PZZA vs QSR Stock Comparison
QSR currently leads PZZA in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 50 vs 46. The clearest difference is momentum, while PZZA has the stronger value profile.
What is the main difference between PZZA and QSR?
QSR leads the current stock comparison as Restaurant Brands International Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Papa John's International, Inc. vs Restaurant Brands International Inc.
QSR leads
QSR leads by 4 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, having only recently taken the lead back from PZZA. Wall Street currently favors PZZA on target upside.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support QSR, the lead recently changed hands, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Papa John's International, Inc.
Restaurant Brands International Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors QSR over PZZA, 50 versus 46 as of Oct 31, 2026. QSR's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while PZZA holds the stronger value profile. QSR also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors PZZA. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor QSR today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. QSR lead: Reversed — PZZA led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; QSR now leads by 4.
Compare Papa John's International, Inc. and Restaurant Brands International Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare PZZA and QSR against another ticker
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AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum33 vs 63QSR +30
- Value61 vs 36PZZA +25
- Quality40 vs 55QSR +15
- Risk Resilience50 vs 49Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor QSR. QSR’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; PZZA keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.
Largest factor move: Momentum +5
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 3 active signals are unchanged.
QSR's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — PZZA and QSR both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
QSR (Restaurant Brands International Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
PZZA (Papa John's International, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
QSRQSR on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
QSRQSR on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
PZZAPZZA on the peer-relative Value factor, by 25 points.
Momentum
QSRQSR on the Momentum factor, by 30 points.
Lower downside
QSRQSR carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
PZZAPZZA on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors QSR, analyst targets favor PZZA. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | PZZA | QSR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +40% | +16.1% | PZZA has more room |
| Target dispersion | +50.3% | +15.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 10 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | PZZA | QSR |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 15.38% | 3.58% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $0.900 | $2.080 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $1.840 | $2.480 |
| Years increased | 4 | 5 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | #33 | #295 |
PZZA grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 15.38% a year against QSR's 3.58%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor QSR. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | QSR | 46 vs 50 |
| Fundamentals | QSR | EPS growth 19% vs 50.5%; TTM ROE -6.2% vs 34.9%; gross margin 23.2% vs 44.8%; operating margin 4.1% vs 27.1% |
| Valuation | PZZA | Value 61 vs 36 |
| Technicals | QSR | Price vs 50-day -10.8% vs -3.2%; vs 200-day -38.7% vs 0.7% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 50 vs 49 |
| Analyst expectations | PZZA | Target upside 40% vs 16.1% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of PZZA and QSR and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on QSR.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28QSR lead: Reversed — PZZA led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; QSR now leads by 4.
- Today
- QSR +4
- 46 vs 50
- 7 sessions ago
- QSR +11
- 44 vs 55
- 30 sessions ago
- PZZA +4
- 45 vs 41
- 90 sessions ago
- QSR +12
- 45 vs 57
The lead changed hands 2 times in this window, most recently on Oct 14 when QSR moved ahead of PZZA.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only PZZA
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (46.15%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (3.71%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (1.6%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
3 bullish / 0 bearish
Only QSR
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (1.13%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.
PZZA is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -1.84%, AIQ +1 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -0.82%, AIQ -1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1PZZA closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to QSR's edge.
- 2PZZA's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3QSR's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
QSR leads on balance| Metric | PZZA | QSR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 0.8% | 11.3% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 19% | 50.5% |
| Gross margin | 23.2% | 44.8% |
| Operating margin | 4.1% | 27.1% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -6.2% | 34.9% |
| Debt to equity | -2.06 | 4.07 |
Performance
QSR leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | PZZA | QSR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -5.9% | 4.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -38.7% | 0.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -47.1% | -5.3% |
| Year to date | -51.8% | 9.2% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -66.1% | 10.5% |
Technicals
QSR has the stronger structure| Metric | PZZA | QSR |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 39.2 | 66.7 |
| ADX (14) | 33.9 | 20.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | -10.8% | -3.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | -38.7% | 0.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 25% | 20.9% |
Risk
Split| Metric | PZZA | QSR |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.3 | 0.06 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.87 | 0.42 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.72 | 0.65 |
| Max drawdown | -65.5% | -15% |
| Current drawdown | -64.7% | -8.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 50.6% | 24.2% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -5% | -2.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, PZZA or QSR?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, QSR is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 50 against PZZA's 46. The edge comes from momentum and quality. PZZA is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is PZZA or QSR the better buy right now?
QSR carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor QSR over PZZA?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. QSR leads Momentum by 30 points; PZZA leads Value by 25 points; QSR leads Quality by 15 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, PZZA or QSR?
Analyst price targets imply +40% upside for PZZA and +16.1% for QSR, so the Street currently favors PZZA. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors QSR. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, PZZA or QSR?
PZZA is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PZZA on the peer-relative Value factor, by 25 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, PZZA or QSR?
QSR on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, PZZA or QSR?
QSR on the Momentum factor, by 30 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, PZZA or QSR?
QSR is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. QSR carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is PZZA more profitable than QSR?
QSR leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 23.2% vs 44.8%; operating margin 4.1% vs 27.1%; ttm roe -6.2% vs 34.9%.
Is QSR's lead over PZZA getting stronger or weaker?
QSR lead: Reversed — PZZA led by 4 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; QSR now leads by 4. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands 2 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-14, when QSR moved ahead of PZZA.
What would change the PZZA vs QSR verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: PZZA closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to QSR's edge; PZZA's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; QSR's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about PZZA and QSR?
PZZA: 1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. QSR: 3 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on PZZA is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On QSR it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare PZZA and QSR with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.