KHC Stock Inches Higher Amid Production Plant Shakeup

Kraft Heinz said it will slow restaurant supply production, while ramping up output in its packaged food units

Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) announced that it has significantly decreased restaurant supply production at three plants, two in the U.S. and one in the U.K., in response to dwindling consumer demand, specifically in Europe. Meanwhile, Kraft said its packaged food units are working in three shiftsin order to meet increasing demand for macaroni and cheese, canned beans and soups. At last check, KHC stock is up 2.3% trading at $25.95

Today's pop has KHC squaring back up with its 50-day moving average -- a trendline that has acted as pressure on the charts since mid-January. And while the security is still wallowing below it's year-to-date breakeven, off roughly 20%, it has managed a 29.8% bounce off its March 16 record low of $19.99.

Analysts are still cautious on KHC. Of the 11 in coverage, 10 sport a "hold" position. This is mirrored by the stock's current consensus 12-month price target of $26.76 which is a conservative 2.1% premium of the stock's current levels.

The options pits are telling a different story, however. KHC sports a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 3.28 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits in the elevated 79th percentile of its annual range. This implies a heather appetite than usual for long calls of late.