Tigress Financial Begins Coverage on Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX)

Tigress Financial began coverage on shares of Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage set a “buy” rating and a $122.00 price target on the coffee company’s stock. Tigress Financial’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 24.03% from the company’s current price.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $95.00 price target (up from $90.00) on shares of Starbucks in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Starbucks in a report on Friday, January 30th. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $99.00 price target (up from $92.00) on shares of Starbucks in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded shares of Starbucks from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $105.00 price target for the company. in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, DA Davidson assumed coverage on shares of Starbucks in a report on Friday, March 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $97.00 price target for the company. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Starbucks has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $104.57.

Starbucks Trading Up 0.0%

Starbucks stock opened at $98.36 on Wednesday. Starbucks has a 1-year low of $75.50 and a 1-year high of $104.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $112.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 81.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.95. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $95.85 and a 200 day simple moving average of $89.76.

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The coffee company reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by ($0.03). Starbucks had a net margin of 3.63% and a negative return on equity of 28.66%. The business had revenue of $9.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $9.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.69 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. Starbucks has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.400 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Starbucks will post 2.99 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Sara Kelly sold 2,500 shares of Starbucks stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total value of $242,800.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 59,609 shares in the company, valued at $5,789,226.08. This trade represents a 4.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Brady Brewer sold 1,641 shares of Starbucks stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total transaction of $159,373.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 86,605 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,411,077.60. The trade was a 1.86% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 6,370 shares of company stock worth $608,664. 0.03% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Starbucks

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of SBUX. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Starbucks during the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Rachor Investment Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Starbucks during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in Starbucks during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Phillip James Consulting Co. bought a new stake in Starbucks during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd bought a new stake in Starbucks during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.29% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Starbucks

Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Starbucks launched a beta app inside ChatGPT to power personalized drink discovery, a move that can boost digital engagement, frequency and order value as the company leans into AI-driven customer experiences. Starbucks launches beta app in ChatGPT to fuel new drink discovery
• Positive Sentiment: The board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.62 per share (payable May 29, ex-dividend May 15), supporting income-oriented investors and signaling capital-return confidence. ~2.5% yield. Starbucks Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: New/updated analyst coverage is constructive: Tigress Financial started coverage with a Buy and a $122 target (material upside from current levels), and other firms continue to flag the turnaround. Analyst momentum can support multiple expansion. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and others note U.S. traffic growth has returned after several quarters, driven by stronger execution and digital innovation — a core driver for revenue and margin recovery. Starbucks Rebounds on Traffic Growth: Time to Buy the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed fundamentals: recent quarterly results showed revenue strength but an EPS miss and modest margins; management gave FY26 EPS guidance of $2.15–$2.40 (wide range). These facts temper enthusiasm until sustained margin improvement is visible. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) is a Trending Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Some media and consumer commentary warn of AI backlash and mixed reception to ChatGPT-driven recommendations (terms like “condescending” have appeared), posing short-term reputational risk and the possibility of slower adoption among privacy- or authenticity-conscious customers. “…Condescending”: Starbucks Stock (NASDAQ:SBUX) Notches Up With Reaction to ChatGPT Bot, Cash Dividend

About Starbucks

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.