Zacks Research Upgrades Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) to Hold

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. Singular Research raised shares of Krispy Kreme to a “moderate buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an “underweight” rating on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research report on Wednesday, August 27th. Capital One Financial decreased their price target on shares of Krispy Kreme from $6.00 to $4.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research note on Monday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Krispy Kreme presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $5.51.

Krispy Kreme Stock Down 4.1%

NASDAQ:DNUT opened at $4.19 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.36. The company has a market capitalization of $717.75 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.40 and a beta of 1.31. Krispy Kreme has a one year low of $2.50 and a one year high of $10.06. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $4.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $3.58.

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.01 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.06) by $0.07. The company had revenue of $375.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $378.29 million. Krispy Kreme had a negative return on equity of 5.13% and a negative net margin of 33.27%.Krispy Kreme’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.01) EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Krispy Kreme will post 0.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Krispy Kreme

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of DNUT. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position in Krispy Kreme by 1,229.5% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 8,469 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 7,832 shares during the last quarter. Capstone Financial Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Krispy Kreme in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme in the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, R Squared Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.72% of the company’s stock.

About Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc (NASDAQ: DNUT) is a global retailer and wholesaler renowned for its signature Original Glazed doughnut and a variety of other sweet treats. The company operates through a combination of company-owned stores, franchise outlets and strategic partnerships with supermarkets, convenience stores and other foodservice channels. In addition to its doughnut portfolio, Krispy Kreme offers freshly brewed coffee, assorted beverages and proprietary seasonal items designed to drive traffic and foster brand loyalty.

Founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, by Vernon Rudolph, Krispy Kreme has grown from a single local shop to a multinational brand.