Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) Receives Average Recommendation of “Reduce” from Analysts

Shares of Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Reduce” from the ten analysts that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $4.5167.

DNUT has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “underweight” rating and issued a $3.00 price target on shares of Krispy Kreme in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Krispy Kreme from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, February 22nd. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Krispy Kreme from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd.

Krispy Kreme Stock Down 1.8%

Krispy Kreme stock opened at $3.75 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $3.57 and its 200 day moving average price is $3.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market cap of $642.38 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.24 and a beta of 1.31. Krispy Kreme has a 52 week low of $2.50 and a 52 week high of $6.51.

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.03 by $0.06. Krispy Kreme had a negative net margin of 33.87% and a negative return on equity of 3.45%. The firm had revenue of $392.37 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $386.72 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.01 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Krispy Kreme will post 0.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Krispy Kreme

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Marshall Wace LLP acquired a new stake in Krispy Kreme during the 3rd quarter worth $11,704,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Krispy Kreme by 419.2% in the third quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 2,795,546 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,819,000 after buying an additional 2,257,061 shares in the last quarter. Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania acquired a new position in Krispy Kreme during the fourth quarter worth about $8,077,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in Krispy Kreme by 522.1% during the first quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,093,416 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,300,000 after acquiring an additional 1,756,932 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Federated Hermes Inc. grew its stake in Krispy Kreme by 78.9% during the 2nd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 3,007,345 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,751,000 after acquiring an additional 1,326,212 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.72% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Krispy Kreme

Here are the key news stories impacting Krispy Kreme this week:

• Positive Sentiment: EPS and profit metrics beat expectations — Krispy Kreme reported $0.09 EPS vs. ~ $0.03 consensus, a meaningful beat that underpinned the rally after the release. Krispy Kreme (DNUT) Tops Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Operational improvement: Adjusted EBITDA and cash flow strengthened — management highlighted $55.6M adjusted EBITDA and $45M cash from operations, signaling the turnaround is producing margin and cash benefits. Krispy Kreme Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Top‑line: revenue slightly beat Street (~$392.4M vs. estimates near $386–389M) but was down year‑over‑year — the beat came while management intentionally closed lower‑traffic distribution points as part of the turnaround. Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) Posts Better-Than-Expected Sales In Q4 CY2025
• Neutral Sentiment: Management commentary and guidance: the earnings call and slide deck emphasized strategic growth, unit rationalization and a constructive 2026 outlook — investors will watch execution and comps next year. Krispy Kreme, Inc. (DNUT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP loss and weak profitability metrics remain — the company reported a GAAP net loss (Q4 ~$29.1M) and still shows a negative net margin and negative ROE, so profitability isn’t fully healed. Krispy Kreme Earnings Release and Transcript (MarketBeat)
• Negative Sentiment: Balance‑sheet and liquidity considerations — low current/quick ratios and meaningful leverage (debt/equity ~1.3) mean the company is still financially vulnerable if the turnaround stalls. WSJ: Krispy Kreme Revenue Falls as Chain Exits Underperforming Locations

Krispy Kreme Company Profile

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.