Brokerages Set Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) PT at $4.50

Shares of Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNUT) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Reduce” from the six research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has issued a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $4.50.

DNUT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Krispy Kreme in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Zacks Research downgraded Krispy Kreme from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Krispy Kreme from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, May 17th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Krispy Kreme

In other news, Director Bernardo Hees acquired 25,002 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 5th. The shares were bought at an average price of $3.49 per share, with a total value of $87,256.98. Following the acquisition, the director owned 1,574,635 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,495,476.15. This trade represents a 1.61% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Over the last quarter, insiders purchased 880,190 shares of company stock worth $2,973,833. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Prudential Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Krispy Kreme during the second quarter worth $32,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its stake 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 buying an additional 7,832 shares in the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Apollon Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Krispy Kreme during the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. 81.72% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Krispy Kreme Stock Performance

Shares of DNUT stock opened at $3.18 on Wednesday. Krispy Kreme has a 1 year low of $2.88 and a 1 year high of $5.11. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $3.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $548.23 million, a P/E ratio of -1.06 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31.

Krispy Kreme (NASDAQ:DNUT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.03) by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $367.03 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $359.42 million. Krispy Kreme had a negative net margin of 33.36% and a negative return on equity of 4.34%. Krispy Kreme’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.05) earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Krispy Kreme will post -0.07 EPS for the current year.

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.