Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) Upgraded at Capital One Financial

Capital One Financial upgraded shares of Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note published on Thursday, Marketbeat reports. They currently have $6.00 price objective on the stock.

DNUT has been the topic of several other reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Krispy Kreme from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, February 22nd. Zacks Research upgraded Krispy Kreme from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “underweight” rating and issued a $3.00 price target on shares of Krispy Kreme in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $4.85.

Krispy Kreme Price Performance

NASDAQ DNUT opened at $3.23 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market cap of $556.21 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.07 and a beta of 1.27. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $3.30 and a 200 day simple moving average of $3.68. Krispy Kreme has a 52-week low of $2.50 and a 52-week high of $5.73.

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 26th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.03 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $392.37 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $386.72 million. Krispy Kreme had a negative net margin of 33.87% and a negative return on equity of 3.66%. The business’s revenue was down 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.01 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Krispy Kreme will post 0.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Krispy Kreme

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Prudential Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 7,832 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Krispy Kreme in the second quarter valued at about $34,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Krispy Kreme during the second quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Sage Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Krispy Kreme during the third quarter worth about $39,000. 81.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Krispy Kreme News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Krispy Kreme secured about $120 million in cash from two strategic deals, providing near‑term liquidity to fund its turnaround plan and lower financing risk — a clear financial positive for a company with thin cash metrics. Krispy Kreme nets $120M in cash from two deals as turnaround plan takes shape
• Positive Sentiment: Capital One upgraded DNUT to “overweight” with a $6.00 price target (implying ~85% upside), which can attract buyers and boost sentiment if other investors follow the call. Finviz (Capital One upgrade reported)
• Neutral Sentiment: Krispy Kreme launched a limited‑edition “Artemis II” / space‑themed doughnut tied to NASA’s Artemis II mission (available Mar 31–Apr 2). This is positive for short‑term traffic and brand visibility but is unlikely to move long‑term fundamentals materially. KRISPY KREME® Launches Artemis II Doughnut to Celebrate NASA’s Historic Deep Space Crewed Mission, Available March 31 – April 2
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional media coverage of themed product tie‑ins (space/Oreo and movie‑themed donuts) supports marketing momentum but represents low incremental revenue per share in the short term. Krispy Kreme Launches Artemis II Doughnut to Celebrate NASA’s Lunar Mission
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts still show caution—consensus ratings sit on the weaker side (reported “Reduce” consensus), and DNUT’s fundamentals remain challenged: low quick/current ratios, negative net margin and ROE, and a meaningful debt load. That combination keeps selling pressure despite tactical wins. Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) Given Consensus Rating of “Reduce” by Analysts

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.