JBL: Global Gluttony

There is an over 33% obesity rate in the U.S. and a lot of people who eat very poorly. Krispy Kreme (KKD Quote) was quick to give these people -- everybody, in fact -- a tasty treat, and is now targeting the very same market abroad. Fortunately for Krispy Kreme, there are doughnut-loving people all over the world.

Krispy Kreme was the darling of Wall Street earlier this decade, but expanded recklessly, and prior management used accounting later deemed egregious by a special board committee. Because the company is restating its results back to before its 2000 IPO, Krispy Kreme hasn't reported earnings since 2004 and won't do so until the end of April.

Krispy Kreme has closed more than 80 stores nationwide since turnaround specialist Stephen Cooper came on board last year. Krispy Kreme has also been replacing management that was accused of "creative" earnings, including longtime CEO Scott Livengood.

Fundamentally, the company also missed a key ingredient to success: it could never make a good cup of coffee. Dunkin' Donuts makes up to 50% of its revenue from coffee; Krispy Kreme makes only around 10%. Add up all of this bad news and you have a Shakespearean tragedy in which everyone comes up a loser.

This was until this week, however, when Krispy Kreme was flying high again. The stock jumped over 20% Tuesday on the news Daryl Brewster, former head of Kraft's North American operations, has been named the new CEO. Cooper will stay on as chief restructuring officer.

Overshadowed by the excitement over Brewster is something crucial that few are factoring into this stock: Krispy Kreme is a real growth story overseas. In one article I read, the writer scoffed at the idea that it planned on foreign growth, because the writer thought Krispy Kreme should spend its energy on domestic issues. Wrong.

To watch JBL's video take of this column, click here.