Papa John's adds Shaquille O'Neal to the board Pap

Papa John's International Inc. announced a new addition to its board: Shaquille O'Neal. The former NBA superstar will also be an investor in nine Papa John's locations around Atlanta and, in a marketing agreement, will be an ambassador to the brand. O'Neal is the founder and owner of Big Chicken, a fast-casual restaurant in Las Vegas, a fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles, and nine Krispy Kreme locations in Atlanta. Earlier this month, John Schnatter, Papa John's founder, stepped down from the board earlier this month following a period in which he stepped down as chief executive after using the N-word on a conference call and resigned as chairman. Papa John's shares have rallied 17.8% in 2019 while the S&P 500 index is up nearly 14% for the period.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.