Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) Stock Sees Heavy Put Option Buying

Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) saw unusually large options trading on Friday. Traders bought 4,003 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 23% compared to the average daily volume of 3,266 put options.

Krispy Kreme Stock Down 13.0%

Shares of Krispy Kreme stock traded down $0.60 during trading on Friday, hitting $4.00. 2,052,606 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,670,513. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $3.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $3.34. The stock has a market cap of $690.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.17 and a beta of 1.29. Krispy Kreme has a 12-month low of $2.81 and a 12-month high of $5.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.29.

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.06 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.05. Krispy Kreme had a negative return on equity of 1.17% and a negative net margin of 6.16%. The business had revenue of $328.76 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $311.41 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.01 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Krispy Kreme will post -0.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Krispy Kreme from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (e+)” rating in a research report on Friday, October 16th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Krispy Kreme from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 8th. Zacks Research raised Krispy Kreme from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 27th. Finally, Evercore set a $4.00 price target on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research report on Friday, August 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Krispy Kreme has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $4.33.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Krispy Kreme

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in DNUT. Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new position in Krispy Kreme in the 2nd quarter valued at $24,992,000. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in Krispy Kreme in the second quarter valued at $23,353,000. AlpInvest Partners B.V. purchased a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 2nd quarter worth $2,231,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 1st quarter worth $1,883,000. Finally, Carlyle Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 2nd quarter worth $1,203,000. 81.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Krispy Kreme

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

• Positive Sentiment: For Q3 2026, Krispy Kreme reported adjusted earnings of $0.06 per share and revenue of $328.8 million, topping analyst expectations of about $0.01 per share and $311.4 million. The company also raised its 2026 revenue outlook. Krispy Kreme Raises Revenue Outlook as Turnaround Takes Hold
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s asset-light strategy may improve efficiency: franchisees generated 42% of systemwide sales in Q3, while year-to-date capital spending fell 65% to $28.6 million. Krispy Kreme: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Krispy Kreme introduced a holiday doughnut collection featuring a Ghirardelli hot-cocoa flavor. Seasonal offerings could support customer interest, though the reports provide no sales impact estimates. Krispy Kreme Just Turned Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa Into a Doughnut
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue was still down 12.4% year over year, and the company reported a negative net margin. That suggests the turnaround has yet to resolve the underlying sales and profitability challenges. Krispy Kreme Q3 earnings results

About Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme, Inc is a global doughnut and coffee company best known for its Original Glazed doughnuts. The company sells doughnuts, packaged sweets, coffee and other beverages through Krispy Kreme shops, in-store retail displays and digital ordering channels.

Krispy Kreme operates a hub-and-spoke distribution model that combines doughnut-making hubs and shops with delivery to grocery stores, convenience stores and other retail locations. Its products are also distributed through partnerships and branded locations, allowing the company to expand its reach beyond traditional Krispy Kreme shops.

Founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, by Vernon Rudolph, Krispy Kreme has grown into an international brand serving customers in the United States and various markets across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.