Q1 Earnings Forecast for Starbucks Issued By Zacks Research

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) – Equities research analysts at Zacks Research lowered their Q1 2028 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Starbucks in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, December 30th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the coffee company will post earnings of $0.82 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $0.83. Zacks Research has a “Strong Sell” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Starbucks’ current full-year earnings is $2.99 per share.

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The coffee company reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.03). Starbucks had a net margin of 4.99% and a negative return on equity of 31.32%. The business had revenue of $9.57 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.41 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.80 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. TD Cowen reissued a “hold” rating and set a $84.00 price objective on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Monday, December 1st. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $105.00 price target on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley set a $105.00 price objective on shares of Starbucks and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Piper Sandler dropped their target price on shares of Starbucks from $105.00 to $100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Starbucks from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $101.44.

Starbucks Stock Performance

Starbucks stock opened at $84.21 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $95.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 0.97. Starbucks has a 1 year low of $75.50 and a 1 year high of $117.46. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $84.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $87.35.

Starbucks Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.62 per share. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Starbucks’s payout ratio is currently 151.22%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Starbucks

In other news, Director Jorgen Vig Knudstorp acquired 11,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $85.00 per share, for a total transaction of $994,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 53,096 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,513,160. The trade was a 28.26% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Starbucks

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in SBUX. Game Plan Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in Starbucks during the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Transce3nd LLC increased its stake in shares of Starbucks by 270.3% during the 2nd quarter. Transce3nd LLC now owns 274 shares of the coffee company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Starbucks during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Chelsea Counsel Co. bought a new position in shares of Starbucks during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Starbucks in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. 72.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Starbucks News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts/market commentators flagged improving U.S. same-store sales and stronger China sales, and one Seeking Alpha piece upgraded the tone on Starbucks based on those trends — a potential tailwind for revenue and investor sentiment. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management appears focused on profitability: commentary and analysis praising the decision to close underperforming stores suggest cost discipline that could improve margins over time. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Brian Niccol highlighted positive signals that the “Back to Starbucks” customer-service push is working, which supports the operational narrative for improving customer experience and long-term comps. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Press reports note plans for refreshed designs and some new store openings in 2026; execution and capital allocation will determine whether this helps growth or pressures margins. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and traffic metrics show elevated investor attention; Zacks and others have published commentaries on the stock lately that attract eyeballs but not unanimous direction. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports that Starbucks is closing roughly 400 U.S. stores were published; this is part of a reshaping of the footprint — could help margins but may pressure near-term revenue. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research repeatedly lowered quarterly and full‑year EPS forecasts across 2026–2028 and currently carries a “Strong Sell” stance; multiple downward revisions amplify near-term earnings concerns and likely weigh on the share price.
• Negative Sentiment: Unusually large options activity — a surge in put buying (reports of ~127k puts traded) and tracking of heavy options volume — suggests some investors are hedging or betting on further downside. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Market coverage noted a recent share-price dip; that price action likely reflects the combination of analyst cuts, options flow, and near-term execution risk. Article Title

Starbucks Company Profile

Starbucks Corporation is a global coffeehouse chain and roaster that operates, licenses and franchises coffee shops and related retail businesses. Founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker, the company grew from a single store focused on whole-bean coffee and equipment into a broad consumer-facing brand. Howard Schultz, who joined the company later and served in senior leadership roles, is widely credited with transforming Starbucks into a mass-market specialty coffee retailer and expanding its footprint internationally.

Starbucks’ core activities center on the retail sale of hot and cold specialty beverages, whole-bean and packaged coffees, teas and ready-to-drink products, along with complementary food items and merchandise such as mugs and brewing equipment.