KeyBanc cuts Starbucks stock price target post-earnings

Published 30/04/2025, 08:52
© Reuters.

On Wednesday, KeyBanc Capital Markets maintained a Sector Weight rating on Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), currently trading at $84.85 with a market capitalization of $96.38 billion, while adjusting its earnings projections following the company’s second-quarter results. Starbucks reported figures that fell short of market expectations in same-store sales (SSS) growth and profitability, including earnings per share (EPS). According to InvestingPro data, 16 analysts have recently revised their earnings expectations downward for the upcoming period.

Starbucks has been implementing strategic changes aimed at revitalizing its business. According to KeyBanc’s Eric Gonzalez, the company is focusing on delivering high-quality, handcrafted beverages consistently to its in-store customers. As part of its efforts, Starbucks is shifting towards a labor-centric approach to enhance service times, stepping back from capital-heavy equipment upgrades. This decision is based on the belief that investing in labor will more effectively stimulate transaction growth. The company maintains a moderate debt level with a debt-to-capital ratio of 0.21, operating with annual revenue of $36.15 billion.

Despite Starbucks noting improvements in several key performance metrics during the quarter, it anticipates SSS trends to continue to be negative in the near term. The coffee giant’s earnings outlook is also clouded by the potential for increased labor expenses and rising input costs.

In response to these challenges and the latest financial results, KeyBanc has revised its earnings estimates for Starbucks. The firm has lowered its EPS forecast for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to $2.56 and $3.10, respectively, to account for the anticipated impact on the company’s financial performance. This revision reflects KeyBanc’s assessment of the current business environment and the obstacles Starbucks faces in executing its strategic plans.

In other recent news, Starbucks Corporation reported its Q2 2025 earnings, revealing a decline in earnings per share (EPS) and a slight miss on revenue forecasts. The company’s EPS was $0.41, falling short of the expected $0.51, while revenue reached $8.8 billion, just below the forecast of $8.89 billion. Global comparable store sales decreased by 1%, and the U.S. transaction decline improved to -4%. Starbucks experienced a challenging quarter, with its EPS declining by 38% compared to the previous year and a global operating margin drop of 450 basis points year-over-year to 8.2%. Despite these setbacks, Starbucks noted positive transaction growth in Canada and the Middle East and signs of stabilization in the China market. The company remains committed to its strategic initiatives, including doubling its U.S. store count and focusing on cost management through zero-based budgeting. Starbucks plans no further price increases for the remainder of the fiscal year and aims to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, Starbucks is exploring menu segmentation by daypart to enhance customer experience and drive sales.

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