PZZA vs SBUX Stock Comparison
Compare PZZA and SBUX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between PZZA and SBUX?
PZZA leads the current stock comparison as Papa John's International, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Papa John's International, Inc. vs Starbucks Corporation
PZZA leads
PZZA leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Value, having only recently taken the lead back from SBUX.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support PZZA, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Papa John's International, Inc.
Starbucks Corporation
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PZZA over SBUX, 43 versus 37 as of Sep 11, 2026. PZZA's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value, while SBUX holds the stronger momentum profile. PZZA also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PZZA today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. PZZA lead: Reversed — SBUX led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; PZZA now leads by 6.
Compare Papa John's International, Inc. and Starbucks Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare PZZA and SBUX against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
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.
- Value61 vs 24PZZA +37
- Momentum26 vs 35SBUX +9
- Risk Resilience44 vs 51SBUX +7
- Quality40 vs 44SBUX +4
3 of 6 evidence groups favor PZZA. PZZA’s edge is concentrated in value; SBUX keeps a meaningful momentum edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Risk Resilience +1
No new signals fired.
PZZA's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — PZZA and SBUX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
PZZA (Papa John's International, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value.
SBUX (Starbucks Corporation): the counter-case, on momentum, risk resilience, quality.
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
PZZAPZZA on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
SBUXSBUX on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
PZZAPZZA on the peer-relative Value factor, by 37 points.
Momentum
SBUXSBUX on the Momentum factor, by 9 points.
Lower downside
SBUXSBUX on Risk Resilience, by 7 points.
Analyst upside
PZZAPZZA on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | PZZA | SBUX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +32.3% | +15.8% | PZZA has more room |
| Target dispersion | +29.4% | +28.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PZZA. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | PZZA | 43 vs 37 |
| Fundamentals | SBUXon balance | revenue growth 0.8% vs -2.2%; EPS growth 19% vs 102.2%; TTM ROE -6.2% vs -24.3%; gross margin 23.2% vs 31.7%; operating margin 4.1% vs 9.4% — SBUX takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | PZZA | Value 61 vs 24 |
| Technicals | SBUX | Price vs 50-day -26.3% vs -6.2%; vs 200-day -36% vs 2.3% |
| Risk Resilience | SBUX | Risk Resilience 44 vs 51 |
| Analyst expectations | PZZA | Target upside 32.3% vs 15.8% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of PZZA and SBUX 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 moderate at 6 points.
- 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 is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
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 PZZA.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10PZZA lead: Reversed — SBUX led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; PZZA now leads by 6.
- Today
- PZZA +6
- 43 vs 37
- 7 sessions ago
- PZZA +8
- 46 vs 38
- 30 sessions ago
- SBUX +1
- 42 vs 43
- 90 sessions ago
- PZZA +7
- 51 vs 44
The lead changed hands 7 times in this window, most recently on Aug 21 when SBUX 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.
2 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (21.06%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (7.51%)
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
PZZA leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -4.19%, AIQ -1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.48%, AIQ 0 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.
- 1SBUX closes the Value gap — currently 37 points behind, the largest single contributor to PZZA's edge.
- 2SBUX's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3PZZA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 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
SBUX leads on balance| Metric | PZZA | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 0.8% | -2.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 19% | 102.2% |
| Gross margin | 23.2% | 31.7% |
| Operating margin | 4.1% | 9.4% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -6.2% | -24.3% |
| Debt to equity | -2.06 | -2.92 |
Performance
SBUX leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | PZZA | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -5.2% | -7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -10.9% | -8.5% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -32.4% | 0.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -36.7% | -2.2% |
| Year to date | -41.2% | 17.8% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -55.9% | 17.9% |
Technicals
SBUX has the stronger structure| Metric | PZZA | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 30.8 | 37.8 |
| ADX (14) | 44.8 | 14.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | -26.3% | -6.2% |
| Price vs 200-day | -36% | 2.3% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 30.7% | 22% |
Risk
SBUX is the more resilient| Metric | PZZA | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.43 | 0.57 |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.37 | 0.61 |
| Sortino ratio | -2.05 | 1.1 |
| Max drawdown | -61.2% | -14.5% |
| Current drawdown | -61.2% | -8.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 52.9% | 27.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -5% | -2.4% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, PZZA or SBUX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PZZA is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 43 against SBUX's 37. The edge comes from value. SBUX is not without a case — it holds the better momentum 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 SBUX the better buy right now?
PZZA carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor PZZA over SBUX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. PZZA leads Value by 37 points; SBUX leads Momentum by 9 points; SBUX leads Risk Resilience by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, PZZA or SBUX?
Analyst price targets imply +32.3% upside for PZZA and +15.8% for SBUX, so the Street currently favors PZZA. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, PZZA or SBUX?
PZZA is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. PZZA on the peer-relative Value factor, by 37 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 SBUX?
SBUX 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 SBUX?
SBUX on the Momentum factor, by 9 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 SBUX?
SBUX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. SBUX on Risk Resilience, by 7 points. 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 SBUX?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 23.2% vs 31.7%; operating margin 4.1% vs 9.4%; ttm roe -6.2% vs -24.3%. PZZA leads on one measure and SBUX on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is PZZA's lead over SBUX getting stronger or weaker?
PZZA lead: Reversed — SBUX led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; PZZA now leads by 6. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 7 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-21, when SBUX moved ahead of PZZA.
What would change the PZZA vs SBUX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: SBUX closes the Value gap — currently 37 points behind, the largest single contributor to PZZA's edge; SBUX's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; PZZA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; 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 SBUX?
PZZA: 2 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. SBUX: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. 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 SBUX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare PZZA and SBUX 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.