Krispy Kreme Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:DNUT)

Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Investors bought 4,003 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 23% compared to the typical volume of 3,266 put options.

Krispy Kreme Trading Down 13.0%

Shares of Krispy Kreme stock traded down $0.60 on Friday, reaching $4.00. The company had a trading volume of 2,052,606 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,670,513. The firm has a market cap of $690.29 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.17 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 0.36 and a quick ratio of 0.29. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $3.13 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $3.34. Krispy Kreme has a 1 year low of $2.81 and a 1 year high of $5.03.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on DNUT shares. 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. Evercore set a $4.00 target price on shares of Krispy Kreme in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Krispy Kreme from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (e+)” rating in a report on Friday, October 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $4.33.

Key Krispy Kreme News

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Krispy Kreme

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DNUT. Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new position in Krispy Kreme in the 2nd quarter worth $24,992,000. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $23,353,000. AlpInvest Partners B.V. acquired a new stake in Krispy Kreme during the second quarter valued at $2,231,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC increased its stake in shares of Krispy Kreme by 138.5% in the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 566,309 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,999,000 after purchasing an additional 328,885 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Krispy Kreme during the first quarter worth approximately $1,883,000. 81.72% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.