Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX – Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Dbs Bank from a “strong sell” rating to a “moderate sell” rating in a research report issued on Friday,Zacks.com reports.
Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Monday, December 29th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $105.00 price objective on shares of Starbucks in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $113.00 target price on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $103.00 target price (up from $100.00) on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Starbucks in a research note on Monday, March 9th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $103.81.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Starbucks
Starbucks Stock Down 3.4%
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The coffee company reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $9.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.62 billion. Starbucks had a negative return on equity of 28.66% and a net margin of 3.63%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.69 EPS. Starbucks has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.400 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Starbucks will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Transactions at Starbucks
In other news, CEO Brady Brewer sold 588 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.00, for a total transaction of $58,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 86,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,601,700. This represents a 0.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Sara Kelly sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total value of $242,800.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 59,609 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,789,226.08. This represents a 4.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 4,729 shares of company stock valued at $460,974 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SBUX. Osbon Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Starbucks during the 4th quarter worth $67,000. World Investment Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Starbucks by 6.9% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 86,981 shares of the coffee company’s stock valued at $7,325,000 after acquiring an additional 5,635 shares in the last quarter. Meadowbrook Advisors Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Starbucks in the fourth quarter valued at about $368,000. Green Ridge Wealth Planning LLC acquired a new position in shares of Starbucks during the fourth quarter worth about $259,000. Finally, Audent Global Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in Starbucks by 89.6% during the fourth quarter. Audent Global Asset Management LLC now owns 9,330 shares of the coffee company’s stock worth $786,000 after purchasing an additional 4,408 shares in the last quarter. 72.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Headlines Impacting Starbucks
Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Company plans to open 600–650 new stores in FY26, which supports revenue growth and global expansion if execution holds; this is a potential medium-term tailwind. Starbucks Targets 600-650 New Stores in FY26: Is Execution the Key?
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyses note the company’s investment story is shifting as turnaround hopes confront valuation questions — useful context for medium/long-term positioning but not an immediate catalyst. How The Starbucks (SBUX) Investment Story Is Shifting As Turnaround Hopes Meet Valuation Questions
- Neutral Sentiment: Industry reference: Dutch Bros’ loyalty growth highlights the benefits of engagement-driven sales — a reminder that loyalty execution matters across the category. Dutch Bros Loyalty Hits 15M Members: Is Engagement Driving Sales?
- Negative Sentiment: RBC Capital downgraded SBUX, putting near-term pressure on the stock and signaling concerns from a major sell-side firm. RBC Capital downgrades Starbucks (SBUX)
- Negative Sentiment: Customer backlash following the March rewards-program overhaul (three-tier system) risks lower loyalty and transaction frequency if dissatisfaction persists. Starbucks Rewards Backlash Highlights Retail’s Shift Away From Points-Based Loyalty
- Negative Sentiment: Brand and design changes may not be winning back younger customers as intended, raising execution and brand-relevance risks. Starbucks’ Redesigns May Not Pull Youth Market, Starbucks Stock (NASDAQ:SBUX) Drops
- Negative Sentiment: Recent market reaction has been negative (shares down), reflecting the combination of the above headlines plus lingering concerns from the company’s recent EPS miss and high valuation metrics. Starbucks (SBUX) Suffers a Larger Drop Than the General Market: Key Insights
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.
Further Reading
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