Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) Upgraded at BNP Paribas Exane

BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) to a strong sell rating in a research report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $95.00 target price (up from $90.00) on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Dbs Bank raised Starbucks from a “strong sell” rating to a “moderate sell” rating in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, William Blair raised Starbucks from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $103.07.

Starbucks Stock Performance

SBUX opened at $90.43 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $103.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 74.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.95. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $95.65 and a 200 day moving average price of $88.90. Starbucks has a twelve month low of $75.50 and a twelve month high of $104.82.

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The coffee company reported $0.56 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.59 by ($0.03). Starbucks had a net margin of 3.63% and a negative return on equity of 28.66%. The company had revenue of $9.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.69 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Starbucks has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.400 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Starbucks will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Sara Kelly sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total transaction of $242,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 59,609 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,789,226.08. This represents a 4.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Brady Brewer sold 1,641 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total transaction of $159,373.92. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 86,605 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,411,077.60. The trade was a 1.86% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,729 shares of company stock worth $460,974. Insiders own 0.03% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Starbucks

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. NWF Advisory Services Inc. lifted its position in Starbucks by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. NWF Advisory Services Inc. now owns 4,349 shares of the coffee company’s stock worth $366,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. Aerodigm Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Starbucks by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Aerodigm Wealth LLC now owns 4,245 shares of the coffee company’s stock valued at $357,000 after buying an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. River Street Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Starbucks by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. River Street Advisors LLC now owns 13,516 shares of the coffee company’s stock worth $1,138,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the period. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV boosted its position in shares of Starbucks by 38.2% during the 4th quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 409 shares of the coffee company’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Integrity Alliance LLC. boosted its position in shares of Starbucks by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Integrity Alliance LLC. now owns 3,907 shares of the coffee company’s stock valued at $329,000 after acquiring an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.29% of the company’s stock.

Key Starbucks News

Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Governance changes and a new Nashville corporate office signal management momentum on the turnaround plan; management said it’s ahead of schedule, which supports confidence in operational execution. Starbucks Governance Shifts And Nashville Office Put Turnaround In Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Brand/marketing activation at Coachella (Unicorn Frappuccino, matcha, cold brew on-site) may help spring traffic and drive social buzz — a near-term comp benefit and PR win. Starbucks to Unleash Unicorn Frappuccino at Coachella
• Neutral Sentiment: Citizens Jmp has initiated coverage on SBUX (new analyst coverage can increase attention and liquidity but impact depends on the view published). Citizens Jmp Begins Coverage on Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX)
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles from Zacks/Yahoo and TipRanks note strong investor interest and a visible turnaround — but several argue much of the improvement may already be priced in, suggesting limited upside absent stronger beat-and-raise results. Is Trending Stock Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) a Buy Now? Is Trending Stock Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) a Buy Now? (Zacks) Starbucks (SBUX) Turnaround Looks Real, but the Easy Money May Be Gone
• Neutral Sentiment: Restaurant-industry moves (e.g., First Watch leadership changes) are background noise for sector trends but not directly material to Starbucks. First Watch cuts its COO
• Negative Sentiment: BNP Paribas Exane’s move to a “strong sell” rating is a notable negative signal from the sell-side and could pressure sentiment/flows if other brokers follow. Zacks.com (BNP Paribas Exane strong sell note)
• Negative Sentiment: Critical analysis pieces argue Starbucks’ financials and valuation leave little margin for error — negative press can weigh on investor confidence until stronger results arrive. Starbucks: The Financial Brew Sours
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: McDonald’s push to capture a large beverage opportunity with expanded McCafé rollouts, plus rivals like Shake Shack building loyalty/tech, could pressure market share or margin over time. Can McDonald’s Tap a $100B Beverage Opportunity in 2026? Shake Shack Leans on Loyalty Program and Tech to Drive Growth

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.