  or  redeem our  capital  stock; prepay,  redeem or 
repurchase certain debt; issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities; make loans and investments; sell assets; 
incur  liens;  enter  into  transactions  with  affiliates;  enter  into  agreements  restricting  our  subsidiaries’  ability  to  pay 
dividends; and consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets.  

Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”), our national marketing fund, has a $20.0 million revolving line of credit (the 
“PJMF Revolving Facility”) pursuant to a Revolving Loan Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 with U.S. Bank National 
Association, as lender.  There was no debt outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 26, 2021 or 
December 27, 2020. The PJMF operating results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants 
under the Amended Credit Agreement. 

See “Note 12” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information. 

Share Repurchases 

As part of our long-term growth and capital allocation strategy, we are committed to investing in share repurchases to 
provide ongoing value and enhanced returns to our shareholders.  On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors approved 
a share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to $425.0 million of the Company’s common stock.  The 
share repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 million share repurchase authorization, which began on 
November 4, 2020 and expired on December 26, 2021.   

The following table summarizes our repurchase activity for the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020: 

(in thousands, except average price per share) 
Year Ended 
December 26, 2021 
December 27, 2020 

Total 
Number 
of Shares 
      Purchased       

594   $ 
32   $ 

39 

Aggregate 
Cost of 
Shares 

      Purchased 

Average 
Price 
Paid per 
Share 
121.96   $ 
83.90   $ 

Maximum Dollar 
Value of Shares 
that May Yet Be 
Purchased Under the 
Plans or Programs 

 72,499   $ 
 2,701   $ 

 424,800 
 72,299 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
Subsequent to year-end, we acquired an additional 109,000 shares at an aggregate cost of $13.3 million.  Approximately 
$411.5 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of February 17, 2022. 

The Company utilizes a written trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 
from time to time to facilitate the repurchase of shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program.  There 
can be no assurance that we will repurchase shares of our common stock either through a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan or 
otherwise. 

Dividends 

The Company recorded dividends of approximately $46.0 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 consisting of the 
following: 

 
 
 

 

$40.4 million paid to common stockholders ($1.15 per share); 
$3.0 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock (3.6% of the investment per annum); 
$1.5 million of common stock deemed dividend distributions in conjunction with the repurchase and conversion 
of the Series B Preferred Stock; and 
$1.1  million  in  common  stock  “pass-through”  dividends  paid  to  Series  B  Preferred  Stockholders  on  an  as-
converted basis ($0.45 per share). 

The  Company  paid  common  stock  dividends  of  $29.4  million,  common  stock  “pass-through”  dividends  to  Series  B 
Preferred Stockholders of $4.6 million, and $9.1 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock in 2020. 

On  January  27,  2022,  our  Board  of  Directors  declared  a  first  quarter  dividend  of  $0.35  per  share  of  common  stock, 
representing an approximate $12.7 million aggregate dividend that was paid on February 18, 2022 to common stockholders 
of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2022.  The declaration and payment of any future dividends will be at 
the discretion of our Board of Directors. 

Free Cash Flow 

Free  cash  flow,  a  non-GAAP  measure,  is  defined  as  net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  (from  the  Consolidated 
Statements of Cash Flows) less the purchases of property and equipment and dividends paid to preferred stockholders. We 
view free cash flow as an important financial measure because it is one factor that management uses in determining the 
amount of cash available for discretionary investment. Free cash flow is not a term defined by GAAP, and as a result, our 
measure of free cash flow might not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Free cash flow 
should not be construed as a substitute for or a better indicator of the Company’s performance than the Company’s GAAP 
measures.   

The Company’s free cash flow for the last two years was as follows (in thousands): 

Net cash provided by operating activities 
Purchases of property and equipment 
Dividends paid to preferred stockholders (1) 
Free cash flow 

Year Ended 

      December 26,        December 27, 

2021 

2020 

  $ 

  $ 

 184,675   $ 
 (68,559) 
 (6,394) 
 109,722   $ 

 186,439 
 (35,652)
 (13,649)
 137,138 

(1)   Excludes $188.6 million of cash consideration paid for the repurchase and conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock 

in the second quarter of 2021. 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
Cash Requirements 

The Company believes that its balances of cash and cash equivalents and borrowing capacity, along with cash generated 
by operations, will be sufficient to satisfy its cash requirements, cash dividends, interest payments and share repurchases 
over the next twelve months and beyond. 

The  Company’s  material  cash  requirements  as  of  December  26,  2021  include  the  following  contractual  obligations 
(in thousands): 

     Less than       
1 Year 

  1-3 Years 

  3-5 Years 

     After 5 
Years 

Total 

Payments Due by Period 

Contractual Obligations: 
3.875% Senior Notes 
Revolving Facility 
Interest payments (1) 
Total debt 
Operating leases (2) 
Finance leases (2) 
Total contractual obligations 

  $

 —  $ 
 — 
   23,299 

 —  $ 
 — 
    36,150 

 —  $  400,000  $  400,000  
 90,000  
 — 
 90,000 
   140,549  
    46,500 
    34,600 
  $ 23,299  $   36,150  $  124,600  $  446,500  $  630,549  
   242,274  
    49,521 
   24,015  
 5,507 
  $ 62,591  $  110,184  $  179,628  $  544,435  $  896,838  

    96,187 
 1,748 

    63,243 
 10,791 

   33,323 
 5,969 

(1)  Interest payments assume an outstanding debt balance of $490.0 million. Interest payments are calculated based on 
LIBOR  plus  the  applicable  margin  in  effect  at  December  26,  2021,  and  includes  the  impact  of  interest  rate  swap 
agreements in effect. The actual interest rates on our variable rate debt and the amount of our indebtedness could vary 
from  those  used  to  compute  the  above  interest  payments.  See  “Note  12”  of  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements” for additional information concerning our debt and credit arrangements. 

(2)  See “Note 3” of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information.  The above amounts exclude 

variable-based rents and future expected sub-lease income in the UK.   

The above table does not include the following: 

  Unrecognized  tax  benefits  of  $0.9  million,  including  interest  and  penalties,  since  we  are  not  able  to  make 

reasonable estimates of the period of cash settlement with respect to the taxing authority. 

  Redeemable noncontrolling interests of $5.5 million as we are not able to predict the timing of the redemptions. 
  Expected  capital  expenditures  of  approximately  $75.0  million  to  $85.0  million  in  2022,  which  the  Company 
expects  to  spend  primarily  on  the  buildout  and  development  of  Company-owned  stores  and  technological 
enhancements. 

Impact of Inflation 

From time to time, we experience the impacts of inflation, which cause increased food, labor and benefits costs and higher 
operating expenses. To the extent permitted by competition, increased costs are recovered through a combination of menu 
price increases and/or implementing other cost reductions.  

41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      
 
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements 

We  guarantee  leases  for  certain  Papa  John’s  North  American  franchisees  who  have  purchased  restaurants  that  were 
previously Company-owned.  We are contingently liable on these leases. These leases have varying terms, the latest of 
which expires in 2036.  As of December 26, 2021, the estimated maximum amount of undiscounted payments the Company 
could be required to make in the event of nonpayment by the primary lessees was approximately $11.5 million. 

We have certain other commercial commitments where payment is contingent upon the occurrence of certain events. With 
our insurance programs, we are party to surety bonds with off-balance sheet risk as follows by year (in thousands): 

Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period 

      Less than        1-3 

      3-5 

      After 

Surety bonds 

1 Year 
  $   45,748  $ 

  Years 

  Years 

  5 Years 

Total 

 —  $ 

 —  $ 

 —  $   45,748 

The surety bond arrangements expire within one year but have automatic renewal clauses.  See “Note 12” and “Note 19” 
of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for additional information related to contractual and other commitments. 

Forward-Looking Statements 

Certain matters discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other Company communications that are not statements 
of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.  Generally, the 
use of words such as “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “will,” “forecast,” “plan,” “project,” or similar 
words identify forward-looking statements that we intend to be included within the safe harbor protections provided by 
the federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include or may relate to projections or guidance concerning 
business  performance,  revenue,  earnings,  cash  flow,  earnings  per  share,  share  repurchases,  the  financial  impact  of  the 
temporary business opportunities, disruptions and temporary changes in demand we are experiencing related to the current 
outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related restrictions, commodity costs, currency fluctuations, profit margins, 
unit growth, unit level performance, capital expenditures, restaurant and franchise development, the duration of changes 
in  consumer  behavior  caused  by  the  pandemic,  labor  shortages,  inflation,  reorganization  costs  and  the  related 
organizational, employment and real estate changes from opening our new office in Atlanta, royalty relief, the effectiveness 
of  our  menu  innovations  and  other  business  initiatives,  marketing  efforts,  liquidity,  compliance  with  debt  covenants, 
strategic decisions and actions, dividends, effective tax rates, regulatory changes and impacts, adoption of new accounting 
standards, and other financial and operational measures. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and 
involve  certain  risks,  uncertainties  and  assumptions,  which  are  difficult  to  predict  and  many  of  which  are  beyond  our 
control. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those matters expressed or implied in such 
forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are involved in our forward-looking statements 
include, but are not limited to: 

 

 

 

 
 

the ability of the Company to manage difficulties and opportunities associated with or related to the COVID-19 
pandemic or the cessation thereof in the future, including risks related to: the impact of governmental restrictions 
on  freedom  of  movement  and  business  operations  including  quarantines,  social  distancing  requirements  and 
mandatory  business  closures;  changes  in  consumer  demand  or  behavior;  labor  shortages  at  Company  and/or 
franchised stores and our quality control centers; impact of delayed new store openings, both domestically and 
internationally;  vaccine  mandates;  our  ability  to  navigate  changing  governmental  programs  and  regulations 
relating to the pandemic; and the increased risk of phishing, ransomware and other cyber-attacks; 
our  ability  to  fully  realize  the  anticipated  benefits  of  our  corporate  reorganization  and  new  office  in  Atlanta, 
Georgia; 
increased costs for branding initiatives and launching new advertising and marketing campaigns and promotions 
to boost consumer sentiment and sales trends, and the risk that such initiatives will not be effective; 
risks related to social media, including publicity adversely and rapidly impacting our brand and reputation; 
aggressive changes in pricing or other marketing or promotional strategies by competitors, which may adversely 
affect sales and profitability; and new product and concept developments by food industry competitors;  

42 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

changes  in  consumer  preferences  or  consumer  buying  habits,  including  the  growing  popularity  of  delivery 
aggregators,  as  well  as  changes  in  general  economic  conditions  or  other  factors  that  may  affect  consumer 
confidence and discretionary spending, including higher unemployment;   
the adverse impact on the Company or our results caused by global health concerns, product recalls, food quality 
or safety issues, incidences of foodborne illness, food contamination and other general public health concerns 
about our Company-owned or franchised restaurants or others in the restaurant industry;  
the effectiveness of our technology investments and changes in unit-level operations;  
the  ability  of  the  Company  and  its  franchisees  to  meet  planned  growth  targets  and  operate  new  and  existing 
restaurants profitably, including difficulties finding qualified franchisees, store level employees or suitable sites;  
increases in labor costs, food costs or sustained higher other operating costs, including as a result of supply chain 
disruption and inflation. This could also include increased employee compensation, including as a result of labor 
shortages, changes in minimum wage, benefits, insurance, tax rates, new regulatory requirements or increasing 
compliance costs; 
increases in insurance claims and related costs for programs funded by the Company up to certain retention limits, 
including medical, owned and non-owned vehicles, workers’ compensation, general liability and property;  
disruption of our supply chain or commissary operations which could be caused by our sole source of supply of 
mozzarella cheese, desserts, garlic cups or limited source of suppliers for other key ingredients or more generally 
due  to  weather,  natural  disasters  including  drought,  disease,  or  geopolitical  or  other  disruptions  beyond  our 
control, including COVID-19;  
increased risks associated with our international operations, including economic and political conditions and risks 
associated with the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union, instability or uncertainty in our international 
markets, especially emerging markets, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, difficulty in meeting planned sales 
targets and new store growth; 
the impact of current or future claims and litigation and our ability to comply with current, proposed or future 
legislation that could impact our business including compliance with the European Union General Data Protection 
Regulation;  
the Company's ability to continue to pay dividends to stockholders based upon profitability, cash flows and capital 
adequacy if restaurant sales and operating results decline; 
disruption of critical business or information technology systems, or those of our suppliers, and risks associated 
with systems failures and data privacy and security breaches, including theft of confidential Company, employee 
and customer information, including payment cards; and 
changes in Federal or state income, general and other tax laws, rules and regulations and changes in generally 
accepted accounting principles. 

These  and  other  risk  factors  are  discussed  in  detail  in  “Part  I.  Item  1A.  —  Risk  Factors”  of  this  Annual  Report  on 
Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future 
events, new information or otherwise, except as required by law. 

43 

 
 
Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 

Interest Rate Risk 

We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes on our PJI Revolving Facility. We attempt to minimize interest rate 
risk  exposure  by  fixing  our  interest  rate  through  the  utilization  of  interest  rate  swaps,  which  are  derivative  financial 
instruments.  The interest rate swaps were eligible for hedge accounting for part of the period and were de-designated 
following  the  issuance  of  the  Notes.  Our  swaps  are  entered  into  with  financial  institutions  that  participate  in  the  PJI 
Revolving Facility.  By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves 
to credit risk due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.  We do 
not enter into contracts for trading purposes and do not use leveraged instruments. See “Note 12” of “Notes to Consolidated 
Financial Statements” for additional information on our debt obligations and derivative instruments. 

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk  

We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations from our operations outside of the United States, which 
can  adversely  impact  our  revenues,  net  income  and  cash  flows.  Our  international  operations  principally  consist  of 
distribution sales to franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the United Kingdom and our franchise sales and support 
activities, which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our 
international franchisees. Approximately 7.3% of our 2021 revenues, 6.8% of our 2020 revenues and 7.8% of our 2019 
revenues were derived from these international operations. 

We have not historically hedged our exposure to foreign currency fluctuations. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations 
had a favorable impact of approximately $8.1 million on our consolidated revenues in 2021 compared to an unfavorable 
impact of approximately $600,000 in 2020.  Foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact of $1.4 million on 
our operating income in 2021 compared to an unfavorable impact of $1.0 million in 2020.  A 10% adverse change in the 
foreign currency rates for our international markets would result in an additional negative impact on annual revenue and 
operating income of approximately $15.6 million and $3.3 million, respectively.  

Commodity Price Risk 

In the ordinary course of business, the food and paper products we purchase, including cheese (our largest ingredient cost), 
are subject to seasonal fluctuations, weather, availability, demand and other factors that are beyond our control. We have 
pricing agreements with some of our vendors, including forward pricing agreements for a portion of our cheese purchases 
for our domestic Company-owned restaurants, which are accounted for as normal purchases; however, we still remain 
exposed to on-going commodity volatility. 

The following table presents the actual average block price for cheese by quarter in 2021, 2020 and 2019. Also presented 
is the projected 2022 average block price by quarter (based on the February 17, 2022 Chicago Mercantile Exchange cheese 
futures prices): 

Quarter 1 
Quarter 2 
Quarter 3 
Quarter 4 
Full Year 

2022 
  Projected 
  Market 

2021 
Block 
Price 

2020 
Block 
Price 

2019 
Block 
Price 

  $   1.956 
    2.088 
    2.095 
    2.031 
  $   2.043 

$   1.676 
    1.680 
    1.676 
    1.786 
$   1.705 

$   1.857 
    1.679 
    2.262 
    2.235 
$   2.008 

$   1.490 
    1.696 
    1.898 
    1.984 
$   1.767 

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID 42) 

Consolidated Financial Statements: 

  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021,  December  27,  2020  and 

December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 

2020 and December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 
  Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 

and December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated  Statements  of  Cash  Flows  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021,  December  27,  2020  and 

December 29, 2019  

  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

45 

 
 
 
 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 

Opinion on the Financial Statements  

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the 
Company)  as  of  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020,  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  operations, 
comprehensive  income  (loss),  stockholders'  deficit  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended 
December 26,  2021,  and  the  related  notes  (collectively  referred  to  as  the  “consolidated  financial  statements”).    In  our 
opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company 
at December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three 
years in the period ended December 26, 2021, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. 

We  also  have  audited,  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  (United 
States)  (PCAOB),  the  Company's  internal  control over  financial  reporting  as  of December 26,  2021, based  on  criteria 
established  in  Internal  Control-Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the 
Treadway  Commission  (2013  Framework),  and  our  report  dated  February  24,  2022,  expressed  an  unqualified  opinion 
thereon.    

Basis for Opinion 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion 
on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB 
and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and 
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  PCAOB.  Those  standards  require  that  we  plan  and 
perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, 
whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of 
the  financial  statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that  respond  to  those  risks.  Such 
procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. 
Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well 
as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for 
our opinion. 

Critical Audit Matters 

The  critical  audit  matters  communicated  below  are  matters  arising  from  the  current  period  audit  of  the  consolidated 
financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate 
to  accounts  or  disclosures  that  are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging, 
subjective or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on 
the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, 
providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.   

46 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Description of the Matter 

Measurement and valuation of insurance reserves 

As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company 
is  self-insured  for  certain  obligations  up  to  stated  retention  levels  under  its 
retention  programs  related  to  workers’  compensation,  automobile,  property 
and general liability programs.  As of December 26, 2021, the Company has 
$88.1  million  accrued  for  self-insurance  reserves  (“Insurance  Reserves”). 
Judgments  and  estimates  are  used  by  the  Company  in  determining  the 
potential value associated with incurred but not reported claims.   

Auditing  the  valuation  of  the  Insurance  Reserves  is  highly  judgmental  and 
complex due to the significant uncertainty in estimating the potential value of 
reported claims, estimating the number and potential value of incurred but not 
reported  claims  and  the  use  of  actuarial  valuation  methods.    The  reserve 
estimate is sensitive to actuarial assumptions (e.g., future emergence of losses, 
incurred  but  not  reported  claims)  used  to  estimate  the  ultimate  liability  for 
reported claims and claims that have been incurred but have not been reported. 

How We Addressed the 
Matter in Our Audit   

We tested controls related to the measurement and valuation of the Insurance 
Reserves. For example, we tested controls over management’s review of the 
assumptions and methods used to establish the estimate, the underlying data, 
significant actuarial assumptions and the related reconciliations.   

Description of the Matter 

To test the measurement and valuation of the Insurance Reserves, our audit 
procedures included, among others, performing transactional tests of details 
over the completeness and accuracy of claims data and vouching payments 
made to third parties.  Furthermore, we involved our actuarial specialists to 
assist  in  the  evaluation  of  the  key  assumptions  and  methodologies  used  by 
management to determine the Insurance Reserves.   

Measurement  and  valuation  of  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  franchisee 
notes receivable 

As described in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company 
has  an  allowance  for  credit  losses  for  franchisee  notes  receivable  of  $1.5 
million  (“Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  for  Franchisee  Notes  Receivable”) 
against a gross balance of franchisee notes receivable of $49.4 million as of 
December 26, 2021.  The Allowance for Credit Losses for Franchisee Notes 
Receivable  is  estimated  to  reduce  the  outstanding  notes  receivable  for 
expected credit losses after consideration of the fair value of the Company’s 
collateral  rights  (e.g.,  underlying  franchisee  business,  property  and 
equipment)  and  any  guarantees  as  well  as  a  review  of  each  franchisee’s 
economic performance, historical loss information, current market conditions, 
and future economic conditions.     

Auditing the Allowance for Credit Losses for Franchisee Notes Receivable is 
challenging due to the judgment inherent in estimating the fair value of the 
Company’s collateral rights, which has a significant effect on measurement 
and valuation. 

47 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
How We Addressed the 
Matter in Our Audit 

We tested controls related to the measurement and valuation of the Allowance 
for Credit Losses for Franchisee Notes Receivable.  For example, we tested 
controls over management’s review of the progression of   outstanding notes 
receivable  and  the  Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  for  Franchisee  Notes 
Receivable  and  the  overall  review  of  its  adequacy.    Where  judgment  was 
exercised by management, our audit procedures included testing controls over 
management’s evaluation of the assumptions, including the fair value of the 
collateral  rights  and  guarantees  where  collateral  is  available  or  personal 
guarantee  given  in  connection  with  issuance  of  the  applicable  note.    Our 
control testing also considered management’s review over the completeness 
and accuracy of the underlying data used in evaluating the measurement and 
valuation  of  the  Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  for  Franchisee  Notes 
Receivable.  

To test the measurement and valuation of the Allowance for Credit Losses for 
Franchisee Notes Receivable, our audit procedures included, among others, 
evaluating  the  status  of  collection  of  scheduled  payments  for  outstanding 
notes  receivable,  analyzing  unit  economics  for  franchisees  to  identify 
indicators of their financial health, evaluating the estimates of collateral value, 
and the underlying data used by management. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2019. 

Louisville, Kentucky 
February 24, 2022 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statements of Operations  

(In thousands, except per share amounts) 

Revenues: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant sales 
North America franchise royalties and fees 
North America commissary revenues 
International revenues 
Other revenues 

Total revenues 
Costs and expenses: 

Operating costs (excluding depreciation and amortization shown separately 
below): 

Domestic Company-owned restaurant expenses 
North America commissary expenses 
International expenses 
Other expenses 

General and administrative expenses 
Depreciation and amortization 

Total costs and expenses 
Refranchising gains 
Operating income 
Investment income 
Interest expense 
Income before income taxes 
Income tax expense (benefit) 
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests 
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 
Net income attributable to the Company 

Calculation of net income (loss) for earnings (loss) per share: 
Net income attributable to the Company 
Dividends on redemption of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock 
Dividends paid to participating securities 
Net income attributable to participating securities 
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 

Basic earnings (loss) per common share 
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share 

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 

      December 26, 

Year ended 
      December 27, 

      December 29, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

 778,323  
 129,310  
 761,305  
 150,771 
 248,712  
 2,068,421  

$ 

 700,757  
 96,732  
 680,793  
 123,963 
 210,989  
 1,813,234  

$ 

 652,053 
 71,828 
 612,652 
 102,924 
 179,791 
 1,619,248 

 621,871  
 703,622  
 87,286  
 226,320  
 212,265  
 48,816  
 1,900,180  
 —  
 168,241  
 1,912  
 (19,205) 
 150,948  
 25,993  
 124,955  
 (4,939) 
 120,016  

 120,016  
 (109,852) 
 (6,091) 
 —  
 4,073  

 0.12  
 0.12  

 35,007  
 35,337  

 563,799  
 630,937  
 73,994  
 200,304  
 204,242  
 49,705  
 1,722,981  
 —  
 90,253  
 2,131  
 (17,022) 
 75,362  
 14,748  
 60,614  
 (2,682) 
 57,932  

 57,932  
 —  
 (14,059) 
 (2,136) 
 41,737  

 1.29  
 1.28  

 32,421  
 32,717  

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

 526,237 
 569,180 
 57,702 
 175,592 
 223,460 
 47,281 
 1,599,452 
 4,739 
 24,535 
 1,104 
 (20,593)
 5,046 
 (611)
 5,657 
 (791)
 4,866 

 4,866 
 — 
 (12,499)
 — 
 (7,633)

 (0.24)
 (0.24)

 31,632 
 31,632 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 
$ 

Dividends declared per common share 

$ 

 1.15  

$ 

 0.90  

$ 

 0.90 

See accompanying notes. 

49 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) 

(In thousands) 

Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests 
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax: 
Foreign currency translation adjustments 
Interest rate swaps (1) 

Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax 
Income tax effect:  

Foreign currency translation adjustments 
Interest rate swaps (2) 

Income tax effect 
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax 
Comprehensive income (loss) before attribution to noncontrolling 
interests 
Less: comprehensive (income) loss, redeemable noncontrolling interests 
Less: comprehensive (income), nonredeemable noncontrolling interests 
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to the Company 

Year Ended 

      December 26, 

      December 27,        December 29, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

  $ 

 124,955  

$ 

 60,614  

$ 

 5,657 

 (1,397)  
 6,848  
 5,451  

 321  
 (1,575)  
 (1,254)  
 4,197  

 129,152  
 (2,609)  
 (2,330)  
 124,213  

$ 

  $ 

 2,344  
 (7,517) 
 (5,173) 

 (539) 
 1,729  
 1,190  
 (3,983) 

 56,631  
 (824) 
 (1,858) 
 53,949  

 1,638 
 (10,783)
 (9,145)

 (377)
 2,480 
 2,103 
 (7,042)

 (1,385)
 519 
 (1,310)
 (2,176)

$ 

(1)  Amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss into interest expense included ($5,965), ($5,068) 

and $660 for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019, respectively. 

(2)  The income tax effects of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss were $1,342, $1,140 and 

($152) for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019, respectively. 

See accompanying notes. 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Balance Sheets 

(In thousands, except per share amounts) 

Assets 
Current assets: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Accounts receivable (less allowance for credit losses of $2,364 in 2021 and $3,622 in 2020) 
Notes receivable, current portion 
Income tax receivable 
Inventories 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

Total current assets 
Property and equipment, net 
Finance lease right-of-use assets, net 
Operating lease right-of-use assets 
Notes receivable, less current portion (less allowance for credit losses of $1,500 in 2021 and $3,211 in 
2020) 
Goodwill 
Deferred income taxes 
Other assets 
Total assets 

Liabilities, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and 
Stockholders’ deficit 
Current liabilities: 

Accounts payable 
Income and other taxes payable 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 
Current deferred revenue 
Current finance lease liabilities 
Current operating lease liabilities 
Current portion of long-term debt 

Total current liabilities 
Deferred revenue 
Long-term finance lease liabilities 
Long-term operating lease liabilities 
Long-term debt, less current portion, net 
Deferred income taxes 
Other long-term liabilities 
Total liabilities 

      December 26, 

      December 27, 

2021 

2020 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

 70,610   
 81,370   
 12,352   
 9,386   
 34,981   
 46,310   
 255,009   
 223,856   
 20,907   
 176,256   

 35,504   
 80,632   
 5,156   
 88,384   
 885,704   

 28,092   
 19,996   
 190,116   
 21,700   
 4,977   
 22,543   
 —   
 287,424   
 13,846   
 16,580   
 160,672   
 480,730   
 258   
 93,154   
 1,052,664   

 130,204 
 90,135 
 11,318 
 1,273 
 30,265 
 43,212 
 306,407 
 200,895 
 16,840 
 148,110 

 36,538 
 80,791 
 10,800 
 72,389 
 872,770 

 37,370 
 10,263 
 174,563 
 19,590 
 3,545 
 23,538 
 20,000 
 288,869 
 13,664 
 13,531 
 124,666 
 328,292 
 948 
 111,364 
 881,334 

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock; $0.01 par value; no shares authorized, issued or outstanding at 
December 26, 2021, compared to 260.0 shares authorized, 252.5 shares issued and outstanding at 
December 27, 2020 
Redeemable noncontrolling interests 

Stockholders’ deficit: 

Common stock ($0.01 par value per share; issued 49,002 at December 26, 2021 and 45,288 at 
December 27, 2020) 
Additional paid-in capital 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss 
Retained earnings 
Treasury stock (13,205 shares at December 26, 2021 and 12,743 shares at December 27, 2020, at cost)   

Total stockholders’ deficit 
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries 
Total Stockholders’ deficit   
Total liabilities, Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, Redeemable noncontrolling interests and  
Stockholders’ deficit 

 —   
 5,498   

 251,901 
 6,474 

 490   
 445,126   
 (9,971) 
 183,157   
 (806,472) 
 (187,670) 
 15,212   
 (172,458) 

 453 
 254,103 
 (14,168)
 219,158 
 (741,724)
 (282,178)
 15,239 
 (266,939)

$ 

 885,704   

$ 

 872,770 

See accompanying notes. 

51 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
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    S

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows  

(In thousands) 

Operating activities 
Net income before attribution to noncontrolling interests 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: 
(Benefit) provision for allowance for credit losses on accounts and notes 
receivable 
Depreciation and amortization 
Deferred income taxes 
Preferred stock option mark-to-market adjustment 
Stock-based compensation expense 
(Gain) on refranchising 
Other 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions: 

Accounts receivable 
Income tax receivable 
Inventories 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 
Other assets and liabilities 
Accounts payable 
Income and other taxes payable 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 
Deferred revenue 

Net cash provided by operating activities 
Investing activities 
Purchases of property and equipment 
Notes issued 
Repayments of notes issued 
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired 
Proceeds from divestitures of restaurants 
Other 
Net cash used in investing activities 
Financing activities 
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes 
Repayments of term loan 
Net proceeds (repayments) of revolving credit facilities 
Debt issuance costs 
Repurchase of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock 
Proceeds from issuance of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock 
Issuance costs associated with Series B Convertible Preferred Stock 
Acquisition of Company common stock 
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 
Dividends paid to common stockholders 
Dividends paid to preferred stockholders 
Tax payments for equity award issuances 
Contributions from noncontrolling interests 
Distributions to noncontrolling interests 
Other 
Net cash used in financing activities 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 
Change in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 

See accompanying notes. 

  $ 

54 

Year ended 

     December 26, 

     December 27,      December 29, 

2021 

2020 

2019 

  $ 

 124,955  

$ 

 60,614   

$ 

 5,657 

 (852) 
 48,816  
 3,753  
 —  
 16,919  
 —  
 581  

 4,023  
 (8,113) 
 (4,708) 
 2,866  
 (20,077) 
 (9,278) 
 9,733  
 15,875  
 182  
 184,675  

 (68,559) 
 (16,132) 
 18,555  
 (699) 
 —  
 3,323  
 (63,512) 

 400,000  
 (340,000) 
 80,000  
 (9,179) 
 (188,647) 
 —  
 —  
 (72,499) 
 11,969  
 (40,356) 
 (6,394) 
 (5,847) 
 —  
 (5,942) 
 (3,631) 
 (180,526) 
 (231) 
 (59,594) 
 130,204  
 70,610  

$ 

 (4,734) 
 49,705   
 (9,268) 
 —   
 16,310   
 —   
 2,257   

 (22,420) 
 3,760   
 (2,736) 
 2,884   
 20,879   
 8,229   
 2,664   
 59,353   
 (1,058) 
 186,439   

 (35,652) 
 (16,589) 
 11,154   
 —   
 —   
 16   
 (41,071) 

 —   
 (20,000) 
 —   
 —   
 —   
 —   
 —   
 (2,701) 
 30,622   
 (29,362) 
 (13,649) 
 (3,974) 
 —   
 (2,420) 
 (1,977) 
 (43,461) 
 386   
 102,293   
 27,911   
 130,204   

$ 

 3,139 
 47,281 
 (3,764)
 5,914 
 15,303 
 (4,739)
 3,203 

 (6,181)
 12,122 
 (326)
 1,367 
 (6,354)
 2,035 
 1,009 
 (11,331)
 (2,586)
 61,749 

 (37,711)
 (15,864)
 5,616 
 — 
 13,495 
 1,889 
 (32,575)

 — 
 (15,000)
 (240,026)
 — 
 — 
 252,530 
 (7,527)
 — 
 16,010 
 (28,552)
 (10,020)
 (1,433)
 840 
 (870)
 (526)
 (34,574)
 53 
 (5,347)
 33,258 
 27,911 

 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

1.  Description of Business 

Papa John’s International, Inc. (referred to as the “Company,” “Papa John’s” or in the first person notations of “we,” “us” 
and  “our”),  operates  and  franchises  pizza  delivery  and  carryout  restaurants  under  the  trademark  “Papa  John’s,”  in  50 
countries and territories as of December 26, 2021. Our revenues are derived from retail sales of pizza and other food and 
beverage products to the general public by Company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties and sales of franchise and 
development rights, printing and promotional items and information systems equipment, and software and related services. 
We  generated  revenues  from  the  operation  of  our  Quality  Control  Centers  (“QC  Centers”)  which  supply  pizza  sauce, 
dough, food products,  paper products,  smallwares  and  cleaning  supplies  to restaurants.  We  also  derived revenue from 
contributions received by our national marketing funds. 

2.  Significant Accounting Policies 

Principles of Consolidation 

The  accompanying  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  include  the  accounts  of  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  and  its 
subsidiaries.  All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. 

Fiscal Year 

Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in December of each year. All fiscal years presented consist of 52 weeks. 

Use of Estimates 

The preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the 
United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated 
Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Significant items that are subject to such estimates and assumptions include 
the allowance for credit losses on accounts and notes receivable, intangible assets, contract assets and contract liabilities 
including the customer loyalty program obligation, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, gift card breakage, insurance 
reserves and tax reserves. Although management bases its estimates on historical experience and assumptions that are 
believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, actual results could significantly differ from these estimates. 

Revenue Recognition 

Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in contracts with customers and excludes waivers or incentives and 
amounts collected on behalf of third parties, primarily sales tax.  The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a 
performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer.  Taxes assessed by a governmental 
authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, that are collected by the 
Company from a customer, are excluded from revenue.  Delivery costs, including freight associated with our domestic 
commissary and other sales, are accounted for as fulfillment costs and are included in operating costs.  

The following describes principal activities, separated by major product or service, from which the Company generates its 
revenues:  

Domestic Company-owned Restaurant Sales  

The domestic Company-owned restaurants principally generate revenue from retail sales of high-quality pizza, Papadias, 
which  are  flatbread-style  sandwiches,  and  side  items  including  breadsticks,  cheesesticks,  chicken  poppers  and  wings, 
dessert  items  and  canned  or  bottled  beverages.  Revenues  from  Company-owned  restaurants  are  recognized  when  the 
products are delivered to or carried out by customers.  

55 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our North American customer loyalty program, Papa Rewards, is a spend-based program that rewards customers with 
points for each purchase.  Papa Rewards points are accumulated and redeemed for dollar off discounts (“Papa Dough”) to 
be used on future purchases within a six-month expiration window. The accrued liability in the Consolidated Balance 
Sheets, and corresponding reduction of Company-owned restaurant sales in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, is 
for the estimated reward redemptions at domestic Company-owned restaurants based upon estimated redemption patterns. 
The  liability  related  to  Papa  Rewards  is  calculated  using  the  estimated  redemption  value  for  which  the  points  and 
accumulated rewards are expected to be redeemed. Revenue is recognized when the customer redeems the Papa Dough 
reward and when the points or Papa Dough reward expires.  

Franchise Royalties and Fees 

Franchise royalties, which are based on a percentage of franchise restaurant sales, are recognized as sales occur.  Any 
royalty reductions, including waivers or those offered as part of a new store development incentive or as incentive for 
other behaviors, including acceleration of restaurant remodels or equipment upgrades, are recognized at the same time as 
the related royalty, as they are not separately distinguishable from the full royalty rate.  Our current standard franchise 
agreement requires the franchisee to pay a royalty fee of 5% of sales, and the majority of our existing franchised restaurants 
have a 5% contractual royalty rate in effect.  Incentives offered from time to time, including new store incentives, will 
reduce the contractual royalty rate paid.  Franchise royalties are billed on a monthly basis.  

The majority of initial franchise license fees and area development exclusivity fees are from international locations. Initial 
franchise license fees are billed at the store opening date.  Area development exclusivity fees are billed upon execution of 
the development agreements which grant the right to develop franchised restaurants in future periods in specific geographic 
areas.    Area  development  exclusivity  fees  are  included  in  Deferred  revenue  in  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets  and 
allocated on a pro rata basis to all stores opened under that specific development agreement. The pre-opening services 
provided to franchisees do not contain separate and distinct performance obligations from the franchise right; thus, the 
fees collected will be amortized on a straight-line basis beginning at the store opening date through the term of the franchise 
agreement, which is typically 10 years. Franchise license renewal fees for both domestic and international locations, which 
generally occur every 10 years, are billed before the renewal date. Fees received for future license renewal periods are 
included in deferred revenue in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and amortized over the life of the renewal period. 

The  Company  offers  various  incentive  programs  for  franchisees  including  royalty  incentives,  new  restaurant  opening 
incentives (i.e. development incentives) and other support initiatives. Royalties and franchise fees sales are reduced to 
reflect any royalty incentives earned or granted under these programs that are in the form of discounts.  

Commissary Revenues  

Commissary revenues are comprised of food and supplies sold to franchised restaurants and are recognized as revenue 
upon shipment of the related products to the franchisees. Payments are generally due within 30 days.  

As noted above, there are various incentive programs available to franchisees related to new restaurant openings including 
discounts  on  initial  commissary  orders  and  new  store  equipment  incentives,  at  substantially  no  cost  to  franchisees.  
Commissary revenues are reduced to reflect incentives in the form of direct discounts on initial commissary orders. The 
new store equipment incentive is also recorded as a reduction of commissary sales over the term of the incentive agreement, 
which is generally three to five years.  

Other Revenues  

Franchise Marketing Fund revenues represent a required established percentage of monthly restaurant sales collected by 
Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. (“PJMF”), which is our national marketing fund, and various other international and 
domestic marketing funds (“Co-op” or “Co-operative” Funds) where we have determined for purposes of accounting that 
we have control over the significant activities of the funds.  PJMF funds its operations with ongoing financial support and 
contributions from domestic Papa John’s restaurants, of which approximately 80% are franchised restaurant members.  
Contributions are based on a percentage of monthly restaurant sales and are billed monthly.  When we are determined to 
be the principal in these arrangements, advertising fund contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the 

56 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations.    Our  obligation  related  to  these  funds  is  to  develop  and  conduct  advertising 
activities in a specific country, region, or market, including the placement of electronic and print materials. 

There are no expiration dates and we do not deduct non-usage fees from outstanding gift cards.  While the Company and 
the franchisees continue to honor all gift cards presented for payment, the likelihood of redemption may be determined to 
be remote for certain cards due to long periods of inactivity.  In these circumstances, the Company recognizes breakage 
revenue for amounts not subject to unclaimed property laws.  Based upon our analysis of historical gift card redemption 
patterns,  we  can  reasonably  estimate  the  amount  of  gift  cards  for  which  redemption  is  remote.    Breakage  revenue  is 
recognized over time in proportion to estimated redemption patterns as Other revenues.  Commissions on gift cards sold 
by third parties are recorded as a reduction to Deferred revenue and a reduction to Other revenues based upon estimated 
redemption patterns. 

Fees for information services, including software maintenance fees, help desk fees, centralized call center fees, and online 
ordering fees are recognized as revenue as such services are provided and are included in Other revenues.  

Revenues for printing, promotional items, and direct mail marketing services are recognized upon shipment of the related 
products  to  franchisees  and  other  customers.  Direct  mail  advertising  discounts  are  also  periodically  offered  by  our 
Preferred Marketing Solutions subsidiary. Other revenues are reduced to reflect these advertising discounts. 

Rental  income,  primarily  derived  from  properties  leased  by  the  Company  and  subleased  to  franchisees  in  the  United 
Kingdom, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the respective operating lease terms.   

Advertising and Related Costs  

Domestic Company-owned advertising and related costs of $61.7 million, $56.7 million and $54.3 million in 2021, 2020, 
and 2019, respectively, include the costs of domestic Company-owned local restaurant activities such as mail coupons, 
door  hangers  and  promotional  items  and  advertising  activities  administered  through  PJMF  and  various  local  market 
cooperative  advertising  funds.  PJMF  is  responsible  for  developing  and  conducting  marketing  and  advertising  for  the 
domestic Papa John’s system. The Co-op Funds are responsible for developing and conducting advertising activities in a 
specific market, including the placement of electronic and print materials developed by PJMF.  During 2020 and 2019, the 
Company recorded additional amounts of $15.0 million and $27.5 million, respectively, to PJMF, representing incremental 
discretionary marketing fund investments in excess of contractual Company-owned restaurant-level contributions as part 
of our temporary financial support package to our franchisees.  The marketing fund investments are included in General 
and administrative expenses within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

Leases 

Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected life of the lease term for operating leases, whereas 
lease expense follows an accelerated expense recognition for finance leases. A lease term often includes option periods, 
available at the inception of the lease.  Lease expense is comprised of operating and finance lease costs, short-term lease 
costs, and variable lease costs, which primarily include common area maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance for the 
Company’s real estate leases.  Lease costs also include variable rent, which is primarily related to the Company’s supply 
chain tractor and trailer leases that are based on a rate per mile. 

Stock-Based Compensation 

Compensation expense for equity grants is estimated on the grant date, net of projected forfeitures, and is recognized over 
the vesting period (graded vesting over three years). Restricted stock is valued based on the market price of the Company’s 
shares on the date of grant. Stock options are valued using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. Our specific assumptions 
for estimating the fair value of options are included in Note 20. 

57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash Equivalents 

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with maturity of three months or less at date of purchase. These 
investments are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. 

Accounts Receivable 

Substantially all accounts receivable is due from franchisees for purchases of food, paper products, point of sale equipment, 
printing  and  promotional  items,  information  systems  and  related  services,  marketing  and  royalties.  Credit  is  extended 
based on an evaluation of the franchisee’s financial condition and collateral is generally not required. An allowance for 
credit losses is an estimate, even if remote, based upon historical account write-off trends, facts about the current financial 
condition of the debtor, forecasts of future operating results based upon current trends of select operating metrics and 
macroeconomic factors.  Account balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased. 

Notes Receivable  

The  Company  has  provided  financing  to  select  domestic  and  international  franchisees  principally  for  use  in  the 
construction  and  development  of  their  restaurants  and  for  the  purchase  of  restaurants  from  the  Company  or  other 
franchisees. Most notes receivable bear interest at fixed or floating rates and are generally secured by the assets of each 
restaurant  and  the  ownership  interests  in  the  franchise.    The  Company  has  provided  long-term  financing  to  certain 
franchisees with royalty payment plans.  We establish an allowance for credit losses for franchisee notes receivables to 
reduce the outstanding notes receivable to their net realizable values based on a review of each franchisee’s economic 
performance and market conditions after consideration of the fair value of our underlying collateral rights (e.g., underlying 
franchisee business, property and equipment) and any guarantees. Note balances are charged off against the allowance 
after recovery efforts have ceased.   

Interest  income  recorded  on  franchisee  loans  was  approximately  $1.9  million  in  2021,  $2.1  million  in  2020  and  $0.8 
million in 2019 and is reported in Investment income in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. 

Inventories 

Inventories, which consist of food products, paper goods and supplies, smallwares, and printing and promotional items, 
are stated at the lower of cost, determined under the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method, or net realizable value. 

Property and Equipment 

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful 
lives of the assets (generally five to ten years for restaurant, commissary and other equipment, twenty to forty years for 
buildings  and  improvements,  and  five  years  for  technology  and  communication  assets).    Leasehold  improvements  are 
amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the terms of the respective leases, including the first renewal 
period (generally five to ten years). 

Depreciation expense was $43.0 million in 2021, $46.6 million in 2020 and $45.9 million in 2019. 

Deferred Costs 

We  capitalize  certain  information  systems  development  and  related  costs  that  meet  established  criteria.  Amounts 
capitalized, which are included in property and equipment, are amortized principally over periods not exceeding five years 
upon completion of the related information systems project. Total costs capitalized were approximately $4.1 million in 
2021,  $3.3  million  in  2020  and  $3.5  million  in  2019.  The  unamortized  information  systems  development  costs 
approximated $10.5 million as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020. 

58 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Intangible Assets — Goodwill 

We evaluate goodwill annually in the fourth quarter or whenever we identify certain triggering events or circumstances 
that  would  more-likely-than-not  reduce  the  fair  value  of  a  reporting  unit  below  its  carrying  amount.  Such  tests  are 
completed separately with respect to the goodwill of each of our reporting units, which includes our domestic Company-
owned restaurants, United Kingdom (“PJUK”), China, and Preferred Marketing Solutions operations.  We may perform a 
qualitative assessment or move directly to the quantitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period if we believe 
that it is more efficient or if impairment indicators exist. 

We elected to perform a qualitative assessment for all reporting units in the fourth quarter of 2021. As a result of our 
qualitative analyses, we determined that it was more-likely-than-not that the fair values of our reporting units were greater 
than their carrying amounts.  Subsequent to completing our goodwill impairment tests, no indicators of impairment were 
identified.  See Note 11 for additional information. 

Deferred Income Tax Accounts and Tax Reserves   

We are subject to income taxes in the United States and several foreign jurisdictions.  Significant judgment is required in 
determining the provision for income taxes and the related assets and liabilities. The provision for income taxes includes 
income taxes paid, currently payable or receivable and those deferred. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets 
and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences 
reverse. Deferred tax assets are also recognized for the estimated future effects of tax attribute carryforwards (e.g., net 
operating losses, capital losses, and foreign tax credits). The effect on deferred taxes of changes in tax rates is recognized 
in the period in which the new tax rate is enacted. Valuation allowances are established when necessary on a jurisdictional 
basis to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts we expect to realize. 

Tax  authorities  periodically  audit  the  Company.  We  record  reserves  and  related  interest  and  penalties  for  identified 
exposures as income tax expense. We evaluate these issues and adjust for events, such as statute of limitations expirations, 
court rulings or audit settlements, which may impact our ultimate payment for such exposures. See Note 17 for additional 
information. 

Insurance Reserves 

Our insurance programs for workers’ compensation, owned and non-owned automobiles, general liability and property 
insurance coverage provided to our employees are funded by the Company up to certain retention limits which range up 
to $1.0 million. 

Losses are accrued based upon undiscounted estimates of the liability for claims incurred and for events that have occurred 
but have not been reported using certain third-party actuarial projections and our claims loss experience. The determination 
of the recorded insurance reserves is highly judgmental and complex due to the significant uncertainty in the potential 
value  of  reported  claims  and  the  number  and  potential  value  of  incurred  but  not  reported  claims,  the  application  of 
significant judgment in making those estimates and the use of various actuarial valuation methods. The estimated insurance 
claims  losses  could  be  significantly  affected  should  the  frequency  or  ultimate  cost  of  claims  differ  significantly  from 
historical trends used to estimate the insurance reserves recorded by the Company. The Company records estimated losses 
above retention within its reserve with a corresponding receivable for expected amounts due from insurance carriers.   

As of December 26, 2021, our insurance reserve was $88.1 million as compared to $82.0 million as of December 27, 2020 
primarily related to auto liability and workers’ compensation claims.  Our reserves include claim costs above our retention 
that have a corresponding receivable.  Our insurance receivable for claims above retention totaled $48.1 million and $32.2 
million as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively.  Of these amounts, approximately $18.7 million 
and $12.7 million were recorded in Prepaid expenses and other current assets, and $29.4 million and $19.5 million were 
recorded  in  Other  assets  on  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets  as  of  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020, 
respectively. 

59 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Derivative Financial Instruments 

We recognize all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. At inception and on an ongoing basis, we assess whether 
each derivative that qualifies for hedge accounting continues to be highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows 
of the hedged item. If the derivative meets the hedge criteria as defined by certain accounting standards, depending on the 
nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are either offset against the change in fair value of assets, 
liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) until 
the hedged item is recognized in earnings.  During 2021, our interest rate swaps were de-designated as cash flow hedges 
following the issuance of our 3.875% fixed senior notes. For these de-designated hedges, the portion of gains or losses on 
the  derivative  instruments  previously  recognized  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  loss  will  be  reclassified  into 
earnings  as  adjustments  to  interest  expense  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  remaining  life  of  the  originally  hedged 
transactions.   

We recognized income (loss) of $6.8 million ($5.3 million after tax) in 2021, ($7.5) million (($5.8) million after tax) in 
2020, and ($10.8) million (($8.3) million after tax) in 2019 in other comprehensive income (loss) for the net change in the 
fair value of our interest rate swaps. See Note 12 for additional information on our debt and credit arrangements. 

Noncontrolling Interests 

At December 26, 2021, the Company had four joint ventures consisting of 188 restaurants, which have noncontrolling 
interests. Consolidated net income is required to be reported separately at amounts attributable to both the Company and 
the noncontrolling interests. Additionally, disclosures are required to clearly identify and distinguish between the interests 
of the Company and the interests of the noncontrolling owners, including a disclosure on the face of the Consolidated 
Statements of Operations of income attributable to the noncontrolling interest holder. 

The following summarizes the redemption feature, location and related accounting within the Consolidated Balance Sheets 
for these four joint venture arrangements: 

Type of Joint Venture Arrangement 

Location within the 
Consolidated Balance 
Sheets 

      Recorded Value 

Joint ventures with no redemption feature 
Joint ventures with option to require the Company to purchase the noncontrolling 
interest - not currently redeemable or redemption not probable 

   Permanent equity     Carrying value 

   Temporary equity    Carrying value 

See Note 9 for additional information regarding noncontrolling interests. 

Foreign Currency Translation 

The local currency is the functional currency for each of our foreign subsidiaries. Revenues and expenses are translated 
into U.S. dollars using monthly average exchange rates, while assets and liabilities are translated using year-end exchange 
rates  and  historical  rates.  The  resulting  translation  adjustments  are  included  as  a  component  of  accumulated  other 
comprehensive loss, net of income taxes.  

60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements 

Reference Rate Reform – Hedging  

In  March  2020,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2020-04,  “Facilitation  of  the  Effects  of  Reference  Rate  Reform  on  Financial 
Reporting.” The ASU provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying guidance on contract modifications and 
hedge accounting related to the expected market transition from LIBOR and other interbank offered rates to alternative 
reference rates if certain criteria are met. This guidance was effective beginning on March 12, 2020, and the Company 
may elect to apply the amendments prospectively through December 31, 2022.  The hedge accounting expedients may be 
applied,  on  an  individual  hedging  relationship  basis,  to  eligible  hedge  accounting  relationships  that  existed  as  of  the 
beginning of the effective date of this guidance, and to new eligible hedging relationships entered into after the effective 
date of this guidance; however, those expedients generally cannot be applied to hedging relationships for periods after 
December  31,  2022.    The  Company  adopted  certain  optional  hedge  accounting  expedients  provided  by  ASU  2020-04 
during fiscal 2020.  The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial 
position, results of operations, or cash flows.   

61 

 
 
 
 
3.  Leases 

The Company has significant leases that include most domestic Company-owned restaurant and commissary locations.  
Other  domestic  leases  include  tractor  and  trailer  leases  used  by  our  distribution  subsidiary  as  well  as  commissary 
equipment.    Additionally,  the  Company  leases  a  significant  number  of  restaurants  within  the  United  Kingdom;  these 
restaurants are then subleased to the franchisees.  The Company’s leases have terms as follows: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
United Kingdom franchise-owned restaurants 
Domestic commissary locations 
Domestic and international tractors and trailers 
Domestic and international commissary and office equipment 

Average lease term 
Five years, plus at least one renewal 
15 years 
10 years, plus at least one renewal 
Five to seven years 
Three to five years 

The Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at contract inception and recognizes a right-of-use asset 
and a lease liability at the lease commencement date.  Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less but greater than one 
month are not recorded on the balance sheet for select asset classes.  The lease liability is measured at the present value of 
future lease payments as of the lease commencement date.  The right-of-use asset recognized is based on the lease liability 
adjusted for prepaid and deferred rent and unamortized lease incentives.  An operating lease right-of-use asset is amortized 
on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is recognized as a single lease cost against the operating lease liability.  A 
finance lease right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis, with interest costs reported separately, over the lesser 
of the useful life of the leased asset or lease term.  Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the 
lease  term  and  is  included  in  Operating  costs  or  General  and  administrative  expenses.    Variable  lease  payments  are 
expensed as incurred. 

The Company uses its incremental borrowing rates as the discount rate for its leases, which is equal to the rate of interest 
the Company would have to pay on a collateralized basis to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments under similar 
terms.  The lease terms for all the Company’s leases include the contractually obligated period of the leases, plus any 
additional periods covered by Company options to extend the leases that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise. 

Certain leases provide that the lease payments may be increased annually based on the fixed rate terms or adjustable terms 
such  as  the  Consumer Price  Index.    Future base  rent  escalations  that  are  not  contractually  quantifiable  as  of  the  lease 
commencement date are not included in our lease liability.  

The following schedule details the total right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of 
December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 (in thousands): 

Leases 
Assets 
Finance lease assets, net 
Operating lease assets, net  
Total lease assets 
Liabilities 
Current finance lease liabilities 
Current operating lease liabilities 
Noncurrent finance lease liabilities 
Noncurrent operating lease liabilities 
Total lease liabilities 

      Classification 

Finance lease right-of-use assets, net 

  Operating lease right-of-use assets 

  Current finance lease liabilities 
  Current operating lease liabilities 
  Long-term finance lease liabilities 
  Long-term operating lease liabilities 

December 26, 
2021 

December 27, 
2020 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 20,907   $ 
 176,256  
 197,163   $ 

 4,977   $ 
22,543  
 16,580  
 160,672  
 204,772   $ 

 16,840 
 148,110 
 164,950 

 3,545 
23,538 
 13,531 
 124,666 
 165,280 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.  Lease expense is comprised 
of operating and finance lease costs, short-term lease costs, and variable lease costs, which primarily include common area 
maintenance, real estate taxes, and insurance for the Company’s real estate leases.  Lease costs also include variable rent, 
which is primarily related to the Company’s supply chain tractor and trailer leases that are based on a rate per mile.  Lease 
expense for the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 are as follows: 

(in thousands) 

Finance lease: 

Amortization of right-of-use assets 
Interest on lease liabilities 

Operating lease: 

Operating lease cost 
Short-term lease cost 
Variable lease cost 

Total lease costs 
Sublease income 
Total lease costs, net of sublease income 

Year Ended 

Year Ended 

     December 26, 2021       December 27, 2020 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 4,980 
 1,140 

$ 

43,072 
 2,032 
 8,572 
 59,796 
 (12,039)
 47,757   $ 

$ 

 2,342 
 606 

40,026 
 3,960 
 6,503 
 53,437 
 (10,407)
 43,030 

Future  minimum  lease  payments  under  contractually-obligated  leases  and  associated  sublease  income  as  of 
December 26, 2021 are as follows (in thousands): 

Fiscal Year 

2022 
2023 
2024 
2025 
2026 
Thereafter 
Total future minimum lease payments 
Less imputed interest 
Total present value of lease liabilities 

Lessor Operating Leases 

Finance 
Lease  
Costs 

Operating 
Lease 
Costs 

Expected  
Sublease  
Income 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 5,969 
 5,919 
 4,872 
 3,242 
 2,265 
 1,748 
 24,015 
(2,458) 
 21,557 

 $

 $

 $

 33,323 
 32,174 
 31,069 
 26,794 
 22,727 
 96,187 
 242,274 
(59,059) 
 183,215 

$

$

$

 10,704 
 10,515 
 10,302 
 9,835 
 9,107 
 44,700 
 95,163 
— 
 95,163 

We  sublease  certain  retail  space  to  our  franchisees  in  the  United  Kingdom  which  are  primarily  operating  leases.    At 
December  26,  2021,  we  leased  and  subleased  approximately  425  Papa  John’s  restaurants  to  franchisees  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  The initial lease terms on the franchised sites in the United Kingdom are generally 15 years.  The Company 
has the option to negotiate an extension toward the end of the lease term at the landlord’s discretion.  Rental income, 
primarily derived from properties leased and subleased to franchisees in the United Kingdom, is recognized on a straight-
line basis over the respective operating lease terms. 

63 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
Lease Guarantees 

As  a result of assigning our  interest  in obligations under property  leases  as  a  condition  of  the refranchising of  certain 
restaurants, we are contingently liable for payment of approximately 70 domestic leases. These leases have varying terms, 
the latest of which expires in 2036.  As of December 26, 2021, the estimated maximum amount of undiscounted payments 
the  Company  could  be  required  to  make  in  the  event  of  nonpayment  by  the  primary  lessees  was  $11.5  million.    This 
contingent liability is not included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet or future minimum lease obligation.  The fair value 
of the guarantee is not material. 

There were no leases recorded between related parties. 

Supplemental Cash Flow & Other Information 

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 are 
as follows: 

(in thousands) 
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: 

Operating cash flows from finance leases 
Financing cash flows from finance leases 
Operating cash flows from operating leases (a) 

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities   
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease 
liabilities (b) 
Cash received from sublease income 

Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years): 

Finance leases 
Operating leases 

Weighted-average discount rate: 

Finance leases 
Operating leases 

  December 26, 2021   December 27, 2020   December 29, 2019

Year Ended 

$ 

$ 

 1,140 
 4,566 
 38,530 
 9,486 

 64,420 
 11,597 

 4.51 
 8.30 

5.08%   
6.20%   

$ 

 606 
 2,139 
 37,113 
 9,152 

 30,266 
 10,545 

 4.71 
 7.00 

5.34%   
6.65%   

 269 
 781 
 40,152 
 10,199 

 20,903 
 10,139 

 4.75 
 7.00 

6.38% 
6.94% 

(a)   Included within the change in Other assets and liabilities within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows offset by non-cash 

operating lease right-of-use asset amortization and lease liability accretion. 

(b)    Includes  right-of-use  assets  of  approximately  $21.8  million  for  the  year  ended  December  26,  2021  associated  with  the  lease 

commencement of our Atlanta, Georgia corporate office. 

64 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.  Papa John’s Marketing Fund, Inc. 

PJMF, which is a consolidated variable interest entity where the Company has been identified as the primary beneficiary, 
collects a percentage of revenues from Company-owned and franchised restaurants in the United States, for the purpose 
of  designing  and  administering  advertising  and  promotional  programs  for  all  participating  domestic  restaurants.  
Contributions and expenditures are reported on a gross basis in the Consolidated Statements of Operations within Other 
revenues  and  Other  expenses.    PJMF  also  has  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary,  Papa  Card,  Inc.,  which  administers  the 
Company’s gift card programs. 

Assets and liabilities of PJMF, which are utilized solely for the Company’s advertising and promotional programs, were 
as follows in the Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands): 

Assets 
Current assets: 

Cash and cash equivalents 
Accounts receivable, net 
Income tax receivable 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

Total current assets 

Deferred income taxes 

Total assets 

Liabilities 
Current liabilities: 
Accounts payable 
Income and other taxes payable 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 
Current deferred revenue 

Total current liabilities  

Deferred revenue 

Total liabilities 

5.  Revenue Recognition 

Contract Balances 

December 26, 
2021 

  December 27, 

2020 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

$ 

 24,481 
 14,150 
 300 
 1,718 
 40,649  
 614  
 41,263   $ 

$ 

 140 
 2 
 40,154 
 4,317 
 44,613  
 2,478 

  $ 

 47,091   $ 

 9,394 
 23,711 
 192 
 1,914 
 35,211 
 588 
 35,799 

 5,429 
 2 
 32,578 
 3,938 
 41,947 
 2,419 
 44,366 

Our contract liabilities primarily relate to franchise fees, unredeemed gift card liabilities, and loyalty program obligations, 
which we classify as Deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  During the years ended December 26, 2021 
and December 27, 2020, the Company recognized $36.3 million and $33.2 million in revenue, respectively, related to 
deferred revenue. 

The following table includes a breakout of contract liability balances (in thousands): 

Franchise fees and unredeemed gift card liabilities 
Customer loyalty program obligations 
Total contract liabilities 

  December 26, 2021 
    $ 

 20,410     $ 
 15,136  
 35,546   $ 

  $ 

Contract Liabilities 
  December 27, 2020 

Change 

 19,890     $ 
 13,364  
 33,254   $ 

 520 
 1,772 
 2,292 

Our contract assets consist primarily of equipment incentives provided to franchisees.  Equipment incentives are related 
to the future value of commissary revenue the Company will receive over the term of the incentive agreement.  As of 

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
     
     
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020,  the  contract  assets  were  approximately  $5.8  million  and  $5.1  million, 
respectively. For the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, revenue was reduced approximately $3.0 
million and $3.2 million, respectively, for the amortization of contract assets over the applicable contract terms. Contract 
assets are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets and Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  

Transaction Price Allocated to the Remaining Performance Obligations 

The  following  table  (in  thousands)  includes  estimated  revenue  expected  to  be  recognized  in  the  future  related  to 
performance obligations that are unsatisfied at the end of the reporting period.  

Franchise fees 

     $ 

 2,236     $ 

 1,979     $ 

 1,758     $ 

 1,530     $ 

 1,255     $ 

 2,343     $ 

Less than 
1 Year 

  1-2 Years 

  2-3 Years 

  3-4 Years 

  4-5 Years 

  Thereafter   

Performance Obligations by Period 

Total 
 11,101 

Approximately $2.5 million of area development fees related to unopened stores and international unearned royalties are 
included  in  Deferred  revenue.  Timing  of  revenue  recognition  is  dependent  upon  the  timing  of  store  openings  and 
franchisees’ revenues. Gift card liabilities of approximately $6.8 million, included in Deferred revenue, will be recognized 
in  Company-owned  restaurant  revenues  when  gift  cards  are  redeemed.  The  Company  will  recognize  redemption  fee 
revenue in Other revenues when cards are redeemed at franchised restaurant locations.   

The Company applies the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-50-14 and does not disclose information about remaining 
performance obligations that have original expected durations of one year or less.  

6.  Stockholders’ Deficit 

Shares Authorized and Outstanding 

The  Company  has  authorized  5.0  million  shares  of  preferred  stock  (of  which  none  were  issued  or  outstanding  at 
December 26, 2021 or December 27, 2020, respectively) and 100.0 million shares of common stock as of December 26, 
2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively.  The Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, net of repurchased 
common stock, were 35.8 million shares at December 26, 2021 and 32.5 million shares at December 27, 2020. 

On May 11, 2021, the Company entered into a Share Repurchase Agreement with certain funds affiliated with, or managed 
by, Starboard Value LP (collectively, “Starboard”), pursuant to which (i) the Company repurchased from Starboard 78,387 
shares of the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Series B Preferred Stock”) 
and (ii) Starboard converted the remaining 171,613 shares of Series B Preferred Stock that it owned into 3,458,360 shares 
of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of Designation of the Series B Preferred Stock.  
On June 3, 2021, the Company entered into agreements with certain franchisee investors to repurchase 1,000 shares of the 
outstanding  Series  B  Preferred  Stock  and  convert  the  remaining  1,530  shares  of  Series  B  Preferred  Stock  into  30,769 
shares of common stock.  The Company paid Starboard and the franchisee investors aggregate one-time cash payments of 
$188.6 million for the repurchase and conversion of all of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock.  The excess 
of the cash payment over the carrying value of the respective Series B Preferred Stock redeemed resulted in $109.9 million 
of dividends on redemption of Series B Preferred Stock in the Consolidated Statement of Operations, which reduced net 
income  attributable  to  common  stockholders  and  also  reduced  diluted  earnings  per  share  by  $3.10  for  the  year  ended 
December 26, 2021. 

On August 3, 2021, the Company filed a Certificate of Elimination (the “Certificate of Elimination”) with the Secretary 
of  State  of  the  State  of  Delaware  to  eliminate  the  Series  B  Preferred  Stock.    Effective  upon  filing,  the  Certificate  of 
Elimination eliminated from the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation all matters set forth in the 
Certificate of Designation with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock.  The shares that were designated to such series 
were returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, 
without designation as to series.  As a result of the repurchase and conversion, there were no shares of Series B Preferred 
Stock authorized or outstanding at December 26, 2021 compared to 260,000 and 252,530 shares of Series B Preferred 

66 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stock authorized and outstanding, respectively, at December 27, 2020.  The Series B Preferred Stock was classified as 
temporary equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 27, 2020.    

The following table summarizes changes to our Series B Preferred Stock (in thousands): 

Balance at December 29, 2019 
Tax deduction on issuance costs 
Accretion 
Balance at December 27, 2020 
Accretion 
Redemption 
Balance at December 26, 2021 

Share Repurchase Program 

     $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 251,133 
 702 
 66 
 251,901 
 629 
 (252,530) 
 — 

On October 28, 2021, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program with an indefinite duration for up to 
$425.0 million of the Company’s common stock.  This share repurchase program operated alongside our previous $75.0 
million share repurchase authorization, which began on November 4, 2020 and expired on December 26, 2021.   

The following table summarizes our repurchase activity for the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, 
respectively (none in 2019): 

(in thousands, except average price per share) 
Year Ended 
December 26, 2021 
December 27, 2020 

Total 
Number 
of Shares 
Purchased 

Average 
Price 
Paid per 
Share 

Aggregate 
Cost of 
Shares 
Purchased 

Maximum Dollar 
Value of Shares 
that May Yet Be 
Purchased Under the 
Plans or Programs 

594      $ 
32   $ 

121.96      $ 
83.90   $ 

 72,499      $ 
 2,701   $ 

 424,800 
 72,299 

Subsequent to year-end, we acquired an additional 109,000 shares at an aggregate cost of $13.3 million.  Approximately 
$411.5 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program as of February 17, 2022. 

The timing and volume of share repurchases under the Company’s share repurchase programs may be executed at the 
discretion of management on an opportunistic basis, subject to market and business conditions, regulatory requirements 
and  other  factors,  or  pursuant  to  trading  plans  or  other  arrangements.  Repurchases  under  the  programs  may  be  made 
through  open  market,  block,  and  privately  negotiated  transactions,  including  Rule  10b5-1  plans,  at  times  and  in  such 
amounts  as  management  deems  appropriate.  Repurchases  under  the  Company’s  share  repurchase  programs  may  be 
commenced  or  suspended  from  time  to  time  at  the  Company’s  discretion  without  prior  notice.    Funding  for  the  share 
repurchase programs will be provided through our credit facility, operating cash flow, stock option exercises and cash and 
cash equivalents.   

Dividends 

The Company recorded dividends of approximately $46.0 million for the year ended December 26, 2021 consisting of the 
following: 

 
 
 

 

$40.4 million paid to common stockholders ($1.15 per share); 
$3.0 million in preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock (3.6% of the investment per annum); 
$1.5 million of common stock deemed dividend distributions in conjunction with the repurchase and conversion 
of the Series B Preferred Stock; and 
$1.1  million  in  common  stock  “pass-through”  dividends  paid  to  Series  B  Preferred  Stockholders  on  an  as-
converted basis ($0.45 per share). 

67 

 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Company paid aggregate common stock dividends of $29.4 million and $28.6 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively.  
Additionally, the Company paid common stock “pass-through” dividends on an as-converted basis to Series B Preferred 
Stockholders of $4.6 million and $4.3 million, and preferred dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock of $9.1 million and 
$5.7 million, in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

On  January  27,  2022,  our  Board  of  Directors  declared  a  first  quarter  dividend  of  $0.35  per  share  of  common  stock, 
representing an approximate $12.7 million aggregate dividend that was paid on February 18, 2022 to common stockholders 
of record as of the close of business on February 7, 2022.  The declaration and payment of any future dividends will be at 
the discretion of our Board of Directors. 

68 

 
 
 
 
7.  Earnings (Loss) per Share 

We compute earnings (loss) per share using the two-class method. The two-class method requires an earnings allocation 
formula that determines earnings (loss) per share for common shareholders and participating security holders according to 
dividends declared and participating rights in undistributed earnings. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock, which were 
repurchased by the Company or converted into shares of common stock during the second quarter of 2021, and time-based 
restricted stock awards are participating securities because holders of such shares have non-forfeitable dividend rights and 
participate  in undistributed  earnings with  common  stock. Under  the  two-class  method,  total dividends  provided  to  the 
holders of participating securities and undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities, are subtracted from net 
income attributable to the Company in determining net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders.  Additionally, 
any  accretion  to  the redemption value  for  the Series  B  Preferred  Stock or  cash payments  in  excess  of  their respective 
carrying values upon redemption was treated as a deemed dividend in the two-class earnings per share calculation. 

Basic earnings (loss) per common share are computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 
by the weighted-average common shares outstanding.  Diluted earnings (loss) per common share are computed by dividing 
the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding consist of basic weighted average common shares outstanding plus 
weighted average awards outstanding under our equity compensation plans, which are dilutive securities. 

The calculations of basic earnings (loss) per common share and diluted earnings (loss) per common share for the years 
ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019 are as follows (in thousands, except per share 
data):  

2021 

2020 

2019 

Basic earnings (loss) per common share 
Net income attributable to the Company 
Dividends on redemption of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock 
Dividends paid to participating securities 
Net income attributable to participating securities 
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 
Basic earnings (loss) per common share 

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share 
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders 

Weighted average common shares outstanding 
Dilutive effect of outstanding equity awards (a) 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (b) 
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share 

  $   120,016   $   57,932   $  4,866 
 — 
 —  
 (12,499)
  (14,059) 
    (2,136) 
 — 
 4,073   $   41,737   $  (7,633)

   (109,852) 
 (6,091) 
 —  

  $ 

 35,007  

    32,421  

  $ 

 0.12   $ 

 1.29   $

   31,632 
 (0.24)

  $ 

 4,073   $   41,737   $  (7,633)

 35,007  
 330  
 35,337  

    32,421  
 296  
    32,717  

  $ 

 0.12   $ 

 1.28   $

   31,632 
 — 
   31,632 
 (0.24)

(a)  Shares subject to options to purchase common stock with an exercise price greater than the average market price for 
the year were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per common share because the effect would have 
been antidilutive. The weighted average number of shares subject to antidilutive options was 100 in 2020 (none in 
2021 or 2019, respectively). 

(b)  The Company had 252.5 shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding as of December 27, 2020 and December 29, 
2019, respectively (none as of December 26, 2021).  For the fully diluted calculation, the Series B Preferred stock 
dividends were added back to net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders.  The Company then applied the 
if-converted method to calculate dilution on the Series B Preferred Stock, which resulted in 5.0 million additional 
common shares.  This calculation was anti-dilutive for both periods presented and as such was excluded. 

See Note 20 for additional information regarding our equity awards, including restricted stock. 

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
      
      
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
8.  Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures 

The Company determines the fair value of financial assets and liabilities based on the price that would be received to sell 
the asset or paid to transfer the liability to a market participant.  Certain assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on 
a recurring basis and are required to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories: 

  Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. 
  Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data. 
  Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are not corroborated by market data. 

Fair  value  is  a  market-based  measurement,  not  an  entity  specific  measurement.  Considerable  judgment  is  required  to 
interpret market data to estimate fair value; accordingly, the fair values presented do not necessarily indicate what the 
Company or its debtholders could realize in a current market exchange. 

Our financial assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 26, 2021 and 
December 27, 2020 are as follows: 

(in thousands) 
December 26, 2021 
Financial assets: 

Carrying   

Fair Value Measurements 

      Value 

      Level 1 

      Level 2 

     Level 3   

Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a) 

  $   41,904   $  41,904   $ 

 —   $   —  

Financial liabilities: 

Interest rate swaps (b) 

December 27, 2020 
Financial assets: 

  $ 

 5,536   $ 

 —   $   5,536   $   —  

Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (a) 

  $   37,578   $  37,578   $ 

 —   $   —  

Financial liabilities: 

Interest rate swaps (b) 

  $   13,452   $ 

 —   $  13,452   $   —  

(a)  Represents life insurance policies held in our non-qualified deferred compensation plan. 
(b)  The fair value of our interest rate swaps is based on the sum of all future net present value cash flows. The future cash 
flows are derived based on the terms of our interest rate swaps, as well as considering published discount factors, and 
projected London Interbank Offered Rates (“LIBOR”). 

There were no transfers among levels within the fair value hierarchy during fiscal 2021 or 2020. 

The fair value of certain assets and liabilities approximates carrying value because of the short-term nature of the accounts, 
including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, net of allowances, and accounts payable.   The carrying value of 
notes receivable, net of allowances, also approximates fair value.  The Company’s revolving credit facilities and term debt 
under the Company’s credit agreement approximate carrying value due to their variable market-based interest rate.  The 
Company’s 3.875% senior notes are classified as a Level 2 fair value measurement since the Company estimates the fair 
value by using recent trading transactions, and have the following estimated fair values and carrying values (excluding the 
impact of unamortized debt issuance costs) as of December 26, 2021 (none in 2020): 

(in thousands) 
3.875% Senior Notes 

December 26, 2021 

Carrying 
Value 
 400,000   $ 

Fair 
Value 
 396,000 

  $ 

70 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
9.  Noncontrolling Interests 

Papa John’s has four joint venture arrangements in which there are noncontrolling interests held by third parties.  These 
joint  venture  arrangements  include  188  restaurants  at  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020  respectively.    Net 
income attributable to these joint ventures for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 and December 29, 
2019 were as follows (in thousands): 

Papa John’s International, Inc. 
Noncontrolling interests 
Total net income 

2021 

2020 

2019 

  $   8,457   $ 
   4,939  
  $  13,396   $ 

 5,654   $  2,560 
 2,682  
 791 
 8,336   $  3,351 

As of December 26, 2021, the noncontrolling interest holder of two joint ventures have the option to require the Company 
to purchase their interest, though not currently redeemable.  Since redemption of the noncontrolling interests is outside of 
the Company’s control, the noncontrolling interests are presented in the caption “Redeemable noncontrolling interests” in 
the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

The following summarizes changes in our redeemable noncontrolling interests in 2021 and 2020 (in thousands): 

Balance at December 29, 2019 
Net income 
Distributions 
Balance at December 27, 2020 
Net income 
Distributions 
Balance at December 26, 2021 

10.  Allowance for Credit Losses 

      $ 

      $ 

 5,785 
 824 
 (135)
 6,474 
 2,609 
    (3,585)
 5,498 
$ 

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses 
on Financial Instruments,” (“ASU 2016-13”) as of December 30, 2019 (the first day of fiscal 2020) under the modified 
retrospective transition method.  Topic 326 requires measurement and recognition of expected versus incurred losses for 
financial assets held.  Financial instruments subject to Topic 326 include trade accounts receivable, notes receivable and 
interest receivable (classified as Other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets) from franchisees. The impact of the 
adoption was not material to our consolidated financial statements. 

Estimates of expected credit losses, even if remote, are based upon historical account write-off trends, facts about the 
current financial condition of the debtor, forecasts of future operating results based upon current trends of select operating 
metrics,  and  macroeconomic  factors.  Credit  quality  is  monitored  through  the  timing  of  payments  compared  to  the 
prescribed payment terms and known facts regarding the financial condition of the franchisee or customer.  Account and 
note balances are charged off against the allowance after recovery efforts have ceased.   

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table summarizes changes in our allowances for credit losses for accounts receivable, notes receivable and 
interest receivable: 

(in thousands) 
Balance at December 29, 2019 
Cumulative effect of adoption of ASU 2016-13 
Balance at December 30, 2019 
Current period (benefit) provision for expected credit losses 
Write-offs charged against the allowance 
Recoveries collected 
Transfers 
Balance at December 27, 2020 
Current period (benefit) provision for expected credit losses 
Write-offs charged against the allowance 
Recoveries collected 
Balance at December 26, 2021 

     $ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Accounts Receivable 

Notes Receivable 

 7,341      $ 
 912  
 8,253   $ 
 (3,843) 
 (788) 
 —  
 —  
 3,622   $ 
 16  
 (1,274) 
 —  
 2,364   $ 

 3,572      $ 
 463  
 4,035   $ 
 (191)  
 (843)  
 (844)  
 1,054  
 3,211   $ 
 (583)  
 (843)  
 (285)  
 1,500   $ 

Interest Receivable 
 910 
 — 
 910 
 144 
 — 
 — 
 (1,054)
 — 
 — 
 — 
 — 
 — 

11.  Goodwill 

The following summarizes changes in the Company’s goodwill, by reportable segment (in thousands): 

Balance as of December 29, 2019 
Foreign currency adjustments 
Balance as of December 27, 2020 
Foreign currency adjustments 
Balance as of December 26, 2021 

Domestic 
Company- 
owned 

All 

Restaurants        International (a) 

Others        Total 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 64,254   $ 
 —  
 64,254   $ 
 —  
 64,254   $ 

 15,650   $ 
 451  
 16,101   $ 
 (159) 
 15,942   $ 

 436   $  80,340 
 —  
 451 
 436   $  80,791 
 —  
 (159)
 436   $  80,632 

(a)  The  international  goodwill  balances  for  all  years  presented  are  net  of  accumulated  impairment  of  $2.3  million 

associated with our PJUK reporting unit. 

72 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12.  Debt 

Long-term debt, net consists of the following (in thousands): 

Senior notes 
Revolving facilities 
Term loan facility 
Outstanding debt 
Unamortized debt issuance costs 
Current portion of long-term debt 
Total long-term debt, net 

Senior Notes 

       December 26, 

      December 27,  

2021 

2020 

    $ 

    $ 

    $ 

  $ 

 400,000 
 90,000 
 — 
 490,000   $ 
 (9,270) 
 —  
 480,730   $ 

 — 
 10,000 
 340,000 
 350,000 
 (1,708)
 (20,000)
 328,292 

On September 14, 2021, the Company issued $400.0 million of 3.875% senior notes (the “Notes”) which will mature on 
September  15,  2029.    The  Notes  are  guaranteed  by  each  of  the  Company’s  existing  and  future  domestic  restricted 
subsidiaries that are guarantors or borrowers under the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below) or other certain 
indebtedness. The Notes were offered and sold either to persons reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers” 
pursuant  to  Rule 144A under  the  Securities  Act of 1933, as  amended (the  “Securities Act”), or  to persons outside  the 
United States under Regulation S of the Securities Act. Interest on the Notes will be payable semi-annually in cash in 
arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing on March 15, 2022, at a fixed interest rate of 3.875% 
per annum.  In connection with the Notes, the Company recorded $7.1 million of debt issuance costs, which are being 
amortized into net interest expense over the term of the Notes. 

The net proceeds from the Notes, together with borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement (as defined below), 
were used to repay outstanding revolver and term loan borrowings under the Company’s Previous Credit Agreement (as 
defined below). 

The  Company  may  redeem  the  Notes,  in  whole  or  in  part,  at  any  time  on  or  after  September 15,  2024  at  established 
redemption prices ranging from 97 to 194 basis points depending on when the Notes are redeemed.  At any time prior to 
September 15,  2024,  the  Company may  also  redeem up to 40% of  the Notes with net  cash proceeds  of  certain  equity 
offerings at a redemption price equal to 103.875% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and 
unpaid interest, excluding the redemption date.  In addition, at any time prior to September 15, 2024, the Company may 
redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be 
redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and an applicable “make-whole” premium.  The Notes also contain customary 
redemption provisions related to asset sales and certain change of control transactions. 

The Indenture governing the Notes contains customary events of default, including, among other things, payment default, 
failure to comply with covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture or the Notes and certain provisions related to 
bankruptcy events.  The Indenture also contains customary negative covenants. 

Amended Credit Agreement 

Concurrently with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (the 
“Amended Credit Agreement”) replacing the previous credit agreement (“Previous Credit Agreement”).  The Amended 
Credit Agreement provides for a senior secured revolving credit facility in an aggregate available principal amount of 
$600.0 million (the “PJI Revolving Facility”), of which up to $40.0 million is available as swingline loans and up to $80.0 
million is available as letters of credit.  The PJI Revolving Facility will mature on September 14, 2026.  In connection with 
the Amended Credit Agreement, the Company recorded $2.1 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized 
into  net  interest  expense  over  the  term  of  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement.  The  remaining  availability  under  the  PJI 
Revolving Facility was approximately $510.0 million as of December 26, 2021. 

73 

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
     
   
     
   
     
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Up to $50.0 million of the PJI Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, 
Pounds  Sterling,  Canadian Dollars,  Japanese  Yen,  and Mexican  Pesos.   Additionally, the Amended Credit Agreement 
includes an accordion feature allowing for a future increase of the PJI Revolving Facility and/or incremental term loans in 
an aggregate amount of up to $500.0 million, subject to certain conditions, including obtaining commitments from one or 
more new or existing lenders to provide such increased amounts and ongoing compliance with financial covenants.  

Loans under the PJI Revolving Facility accrue interest at a per annum rate equal to, at the Company’s election, either a 
LIBOR rate plus a margin ranging from 1.25% to 2.00% or a base rate (generally determined according to the greater of a 
prime rate, federal funds rate plus 0.50%, or a LIBOR rate plus 1.00%) plus a margin ranging from 0.25% to 1.00%.  In 
each case, the actual margin is determined according to a ratio of the Company’s total indebtedness to earnings before 
interest,  taxes,  depreciation,  and  amortization  (“EBITDA”)  for  the  then  most  recently  ended  four  quarter  period  (the 
“Leverage Ratio”).  An unused commitment fee ranging from 18 to 30 basis points per annum, determined according to 
the Leverage Ratio, applies to the unutilized commitments under the PJI Revolving Facility.  Loans outstanding under the 
PJI Revolving Facility may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, subject to customary breakage costs in the 
case of borrowings for which a LIBOR rate election is in effect.  The Amended Credit Agreement also contain provisions 
specifying alternative interest rate calculations to be used at such time as LIBOR ceases to be available as a benchmark 
for establishing the interest rate on floating interest rate borrowings. 

The Amended Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants that, among other things, require 
customary reporting obligations, and restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and 
liens,  the  consummation  of  certain  mergers,  consolidations,  sales  of  assets  and  similar  transactions,  the  making  of 
investments, equity distributions and other restricted payments, and transactions with affiliates. In addition, the Company 
will  be  subject  to  the  following  financial  covenants:  (1) a  maximum  Leverage  Ratio  of  5.25  to  1.00,  subject  to  the 
Company’s election to increase the maximum Leverage Ratio by 0.50 to 1.00 in connection with material acquisitions if 
the  Company  satisfies  certain  requirements,  and  (2) a  minimum  interest  coverage  ratio  defined  as  EBITDA  plus 
consolidated rental expense to consolidated interest expense plus consolidated rental expense of 2.00 to 1.00.  We were in 
compliance with these financial covenants at December 26, 2021. 

Obligations  under  the  Amended  Credit  Agreement  are  guaranteed  by  certain  direct  and  indirect  material  domestic 
subsidiaries of the Company (the “Guarantors”) and are secured by a security interest in substantially all of the capital 
stock and equity interests of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ domestic and first tier material foreign subsidiaries.  The 
Amended Credit Agreement contains customary events of default including, among other things, payment defaults, breach 
of  covenants,  cross  acceleration  to  material  indebtedness,  bankruptcy-related  defaults,  judgment  defaults,  and  the 
occurrence of certain change of control events. The occurrence of an event of default may result in the termination of the 
PJI Revolving Facility, acceleration of repayment obligations and the exercise of remedies by the Lenders with respect to 
the subsidiary guarantors. 

PJMF Revolving Facility 

PJMF  has  a  $20.0  million  revolving  line  of  credit  (the  “PJMF  Revolving  Facility”)  pursuant  to  a  Revolving  Loan 
Agreement, dated September 30, 2015 with U.S. Bank National Association, as lender. The PJMF Revolving Facility is 
secured by substantially all assets of PJMF. The PJMF Revolving Facility matures on September 30, 2022.  The borrowings 
under the PJMF Revolving Facility accrue interest at a variable rate of the one-month LIBOR plus 1.75%.  The applicable 
interest rates on the PJMF Revolving Facility were 2.7% and 4.1% in fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively. There was no 
debt outstanding under the PJMF Revolving Facility as of December 26, 2021 or December 27, 2020. The PJMF operating 
results and the related debt outstanding do not impact the financial covenants under the Amended Credit Agreement. 

74 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Derivative Financial Instruments  

As  of  December  26, 2021, we  have  the  following  interest  rate  swap  agreements  with  a  total  notional  value  of  $350.0 
million: 

Effective Dates 
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023 
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023 
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023 
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022 
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022 
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022 

      Floating Rate Debt        Fixed Rates 
 2.33 % 
  $   55 million   
 2.36 % 
  $   35 million   
 2.34 % 
  $   35 million   
 1.99 % 
  $  100 million   
 1.99 % 
  $   75 million   
 2.00 % 
  $   50 million   

Our interest rate swaps were de-designated as cash flow hedges during 2021 following the issuance of the Notes. For these 
de-designated hedges, the portion of gains or losses on the derivative instruments previously recognized in accumulated 
other comprehensive loss (“AOCL”) will be reclassified into earnings as adjustments to interest expense on a straight-line 
basis over the remaining life of the originally hedged transactions.   

The following table provides information on the location and amounts of our swaps in the accompanying Consolidated 
Financial Statements (in thousands): 

Other current and long-term liabilities 

Balance Sheet Location 

Interest Rate Swap Derivatives 

Fair Value 
December 26, 
2021 

Fair Value 
December 27, 
2020 

$ 

 5,536  

$ 

 13,452 

As of December 26, 2021, the portion of the aggregate $5.5 million interest rate swap liability that would be reclassified 
into interest expense during the next twelve months approximates $4.8 million. 

The effect of derivative instruments on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements is as follows (in thousands): 

Derivatives -  
Cash Flow 
Hedging 
Relationships 

Interest rate swaps: 

2021 
2020 
2019 

Amount of Gain or  
(Loss) Recognized  
in AOCL 
on Derivative 

Location of (Loss) 
or Gain  
Reclassified from  
AOCL into 
Income 

Amount of (Loss) 
or Gain 
Reclassified from  
AOCL into 
Income 

  Total Interest Expense 

on Consolidated  
Statements of 
Operations 

  $ 
  $ 
  $ 

 5,273 
 (5,788)
 (8,303)

Interest expense    $ 
Interest expense    $ 
Interest expense    $ 

 (5,965)
 (5,068)
 660 

 $ 
 $ 
 $ 

 (19,205)
 (17,022)
 (20,593)

Interest paid, including payments made or received under the swaps, was $13.4 million, $15.8 million and $18.1 million 
in fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

75 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
    
     
     
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
13.  Property and Equipment, Net 

Property and equipment, net consists of the following (in thousands): 

     December 26,      December 27, 

Land  
Buildings and improvements 
Leasehold improvements 
Equipment and other 
Construction in progress 
Total property and equipment 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization  
Property and equipment, net 

  $ 

2021 
 31,032   $ 
 91,508  
   138,016  
   465,813  
 23,725  
   750,094  
  (526,238) 

2020 
 33,381 
 91,335 
   123,167 
   436,678 
 7,954 
   692,515 
  (491,620)
  $   223,856   $   200,895 

14.  Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following (in thousands): 

     December 26,      December 27, 

Marketing 
Salaries, benefits and bonuses 
Insurance reserves, current 
Purchases 
Other 
Total 

15.  Other Long-term Liabilities 

Other long-term liabilities consist of the following (in thousands): 

Insurance reserves 
Deferred compensation plan 
Employer payroll taxes (1) 
Other 
Total 

  $ 

2021 
 59,248   $ 
 48,728  
 34,661  
 13,319  
 34,160  

2020 
 47,885 
 46,352 
 32,947 
 16,550 
 30,829 
  $   190,116   $   174,563 

  December 26,       December 27, 

2020 
2021 
 49,002 
 53,551   $ 
 35,793 
 36,170  
 18,473 
 —  
 8,096 
 3,433  
 93,154   $   111,364 

  $ 

  $ 

(1)  Represents  deferred  employer  payroll  taxes  under  the  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief,  and  Economic  Security  Act.  
Approximately half of the deferral was paid in 2021, with the remaining $9.2 million recorded within Income and 
other taxes payable within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 26, 2021. 

76 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       
 
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16.  Strategic Corporate Reorganization for Long-term Growth 

On September 17, 2020, we announced plans to open an office in Atlanta, Georgia located in Three Ballpark Center at 
The  Battery  Atlanta,  which  opened  in  October  2021. The  space  is  designed  to  drive  continued  menu  innovation  and 
optimize  integration  across  marketing,  communications,  customer  experience,  operations,  human  resources,  diversity, 
equity  and  inclusion,  financial  planning  and  analysis,  investor  relations  and  development  functions.  Our  information 
technology, finance, supply chain, and legal teams continue to operate in our Louisville, Kentucky office, which remains 
critical to our success. We also maintain an office outside of London, United Kingdom, where our international operations 
are managed. Employees whose positions were relocated to the new Atlanta office were either offered an opportunity to 
continue  with  the  organization  or  were  offered  a  severance  package.  As  a  result,  we  incurred  one-time  corporate 
reorganization costs of approximately $19.1 million through December 26, 2021 which include $10.2 million of employee 
severance and other employee transition costs, $5.4 million of recruiting and professional fees, $3.4 million of relocation 
costs, and $1.0 million of other costs, offset by ($0.9) million of stock-based compensation forfeitures on unvested awards. 

We record severance as a one-time termination benefit and recognize the expense ratably over the employees’ required 
future service period. All other costs, including employee transition costs, recruitment and relocation costs, and third-party 
costs, are recognized in the period incurred. All strategic corporate reorganization costs have been recorded in General and 
administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. 

Strategic  corporate  reorganization  costs  recorded  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020, 
respectively, are as follows: 

(in thousands) 
Employee severance and other employee transition costs 
Recruiting and professional fees 
Relocation costs 
Other costs 
Total strategic corporate reorganization costs 
Stock-based compensation forfeitures on unvested awards 
Total strategic corporate reorganization costs, net of stock forfeitures 

Year Ended 
Dec. 26, 
2021 

Year Ended 
Dec. 27, 
2020 

     $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 5,429       $ 
 3,815   
 3,100   
 750   
 13,094    $ 
 —   
 13,094    $ 

 4,775 
 1,598 
 267 
 285 
 6,925 
 (940)
 5,985 

As of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, the estimate of unpaid strategic corporate reorganization costs are 
included  in  Accrued  expenses  and  other  current  liabilities  on  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets.    The  following  tables 
summarizes the activity for the years ended December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively: 

(in thousands) 
Employee severance and other employee transition costs 
Recruiting and professional fees 
Relocation costs 
Other costs 
Total strategic corporate reorganization liability 

(in thousands) 
Employee severance and other employee transition costs 
Recruiting and professional fees 
Relocation costs 
Other costs 
Total strategic corporate reorganization liability 

Balance at 
Dec. 27 
2020 

Charges 

      Payments 

Balance at 
Dec. 26, 
2021 

 4,615    $ 
 145   
 101   
 —   
 4,861    $ 

 5,429    $ 
 3,815   
 3,100   
 750   
 13,094    $ 

 (7,922) $ 
 (3,868)
 (2,461)
 (750)
 (15,001) $ 

 2,122 
 92 
 740 
 — 
 2,954 

Balance at 
Dec. 29 
2019 

Charges 

Payments 

Balance at 
Dec. 27 
2020 

 —    $ 
 —   
 —   
 —   
 —    $ 

 4,775    $ 
 1,598   
 267   
 285   
 6,925    $ 

 (160) $ 

 (1,453)
 (166)
 (285)
 (2,064) $ 

 4,615 
 145 
 101 
 — 
 4,861 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

77 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
 
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17.  Income Taxes  

The following table presents the domestic and foreign components of income (loss) before income taxes for 2021, 2020 
and 2019 (in thousands): 

Domestic income (loss) 
Foreign income 
Total income 

2021 
 115,221  
 35,727  
 150,948  

$ 

$ 

2020 

 48,616  
 26,746  
 75,362  

$ 

$ 

2019 

 (16,065)
 21,111 
 5,046 

$ 

$ 

Included within the foreign income before income taxes above is $22.4 million, $14.7 million, and $15.6 million of foreign 
sourced income subject to foreign withholding taxes in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. 

A summary of the expense (benefit) for income tax follows (in thousands): 

2021 

2020 

2019 

Current: 

Federal 
Foreign 
State and local  

Deferred: 
Federal 
Foreign 
State and local  

Total income tax expense (benefit) 

  $  10,591   $ 16,400   $  (2,734) 
    5,077  
 810  

    8,812  
    2,837  

   6,047  
   1,569  

   2,430  
 769  
 554  

 (7,375) 
 357  
 (2,250) 

  $  25,993   $ 14,748   $ 

  (1,989) 
 (662) 
  (1,113) 
 (611) 

The reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate to income tax expense (benefit) for the years 
ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 and December 29, 2019 is as follows in both dollars and as a percentage 
of income before income taxes ($ in thousands): 

Tax at U.S. federal statutory rate 
State and local income taxes 
Foreign income taxes 
Income of consolidated partnerships  

attributable to noncontrolling interests 
Non-qualified deferred compensation plan 

(income) 

Excess tax (benefits) on equity awards 
Preferred stock option mark-to-market 
adjustment 
Tax credits 
Other 
Total 

2021 

2020 

2019 

      Income Tax  

Expense 

Income 
Tax Rate 

  Income Tax  
Expense 

Income 
Tax Rate 

  Income Tax  
(Benefit) 

Income 
Tax Rate 

  $  31,699  
   2,317  
   9,144  

 21.0 %    $  15,826  
   1,149  
 1.5 %   
   6,463  
 6.1 %   

 21.0 %    $   1,060   
 79   
 1.5 %   
   5,058   
 8.6 %   

 21.0 % 
 1.6 % 
 100.2 % 

   (1,110) 

 (0.7)%   

 (603) 

 (0.8)%   

 (177)   

 (3.5)% 

 (911) 
 (3,697) 

 (0.6)%   
 (2.5)%   

 (898) 
 (2,029) 

 (1.2)%   
 (2.7)%   

  (1,260)   
 (212)  

 (25.0)% 
 (4.2)% 

 — %   
 (8.0)%   
 1.1 %   
 19.6 %    $ 

 1,338  

 26.5 % 
  (6,128)     (121.4)% 
 (7.3)% 
 (12.1)% 

 (369)  
 (611)   

 —  
   (8,830) 
 (2,619) 
  $  25,993   

 — %   
 —  
 (5.9)%   
   (6,002) 
 842  
 (1.7)%   
 17.2 %    $  14,748   

78 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Significant deferred tax assets (liabilities) follow (in thousands):  

Accrued liabilities 
Accrued bonuses 
Other liabilities and asset reserves 
Equity awards 
Lease liabilities 
Other 
Net operating losses 
Foreign tax credit carryforwards 
Total deferred tax assets 
Valuation allowances 
Total deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances 

Deferred expenses 
Accelerated depreciation 
Goodwill 
Right-of-use assets 
Other 
Total deferred tax liabilities 
Net deferred tax assets 

      December 26, 

      December 27, 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

2021 
 14,802   $ 
 6,404  
 14,583  
 7,323  
 41,999  
 2,712  
 8,127  
 18,611  
 114,561  
 (28,598) 
 85,963   $ 

 (7,087)  $ 
 (23,858) 
 (10,052) 
 (39,814) 
 (254) 
 (81,065) 

 4,898   $ 

2020 
 17,740 
 6,155 
 18,763 
 6,760 
 32,374 
 2,563 
 8,139 
 14,405 
 106,899 
 (22,972)
 83,927 

 (9,623)
 (21,337)
 (9,801)
 (32,065)
 (1,249)
 (74,075)
 9,852 

The following table summarizes changes in the Company’s valuation allowance on deferred tax: 

Balance as of December 29, 2019 
Charged to costs and expenses 
Other 

Balance as of December 27, 2020 
Charged to costs and expenses 
Other 

Balance as of December 26, 2021 

    $

  $

  $

 17,303 
 5,647 
 22 
 22,972 
 5,658 
 (32)
 28,598 

The Company had approximately $8.8 million and $8.0 million of state deferred tax assets primarily related to state net 
operating loss carryforwards as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively.  Our ability to utilize these 
state deferred tax assets is dependent on our ability to generate earnings in future years in the respective state jurisdictions.  
The Company provided a full valuation allowance of $8.8 million and $8.0 million for these state deferred tax assets as 
we  believe  realization  based  on  the  more-likely-than-not  criteria  has  not  been  met  as  of  December  26,  2021  and 
December 27, 2020, respectively. 

The Company had approximately $4.5 million and $6.3 million of foreign net operating loss and capital loss carryovers as 
of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively.  The Company had approximately $1.2 million and $0.6 
million of valuation allowances primarily related to the foreign capital losses as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 
2020, respectively. A substantial majority of our foreign net operating losses do not have an expiration date.   

In addition, the Company had approximately $18.6 million and $14.4 million in foreign tax credit carryforwards as of 
December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively, that expire ten years from inception in years 2025 through 2031.  
Our ability to utilize these foreign tax credit carryforwards is dependent on our ability to generate foreign earnings in 
future years sufficient to claim foreign tax credits in excess of foreign taxes paid in those years.  The Company provided 
a full valuation allowance of $18.6 million and $14.4 million for these foreign tax credit carryforwards as we believe 
realization based on the more-likely-than-not criteria has not been met as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, 
respectively. 

79 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash for income taxes paid (received) were $32.6 million in 2021, $19.3 million in 2020 and ($6.2) million in 2019. 

The  Company  files  income  tax  returns  in  the  U.S. federal  jurisdiction  and various  state  and foreign  jurisdictions.  The 
Company, with few exceptions, is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. income tax examinations 
by tax authorities for years before 2017. The Company is currently undergoing examinations by various tax authorities. 
The Company anticipates that the finalization of these current examinations and other issues could result in a decrease in 
the liability for unrecognized tax benefits (and a decrease of income tax expense) of approximately $49,000 during the 
next 12 months. 

The Company had $0.9 million of unrecognized tax benefits at December 26, 2021 which, if recognized, would affect the 
effective tax rate. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability for unrecognized tax benefits excluding interest 
and penalties is as follows, which is recorded as an other long-term liability (in thousands): 

Balance at December 29, 2019 
Additions for tax positions of prior years 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years 
Reductions for lapse of statute of limitations 
Balance at December 27, 2020 
Additions for tax positions of prior years 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years 
Balance at December 26, 2021 

     $  1,579 
 60 
 (426)
 (183)
  $  1,030 
 81 
 (215)
 896 

  $ 

The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of income tax expense. 
The  Company  has  accrued  approximately  $132,000  and  $136,000  for  the  payment  of  interest  and  penalties  as  of 
December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively. 

18.  Related Party Transactions  

On March 21, 2019, Shaquille O’Neal was appointed to our Board of Directors. On June 11, 2019, PJMF entered into an 
Endorsement  Agreement  (the  “Endorsement  Agreement”),  effective  March  15,  2019,  with  ABG-Shaq,  LLC  (“ABG-
Shaq”),  an  entity  affiliated  with  Mr.  O’Neal,  for  the  personal  services  of  Mr.  O’Neal.  Pursuant  to  the  Endorsement 
Agreement, the Company received the right and license to use Mr. O’Neal’s name, nickname, initials, autograph, voice, 
video or film portrayals, photograph, likeness and certain other intellectual property rights (individually and collectively, 
the “Personality Rights”), in each case, solely as approved by ABG-Shaq, in connection with the advertising, promotion 
and  sale  of  Papa  John’s-branded  products.  Mr.  O’Neal  also  agreed  to  provide  brand  ambassador  services  related  to 
appearances,  social  media  and public  relations matters,  and  to  collaborate  with us  to develop one or  more  co-branded 
products using the Personality Rights. Mr. O’Neal and the Company developed a co-branded extra-large pizza product 
using  the  Personality  Rights  under  an  amendment  to  the  Endorsement  Agreement  signed  July  27,  2020  (the  “First 
Amendment”). 

As consideration for the rights and services granted under the Endorsement Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to 
ABG-Shaq aggregate cash payments of $4.125 million over the three years of the Endorsement Agreement. The Company 
will also pay expenses related to the marketing and personal services provided by Mr. O’Neal. In addition, the Company 
agreed to grant 87,136 restricted stock units to Mr. O’Neal (as agent of ABG) under our 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan.  
The initial term of the Endorsement Agreement ends on March 15, 2022, with an option for a one-year extension upon the 
parties’  mutual  agreement.  The  Endorsement  Agreement  also  includes  customary  exclusivity,  termination  and 
indemnification clauses. 

On July 29, 2021, the Company and PJFM entered into Amendment No. 2 (the “ Second Amendment”) to the Endorsement 
Agreement  with  ABG-Shaq.    Pursuant  to  the  Second  Amendment,  the  Company  was  granted  the  ability  to  use  the 
Personality Rights for a limited time to promote, advertise, and sell our co-branded extra-large pizza developed under the 
First Amendment. ABG-Shaq did not receive any additional royalty fees from the Company beyond the cash payment 
already contemplated under his Endorsement Agreement under the Amendment.  In addition, the Company donated one 

80 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. dollar for each unit of the pizza sold in the United States and one Canadian dollar for each unit sold in Canada to The 
Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community.  

19.  Litigation, Commitments and Contingencies 

Litigation  

The Company is involved in a number of lawsuits, claims, investigations and proceedings, including those specifically 
identified below, consisting of intellectual property, employment, consumer, commercial and other matters arising in the 
ordinary course of business. In accordance with ASC 450, “Contingencies” the Company has made accruals with respect 
to these matters where appropriate, which are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. We review 
these provisions at least quarterly and adjust them to reflect the impact of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal 
counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular case. 

Durling et al v. Papa John’s International, Inc., is a conditionally certified collective action filed in May 2016 in the 
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that corporate restaurant delivery drivers were 
not properly reimbursed for vehicle mileage and expenses in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. In July 2018, 
the District Court granted a motion to certify a conditional corporate collective class and the opt-in notice process has been 
completed.  As of the close of the opt-in period on October 29, 2018, 9,571 drivers opted into the collective class.  The 
Company  continues  to  deny  any  liability  or  wrongdoing  in  this  matter  and  is  vigorously  defending  this  action.    The 
Company has not recorded any liability related to this lawsuit as of December 26, 2021 as it does not believe a loss is 
probable or reasonably estimable.  

In re Papa John’s Employee & Franchise Employee Antitrust Litigation is a putative class action filed in December 2018 
in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.  The suit alleges that the “no-poaching” provision 
previously contained in the Company’s franchise agreement constituted an unlawful agreement or conspiracy in restraint 
of trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.  The case is currently in discovery and to 
date no class has been certified or conditionally certified.  The Company continues to deny any liability or wrongdoing in 
this matter and is vigorously defending this action.  The Company has not recorded any liability related to this lawsuit as 
of December 26, 2021 as it does not believe a loss is probable or reasonably estimable. 

20.  Equity Compensation  

We award stock options, time-based restricted stock and performance-based restricted stock units from time to time under 
the Papa John’s International, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan. There are approximately 4.3 million shares of common 
stock authorized for issuance and remaining available under the 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan as of December 26, 2021, 
which includes 5.9 million shares transferred from the Papa John’s International 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan.   

We  recorded  stock-based  employee  compensation  expense  of $16.9  million  in 2021, $16.3 million  in  2020  and $15.3 
million in 2019.  At December 26, 2021, there was $16.7 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested 
awards, of which the Company expects to recognize $11.0 million in 2022, $5.0 million in 2023 and $0.7 million in 2024. 

Stock Options 

Options exercised, which were issued from authorized shares, included 212,000 shares in 2021, 541,000 shares in 2020 
and 448,000 shares in 2019.  The total intrinsic value of the options exercised during 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $10.1 
million, $13.8 million and $10.6 million, respectively.   

81 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Information  pertaining  to  option  activity  during  2021  is  as  follows  (number  of  options  and  aggregate  intrinsic  value 
in thousands): 

Outstanding at December 27, 2020 
Exercised 
Cancelled 
Outstanding at December 26, 2021 
Exercisable at December 26, 2021 

     Weighted        
  Average 

  Weighted    Remaining 

  Number   Average 
  Exercise 
Price 

of 
  Options   

  Contractual   Aggregate  
Intrinsic   
Value 

Term 
  (In Years) 

564   $ 54.82  
  56.41  
 (212) 
 (33) 
  46.18  
319   $ 54.65   
258   $ 57.14   

5.68   $ 24,870  
5.33   $ 19,502  

The following is a summary of the significant assumptions used in estimating the fair value of options granted in 2019 
(none granted in 2021 or 2020, respectively): 

Assumptions (weighted average): 

Risk-free interest rate 
Expected dividend yield 
Expected volatility 
Expected term (in years) 

      2019 

2.5  % 
2.1  % 
31.2  % 
5.7   

The risk-free interest rate for the periods within the contractual life of an option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve 
in effect at the time of grant. The expected dividend yield was estimated as the annual dividend divided by the market 
price of the Company’s shares on the date of grant. Expected volatility was estimated using the Company’s historical share 
price volatility for a period similar to the expected life of the option. 

Option awards are granted with an exercise price equal to the market price of the Company’s stock at the date of grant.  
Options granted generally vest in equal installments over three years and expire ten years after grant. The expected term 
for these options represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding and was calculated using 
historical experience.  

The weighted average grant-date fair values of options granted during 2019 was $11.69. The Company granted options to 
purchase 353,000 shares in 2019.  There were no options granted in 2021 or 2020, respectively. 

Restricted Stock  

We granted shares of restricted stock that are time-based and generally vest in equal installments over three years (130,000 
in 2021, 207,000 in 2020 and 212,000 in 2019). Upon vesting, the shares are issued from treasury stock. These restricted 
shares  are  intended  to  focus  participants  on  our  long-range  objectives,  while  at  the  same  time  serving  as  a  retention 
mechanism. We consider time-based restricted stock awards to be participating securities because holders of such shares 
have non-forfeitable dividend rights. We declared dividends totaling $410,000 ($1.15 per share) in 2021, $366,000 ($0.90 
per share) in 2020 and $310,000 ($0.90 per share) in 2019 to holders of time-based restricted stock.  

We granted 11,000, 15,000 and 113,000 restricted stock units that are time-based and vest over a period of one to three 
years  in  2021,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.    Upon  vesting,  the  units  are  issued  from  treasury  stock.    Total  dividends 
declared for these awards were insignificant to the results of our operations. 

Additionally, we granted stock settled performance-based restricted stock units to executive management (61,000 units in 
2021, 92,000 units in 2020, and 89,000 units in 2019).   

82 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The 2021 and 2020 performance-based restricted stock units require the achievement of certain performance and market 
factors, which consist of the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) relative to a predetermined peer group.  The 
grant-date fair value of the performance-based restricted stock units was determined through the use of a Monte Carlo 
simulation model. 

The following is a summary of the significant assumptions used in estimating the fair value of the performance-based 
restricted stock units granted in 2021, 2020 and 2019: 

Assumptions: 

Risk-free interest rate 
Expected volatility 

      2021 

2020 

2019 

0.2  %    0.9  %    2.5  %   
48.3  %    36.3  %    33.9  %   

The risk-free interest rate for the periods within the contractual life of the performance-based restricted stock unit is based 
on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant.  Expected volatility was estimated using the Company’s 
historical share price volatility for a period similar to the expected life of the performance-based restricted stock unit. 

The  performance-based  restricted  stock  units  granted  vest  over  three  years  (cliff  vest)  and  are  expensed  over  the 
performance period.  The weighted average grant-date fair value of performance-based restricted stock units granted during 
2021, 2020 and 2019 was $103.14, $59.52 and $44.95, respectively. 

The fair value of time-based restricted stock and performance-based restricted stock units is based on the market price of 
the  Company’s  shares  on  the  grant  date.  Information  pertaining  to  these  awards  during  2021  is  as  follows  (shares 
in thousands): 

Total as of December 27, 2020 

Granted 
Forfeited 
Vested 

Total as of December 26, 2021 

21.  Employee Benefit Plans  

  Shares 

      Weighted 
  Average 
  Grant-Date 
  Fair Value 
 54.33 
 98.05 
 60.90 
 56.41 
 68.06 

 667   $ 
 203  
 (57) 
 (231) 
 582   $ 

We have established the Papa John’s International, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the “401(k) Plan”), as a defined contribution benefit 
plan, in accordance with Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) Plan is open to employees who meet 
certain eligibility requirements and allows participating employees to defer receipt of a portion of their compensation and 
contribute such amount to one or more investment funds. At our discretion, we may make matching contribution payments, 
which are subject to vesting based on an employee’s length of service with us. 

In addition, we maintain a non-qualified deferred compensation plan available to certain employees and directors. Under 
this plan, the participants may defer a certain amount of their compensation, which is credited to the participants’ accounts. 
The participant-directed investments associated with this plan are included in Other assets ($41.9 million and $37.6 million 
at December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020, respectively) and the associated liabilities ($36.2 million and $35.8 million 
at  December  26,  2021  and  December  27,  2020,  respectively)  are  included  in  Other  long-term  liabilities  in  the 
accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

At our discretion, we contributed a matching payment of 4.0% in 2021, 2.1% in 2020 and 2.1% in 2019, up to a maximum 
of  6%  of  a  participating  employee’s  earnings  deferred  into  both  the  401(k) Plan  and  the  non-qualified  deferred 
compensation plan. Such costs were $3.5 million in 2021, $1.8 million in 2020 and $1.5 million in 2019. 

83 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
22.  Segment Information 

We have four reportable segments: domestic Company-owned restaurants, North America franchising, North America 
commissaries, and international operations. The domestic Company-owned restaurant segment consists of the operations 
of all domestic (“domestic” is defined as contiguous United States) Company-owned restaurants and derives its revenues 
principally from retail sales of pizza, Papadias, which are flatbread-style sandwiches, and side items, including breadsticks, 
cheesesticks, chicken poppers and wings, dessert items and canned or bottled beverages. The North America commissary 
segment  consists  of  the  operations  of  our  regional  dough  production  and  product  distribution  centers  and  derives  its 
revenues principally from the sale and distribution of food and paper products to domestic Company-owned and franchised 
restaurants in the United States and Canada. The North America franchising segment consists of our franchise sales and 
support activities and derives its revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and collection of royalties from 
our franchisees located in the United States and Canada. The international segment principally consists of distribution 
sales to franchised Papa John’s restaurants located in the United Kingdom and our franchise sales and support activities, 
which derive revenues from sales of franchise and development rights and the collection of royalties from our international 
franchisees. International franchisees are defined as all franchise operations outside of the United States and Canada. All 
other  business  units  that  do  not  meet  the  quantitative  thresholds  for  determining  reportable  segments,  which  are  not 
operating segments, we refer to as “all other,” which consists of operations that derive revenues from the sale, principally 
to Company-owned and franchised restaurants, of printing and promotional items, franchise contributions to marketing 
funds and information systems and related services used in restaurant operations, including our point-of-sale system, online 
and other technology-based ordering platforms. 

Generally, we evaluate performance and allocate resources based on operating income and intercompany eliminations. 
Certain administrative and capital costs are allocated to segments based upon predetermined rates or estimated resource 
usage. We account for intercompany sales and transfers as if the sales or transfers were to third parties and eliminate the 
activity in consolidation. 

Our  reportable  segments  are  business  units  that  provide  different  products  or  services.  Separate  management  of  each 
segment is required because each business unit is subject to different operational issues and strategies. No single external 
customer accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated revenues.   

84 

 
 
 
 
Our segment information is as follows: 

(In thousands) 
Revenues: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America franchising 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Total revenues  

Intersegment revenues: 

North America franchising 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 

Total intersegment revenues 

Depreciation and amortization: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Unallocated corporate expenses 
Total depreciation and amortization 

Operating income: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants (1) 
North America franchising 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Unallocated corporate expenses 
Elimination of intersegment (profits) 

Total operating income 

(1)  Includes $4.7 million of refranchising gains in 2019.  

(In thousands) 
Property and equipment, net: 

Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Unallocated corporate assets 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization 

Property and equipment, net 

Expenditures for property and equipment: 
Domestic Company-owned restaurants 
North America commissaries 
International 
All others 
Unallocated corporate 

Total expenditures for property and equipment (1) 

2021 

2020 

2019 

$ 

 778,323  
 129,310  
 761,305  
 184,099  
 215,384  
$   2,068,421  

$ 

 700,757  
 96,732  
 680,793  
 150,939  
 184,013  
$   1,813,234  

$ 

 652,053 
 71,828 
 612,652 
 126,077 
 156,638 
$   1,619,248 

$ 

    $ 

 4,179  
 215,393  
 -  
 75,366  
 294,938  

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

 11,728  
 11,974  
 2,326  
 9,928  
 12,860  
 48,816  

 49,628  
 120,949  
 39,873  
 34,896  
 17,704  
 (94,114) 
 (695) 
 168,241  

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

 3,229  
 192,332  
 -  
 83,635  
 279,196  

 11,905  
 9,660  
 1,975  
 10,254  
 15,911  
 49,705  

 37,049  
 89,801  
 33,185  
 24,034  
 7,043  
 (100,069) 
 (790) 
 90,253  

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

 2,782 
 187,073 
 191 
 88,286 
 278,332 

 12,883 
 8,131 
 1,722 
 10,738 
 13,807 
 47,281 

 33,957 
 64,362 
 30,690 
 18,738 
 (1,966)
 (120,280)
 (966)
 24,535 

2021 

2020 

2019 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

 241,050   $ 
 149,218  
 14,642  
 109,052  
 236,132  
 (526,238) 
 223,856   $ 

 228,077   $ 
 145,282  
 13,604  
 91,724  
 213,828  
   (491,620) 

 200,895   $ 

 221,420 
 142,946 
 16,031 
 84,167 
 211,842 
 (464,665)
 211,741 

 16,108   $ 

 4,007  
 1,979  
 18,645  
 27,820  
 68,559   $ 

 12,848   $ 

 4,447  
 1,065  
 11,700  
 5,592  

 35,652   $ 

 8,811 
 3,773 
 1,143 
 11,541 
 12,443 
 37,711 

(1)  Increase  of  $32.9  million  in  expenditures  for  property  and  equipment  in  2021  primarily  driven  by  investment  in 

growth, including technology and development initiatives. 

85 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       
     
     
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disaggregation of Revenue 

In the following tables, revenues are disaggregated by major product line. The tables also include a reconciliation of the 
disaggregated revenues by the reportable segment (in thousands):  

Reportable Segments 
Year Ended December 26,2021 

Major Products/Services Lines 
Company-owned restaurant sales 
Franchise royalties and fees 
Commissary sales 
Other revenues 
Eliminations 
Total segment revenues 
International other revenues (1) 
Total revenues 

Major Products/Services Lines 
Company-owned restaurant sales 
Franchise royalties and fees 
Commissary sales 
Other revenues 
Eliminations 
Total segment revenues 
International other revenues (1) 
Total revenues 

Major Products/Services Lines 
Company-owned restaurant sales 
Franchise royalties and fees 
Commissary sales 
Other revenues 
Eliminations 
Total segment revenues 
International other revenues (1) 
International eliminations (1) 
Total revenues 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

  $ 

Domestic  
Company-owned  
restaurants 

North 
America 

franchising       

North  
America 

commissaries        International       All others      

 778,323   $ 
 —  
 —  
 —  
 —  
 778,323   $ 
 —  
 778,323   $ 

 —   $ 

 133,489  
 —  
 —  
 (4,179)  

 129,310   $ 
 —  
 129,310   $ 

 —   $ 
 —  
 976,698  
 —  
 (215,393) 
 761,305   $ 
 —  
 761,305   $ 

 —   $ 

 53,148  
 97,623  
 33,328  
 —  

Total 
 778,323 
 —   $ 
 186,637 
 —  
 1,074,321 
 —  
 324,078 
 290,750  
 (294,938) 
 (75,366) 
 184,099   $   215,384   $   2,068,421 
 — 
 33,328  
 (33,328) 
 150,771   $   248,712   $   2,068,421 

Reportable Segments 
Year Ended December 27, 2020 

Domestic  
Company-owned  
restaurants 

North 
America 
franchising 

North 
America 
commissaries 

International 

All 
others 

 700,757   $ 
 —  
 —  
 —  
 —  
 700,757   $ 
 —  
 700,757   $ 

 —   $ 

 99,961  
 —  
 —  
 (3,229)  
 96,732   $ 
 —  
 96,732   $ 

 —   $ 
 —  
 873,125  
 —  
 (192,332) 
 680,793   $ 
 —  
 680,793   $ 

 —   $ 

 39,920  
 84,043  
 26,976  
 —  

Total 
 700,757 
 —   $ 
 139,881 
 —  
 957,168 
 —  
 294,624 
 267,648  
 (279,196) 
 (83,635) 
 150,939   $   184,013   $   1,813,234 
 (26,976) 
 — 
 26,976  
 123,963   $   210,989   $   1,813,234 

Reportable Segments 
Year Ended December 29, 2019 

Domestic  
Company-owned 
restaurants 

North 
America 
franchising 

North 
America 
commissaries 

International 

All 
others 

 652,053   $ 
 —  
 —  
 —  
 —  
 652,053   $ 
 —  
 —  
 652,053   $ 

 —   $ 

 74,610  
 —  
 —  
 (2,782)  
 71,828   $ 
 —  
 —  
 71,828   $ 

 —   $ 
 —  
 799,725  
 —  
 (187,073) 
 612,652   $ 
 —  
 —  
 612,652   $ 

 —   $ 

 38,745  
 64,179  
 23,344  
 (191) 

Total 
 652,053 
 —   $ 
 113,355 
 —  
 863,904 
 —  
 268,268 
 244,924  
 (278,332) 
 (88,286) 
 126,077   $   156,638   $   1,619,248 
 — 
 23,344  
 (23,344) 
 — 
 (191) 
 191  
 102,924   $   179,791   $   1,619,248 

(1)  Other revenues as reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations include $33.3 million, $27.0 million and 
$23.2  million  of  revenue  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021,  December  27,  2020,  and  December  29,  2019 
respectively, that are part of the international reporting segment. These amounts include marketing fund contributions 
and  sublease  rental  income  from  international  franchisees  in  the  United  Kingdom  that  provide  no  significant 
contribution to income before income taxes but must be reported on a gross basis under accounting requirements. The 
related  expenses  for  these  Other  revenues  are  reported  in  Other  expenses  in  the  Consolidated  Statements  of 
Operations. 

86 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 9.  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure 

None. 

Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures 

(a)  Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

As  of  the  end  of  the  period  covered  by  this  report,  we  carried  out  an  evaluation,  under  the  supervision  and  with  the 
participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), 
of  the  effectiveness  of  our  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  (as  defined  in  Rules 13a-15(e) and  15d-15(e) of  the 
Exchange Act). Based upon this evaluation, the CEO and CFO concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and 
procedures are effective. 

(b)  Management’s Report on our Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such 
term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Our internal control system is designed to provide 
reasonable  assurance  to  our  management  and  the  board  of  directors  regarding  the  preparation  and  fair  presentation  of 
published  financial  statements.  All  internal  control  systems,  no  matter  how  well  designed,  have  inherent  limitations. 
Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial 
statement preparation and presentation. 

Under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  management,  including  our  CEO  and  CFO,  we  conducted  an 
evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria established in Internal 
Control  —  Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  (“COSO”)  of  the  Treadway 
Commission  (“2013  Framework”).  Based  on  our  evaluation  under  the  COSO  2013  Framework,  our  management 
concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 26, 2021. 

Ernst  &  Young  LLP,  an  independent  registered  public  accounting  firm,  has  audited  the  2021  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as part of its audit, has issued an attestation report, included 
herein, on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. 

(c)  Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 26, 2021 that 
have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. 

87 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Papa John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries 

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting  

We  have  audited  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  and  Subsidiaries’  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of 
December 26, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control— Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of 
Sponsoring Organizations of the  Treadway Commission  (2013  Framework) (the  COSO  criteria).  In our  opinion,  Papa 
John’s International, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control 
over financial reporting as of December 26, 2021, based on the COSO criteria. 

We  also  have  audited,  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  (United 
States) (PCAOB), the 2021 consolidated financial statements of the Company, and our report dated February 24, 2022 
expressed an unqualified opinion thereon. 

Basis for Opinion 

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its 
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying “Management’s 
Report on our Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.” Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB 
and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and 
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform 
the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained 
in all material respects. 

Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed 
risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit 
provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the 
reliability  of  financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance  with 
generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies 
and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the 
transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded 
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, 
and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management 
and  directors  of  the  company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of 
unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial 
statements. 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, 
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate 
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP 

Louisville, Kentucky 
February 24, 2022 

88 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 9B.  Other Information 

None. 

Item 9C.  Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 

None. 

Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 

PART III 

Information regarding executive officers is included above under the caption “Information about our Executive Officers” 
at the end of Part I of this Report. Other information regarding directors, executive officers and corporate governance 
appearing under the captions “Corporate Governance,” “Item 1. Election of Directors,” “Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports” 
and “Executive Compensation / Compensation Discussion and Analysis” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s 
definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after 
the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report. 

We  have  adopted  a  written  code  of  ethics  that  applies  to  our  directors,  officers  and  employees.  We  intend  to  post  all 
required  disclosures  concerning  any  amendments  to  or  waivers  from,  our  code  of  ethics  on  our  website  to  the  extent 
permitted by Nasdaq. Our code of ethics can be found on our website, which is located at www.papajohns.com. 

Item 11.  Executive Compensation 

Information regarding executive compensation appearing under the captions “Executive Compensation / Compensation 
Discussion and Analysis,” “Compensation Committee Report” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions — 
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive 
proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of 
the fiscal year covered by this Report. 

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 

The following table provides information as of December 26, 2021 regarding the number of shares of the Company’s 
common stock that may be issued under the Company’s equity compensation plans. 

Plan Category 

  options, warrants 

and rights 

(a) 
Number of 
securities to be 
  issued upon exercise   
of outstanding 

(b) 

  Weighted 
average 
exercise price 
  of outstanding 
  options, warrants   
and rights 

(c) 
  Number of securities 
  remaining available 
for future issuance 
under equity 
  compensation plans, 
excluding securities 
    reflected in column (a)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders *    
Total 

 319,045   $ 
 138,060  
 457,105   $ 

 54.65   

 4,264,031 

 54.65   

 4,264,031 

*  Represents shares of common stock issuable pursuant to the non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The weighted 
average  exercise  price  (column  b)  does  not  include  any  assumed  price  for  issuance  of  shares  pursuant  to  the  non-
qualified deferred compensation plan. 

Information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management and related stockholder matters 
appearing  under  the  caption  “Security  Ownership  of  Certain  Beneficial  Owners  and  Management”  is  incorporated  by 

89 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
     
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
reference  from  the  Company’s  definitive  proxy  statement,  which  will  be  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report. 

Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 

Information  regarding  certain  relationships  and  related  transactions,  and  director  independence  appearing  under  the 
captions “Corporate Governance” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” is incorporated by reference from 
the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 
120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report. 

Item 14.  Principal Accounting Fees and Services 

Information regarding principal accounting fees and services appearing under the caption “Ratification of the Selection of 
Independent Auditors” is incorporated by reference from the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Report. 

Item 15.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 

(a)(1)  Financial Statements: 

PART IV 

The following Consolidated Financial Statements, notes related thereto and reports of independent auditors are included 
in Item 8 of this Report: 

  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 
  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021,  December  27,  2020  and 

December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 

2020 and December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 26, 2021 and December 27, 2020 
  Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit for the years ended December 26, 2021, December 27, 2020 

and December 29, 2019  

  Consolidated  Statements  of  Cash  Flows  for  the  years  ended  December  26,  2021,  December  27,  2020  and 

December 29, 2019  

  Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

(a)(2)  Financial Statement Schedules: 

All other schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulation of the Securities and Exchange 
Commission are not required under the related instructions or are inapplicable and, therefore, have been omitted. 

(a)(3)  Exhibits: 

The exhibits listed in the accompanying index to Exhibits are filed as part of this Form 10-K. 

Item 16. Summary 

None. 

90 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 

EXHIBIT INDEX 

Description of Exhibit 

3.1 

  Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.  Exhibit 3.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q 

for the quarterly period ended June 29, 2014, is incorporated herein by reference. 

3.2 

  Our Amended and Restated By-Laws. Exhibit 3.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly 

period ended September 27, 2015 is incorporated herein by reference. 

3.3 

  Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of Papa John’s International, Inc.

Exhibit 3.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on July 23, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference. 

3.4 

4.1 

4.2 

4.3 

4.4 

4.5 

4.6 

4.7 

4.8 

  Certificate  of  Elimination  of  Series  B  Convertible  Preferred  Stock  of  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.
Exhibit 3.1 to our report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 27, 2021, is incorporated herein by 
reference. 

Indenture  dated  September  14,  2021,  among  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.,  each  of  the  guarantors  party
thereto and Truist Bank, as trustee.  Exhibit 4.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on September 14, 2021 is
incorporated herein by reference. 

Form of 3.875% Senior Notes due 2029.  Exhibit 4.2 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on September 14, 
2021 is incorporated herein by reference. 

  Rights  Agreement,  dated  as  of  July  22,  2018,  by  and  between  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  and
Computershare  Trust  Company,  N.A.,  as  rights  agent.    Exhibit  4.1  to  our  report  on  Form  8-K  as  filed  on 
July 23, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference. 

  Amendment  No.  1  to  Rights  Agreement  dated  as  of  February  3,  2019,  by  and  between  Papa  John’s
International, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent.  Exhibit 4.1 to our report on
Form 8-K as filed on February 3, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference. 

  Amendment  No.  2  to  Rights  Agreement  dated  as  of  March  6,  2019  by  and  between  Papa  John’s
International, Inc.  and  Computershare  Trust  Company,  N.A.  as  rights  agent.    Exhibit  4.1  to  our  report  on
Form 8-K as filed on March 6, 2019, is incorporated herein by reference. 

  Amendment  No.  3  to  Rights  Agreement  dated  as  of  October  23,  2019,  by  and  between  Papa  John’s
International,  Inc.  and  Computershare  Trust  Company,  N.A.  as  rights  agent.    Exhibit  4.1  to  our  report  on
Form 8-K as filed on October 24, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.   

Form of Rights Certificate.  Exhibit 4.2 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on July 23, 2018 is incorporated
herein by reference. 

Specimen Common Stock Certificate. Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 
December 31, 2017 is incorporated herein by reference.  

91 

 
 
 
     
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 

4.9 

10.1 

10.2 

10.3 

10.4 

Description of Exhibit 

  Description  of  Registrant’s  securities  registered  pursuant  to  Section  12  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of
1934.    Exhibit  4.7  to  our  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  December  29,  2019  is
incorporated herein by reference. 

Form of Papa John’s International, Inc. Director Indemnification Agreement. Exhibit 10.1 to our report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference. 

Form  of  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  Officer  Indemnification  Agreement.  Exhibit  10.2  to  our  report  on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference. 

Securities Purchase Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Starboard Value and Opportunity
Master Fund Ltd., Starboard Value and Opportunity  Master Fund L LP, Starboard Value and Opportunity
C  LP,  Starboard  Value  and  Opportunity  S  LLC  and  Starboard  Value  LP  effective  February  3,  2019.
Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on February 4, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference.  

  Registration Rights Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Starboard Value and Opportunity
Master Fund Ltd., Starboard Value and Opportunity  Master Fund L LP, Starboard Value and Opportunity 
C LP,  Starboard  Value  and  Opportunity  S  LLC  and  Starboard  Value  LP  effective  February  4,  2019.
Exhibit 10.2 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on February 4, 2019 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.5* 

  Employment Agreement between Papa John’s International, Inc. and Robert Lynch effective August 26, 2019.

Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on August 28, 2019 is incorporate herein by reference. 

10.6* 

  Endorsement Agreement, executed June 11, 2019 and effective March 15, 2019, by among, on the one hand,
ABG-Shaq, LLC for the personal services of Shaquille O’Neal, and, on the other hand, Papa John’s Marketing 
Fund, Inc. and Papa John’s International, Inc. Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on June 17, 2019 
is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.7 

10.8 

  Amendment No. 1 to the March 15, 2019 Endorsement Agreement for personal services of Shaquille O’Neal
by  and  among  ABG-Shaq,  LLC,  Papa  John’s  Marketing  Fund,  Inc.  and  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc., 
effective July 27, 2020.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 27, 
2020 is incorporated herein by reference. 

  Amendment No. 2 to the March 15, 2019 Endorsement Agreement for personal services of Shaquille O’Neal
by  and  among  ABG-Shaq,  LLC,  Papa  John’s  Marketing  Fund,  Inc.  and  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.,
effective July 29, 2021. Exhibit 10.2 to our report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 26,
2021, is incorporated herein by reference.  

10.9 

  Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated September 14, 2021, among Papa John’s International, Inc.,
each of the guarantors and lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, Inc., as administrative agent. 
Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on September 14, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference. 

92 

 
 
 
     
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 

10.10*   

Description of Exhibit 

Papa  John’s  International, Inc.  Deferred  Compensation  Plan,  as  amended  through  December 5,  2012. 
Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2012 is incorporated herein
by reference. 

10.11*   

Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  Nonqualified  Deferred  Compensation  Plan,  as  amended  and  restated  effective
October 28, 2021. Exhibit 10.3 to our report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 26, 2021, is
incorporated herein by reference. 

10.12*   

Papa John’s International, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Incentive Plan.  Exhibit 4.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed 
on May 8, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.13*   

Papa John’s International, Inc. 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan. Exhibit 4.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed 
on May 3, 2011 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.14*   

Papa John’s International, Inc. Amended and Restated Change of Control Severance Plan.  Exhibit 10.1 to our
report on Form 8-K filed on November 4, 2020 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.15*   

Papa John’s International, Inc. Severance Pay Plan.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly 
period ended March 25, 2012 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.16*    Amendment to Papa John’s International, Inc. Severance Pay Plan. Exhibit 10.2 to our report on Form 8-K as 

filed on November 2, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.17*    Amendment  No.  2  to  Papa  John’s  International,  Inc.  Severance  Pay  Plan.    Exhibit  10.1  to  our  report  on

Form 8-K as filed on December 7, 2020 is incorporated herein by reference. 

10.18 

Share Repurchase Agreement, dated May 11, 2021, by and among Papa John’s International, Inc. and the
sellers listed on the schedule of sellers attached thereto.  Exhibit 10.1 to our report on Form 8-K as filed on 
May 12, 2021 is incorporated herein by reference. 

21** 

Subsidiaries of the Company. 

23.1**    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. 

31.1**   

Section 302 Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). 

31.2**   

Section 302 Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). 

32.1**   

Section 906  Certification  of  Chief  Executive  Officer  Pursuant  to  18  U.S.C.  Section 1350,  As  Adopted 
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 

32.2**   

Section 906 Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, As Adopted Pursuant 
to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 

93 

 
 
 
     
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 

101 

Description of Exhibit 

Financial statements from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Papa John’s International, Inc. for the year 
ended  December  26,  2021,  filed  on  February  24,  2022  formatted  in  inline  XBRL:  (i) the  Consolidated 
Statements  of  Operations,  (ii) the  Consolidated  Statements  of  Comprehensive  Income  (Loss),  (iii) the 
Consolidated Balance Sheets, (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Deficit, (v) the Consolidated 
Statements of Cash Flows and (vi) the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

104 

  Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101). 

*     Compensatory plan required to be filed as an exhibit pursuant to Item 15(c) of Form 10-K. 
**   Filed herewith. 

The Exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not contained herein.  The Company will furnish a copy of any 
Exhibits  to  a  stockholder  upon  written  request  to  Investor  Relations,  Papa  John's  International,  Inc.  P.O.  Box  99900, 
Louisville, KY  40269-0900. 

94 

 
 
 
     
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SIGNATURES 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused 
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. 

Date: February 24, 2022 

            PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC. 

  By: 

/s/ Robert M. Lynch 
Robert M. Lynch 
President and Chief Executive Officer 

95 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following 
persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. 

Signature 

Title 

Date 

/s/ Jeffrey C. Smith 
Jeffrey C. Smith 

/s/ Robert M. Lynch 
Robert M. Lynch 

/s/ Ann B. Gugino 
Ann B. Gugino 

  Chairman 

  February 24, 2022 

  President and Chief Executive Officer 

  February 24, 2022 

(Principal Executive Officer and Director) 

  Chief Financial Officer  

  February 24, 2022 

(Principal Financial Officer and 

  Principal Accounting Officer) 

/s/ Christopher L. Coleman 
Christopher L. Coleman 

  Director 

/s/ Olivia F. Kirtley 
Olivia F. Kirtley 

/s/ Laurette T. Koellner 
Laurette T. Koellner 

/s/ Jocelyn C. Mangan 
Jocelyn C. Mangan 

/s/ Sonya E. Medina 
Sonya E. Medina 

/s/ Shaquille R. O’Neal 
Shaquille R. O’Neal 

  Director 

  Director 

  Director 

  Director 

  Director 

/s/ Anthony M. Sanfilippo 
Anthony M. Sanfilippo 

  Director 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

  February 24, 2022 

96