Starbucks' Optimistic Future Earnings Forecast
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy SBUX?
Source: Fool
- Earnings Growth Outlook: Starbucks management anticipates adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to reach between $3.35 and $4.00 by fiscal 2028, representing a 73% increase from $2.13 in fiscal 2025, indicating significant profit growth potential that could attract investor interest.
- Operational Challenges and Recovery: Despite a 28% decline in adjusted EPS over the past three years, Starbucks reported a 3% increase in comparable transactions globally in Q1 of fiscal 2026, reflecting its proactive turnaround efforts in loyalty programs, menu innovation, and technology investments aimed at enhancing customer experience.
- Market Competition Pressure: Starbucks faces intense industry competition, with consumer dissatisfaction stemming from declining service quality, long wait times, and a complex menu adversely affecting same-store sales, indicating that future profit growth must overcome these challenges.
- Valuation Risks: Currently, Starbucks trades at a 46 times multiple of its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS, and even if EPS grows by 73% over the next three years, the stock's return could still be uncertain if the valuation remains constant, prompting investors to carefully assess the associated risks.
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Analyst Views on SBUX
Wall Street analysts forecast SBUX stock price to fall
21 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
7 Hold
2 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 98.470
Low
59.00
Averages
96.12
High
115.00
Current: 98.470
Low
59.00
Averages
96.12
High
115.00
About SBUX
Starbucks Corporations is a roaster, marketer, and retailer of specialty coffee globally. Its North America segment includes the United States and Canada. Its International segment includes China, Japan, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Its North America and International segments include both Company-operated and licensed stores. The Channel Development segment includes roasted whole bean and ground coffees, Starbucks-branded single-serve products, a variety of ready-to-drink beverages, such as Frappuccino and Starbucks Doubleshot, foodservice products, and other branded products sold outside the Company-operated and licensed stores. A large portion of its Channel Development business operates under a licensed model of the Global Coffee Alliance with Nestle, while its global ready-to-drink businesses operate under collaborative relationships with PepsiCo, Inc., Tingyi-Ashi Beverages Holding Co., Ltd., Arla Foods amba, Nestle, and others.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Optimistic Earnings Forecast: Starbucks' leadership anticipates adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to reach between $3.35 and $4.00 by fiscal 2028, reflecting a 73% increase from $2.13 in fiscal 2025, indicating efforts to reverse a 28% decline in EPS over the past three years.
- Ongoing Operational Challenges: Despite a 3% increase in comparable transactions globally in Q1 of fiscal 2026, Starbucks continues to face intense industry competition and operational volatility due to consumer dissatisfaction with service quality, impacting its market performance.
- Strategic Investments and Innovations: The company is revamping its loyalty program, focusing on menu innovation, and investing in labor and technology to streamline store operations, aiming to enhance customer experience and drive long-term growth.
- Significant Valuation Pressure: Currently trading at 46 times its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS, Starbucks' stock must maintain this valuation for the anticipated 73% EPS growth to translate into favorable returns, raising concerns about potential market reactions to its high valuation amidst uncertain economic conditions.
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- Earnings Growth Outlook: Starbucks management anticipates adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to reach between $3.35 and $4.00 by fiscal 2028, representing a 73% increase from $2.13 in fiscal 2025, indicating significant profit growth potential that could attract investor interest.
- Operational Challenges and Recovery: Despite a 28% decline in adjusted EPS over the past three years, Starbucks reported a 3% increase in comparable transactions globally in Q1 of fiscal 2026, reflecting its proactive turnaround efforts in loyalty programs, menu innovation, and technology investments aimed at enhancing customer experience.
- Market Competition Pressure: Starbucks faces intense industry competition, with consumer dissatisfaction stemming from declining service quality, long wait times, and a complex menu adversely affecting same-store sales, indicating that future profit growth must overcome these challenges.
- Valuation Risks: Currently, Starbucks trades at a 46 times multiple of its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS, and even if EPS grows by 73% over the next three years, the stock's return could still be uncertain if the valuation remains constant, prompting investors to carefully assess the associated risks.
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- Earnings Beat: PepsiCo reported an adjusted earnings per share of $1.61 for Q1, surpassing the $1.55 expected by analysts, with net income reaching $2.33 billion, indicating enhanced profitability.
- Revenue Growth: The company achieved total revenue of $19.44 billion, an 8.5% increase, primarily driven by the acquisition of Poppi and the new distribution of Alani Nu energy drink, showcasing the effectiveness of its market expansion strategies.
- North American Food Recovery: After over two years of decline, Pepsi's North American food business saw a 2% volume growth for the first time, reflecting the success of its price reduction strategy, particularly for brands like Lay's and Doritos.
- Future Outlook: Pepsi reiterated its full-year organic revenue growth forecast of 2% to 4% and core earnings per share growth of 4% to 6%, despite increased uncertainty in the global economy due to geopolitical conflicts, demonstrating a cautiously optimistic outlook for the future.
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- AI Application Innovation: Starbucks has launched a beta version of an app within ChatGPT that allows customers to easily find and customize their drink orders using generative AI, enhancing user experience and attracting more young consumers.
- Personalized Ordering Experience: Customers can simply type '@Starbucks' in ChatGPT's directory to receive tailored drink suggestions, and while purchases must still be finalized through the Starbucks app or website, this feature strengthens brand engagement with customers.
- Market Strategy Adjustment: This update is part of Starbucks' 'Back to Starbucks' strategy aimed at attracting more customers across the U.S. by introducing trending beverages and curated menus, particularly targeting Gen Z's preference for unique and customizable options.
- Signs of Sales Growth: Following the app's launch, Starbucks has noticed an uptick in customer visits, indicating that this AI integration strategy may be improving sales performance and enhancing customer loyalty.
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- App Innovation: Starbucks has launched a beta app within ChatGPT aimed at helping customers discover drinks through conversational prompts, despite a 0.30% drop in stock price, indicating a potential shift in customer ordering behavior and enhanced user experience.
- Experience Integration: The app integrates store location, order completion, and handoff into a seamless flow, marking Starbucks' proactive positioning in agentic commerce, which may attract more customers seeking personalized service.
- Market Trend: Management highlighted that customers increasingly start with a feeling rather than a specific product, suggesting that future competition may focus more on discovery than loyalty, which could impact Starbucks' market strategy.
- Earnings Expectations: Starbucks is scheduled to report its fiscal Q2 earnings on April 28, with analysts estimating earnings of $0.41 per share and revenue of $9.1 billion, making this a crucial moment to assess the new app's impact on performance.
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- App Innovation: Starbucks has launched a beta app within ChatGPT, allowing customers to obtain drink inspiration by entering '@Starbucks', reflecting the company's commitment to digital transformation aimed at enhancing customer experience and loyalty.
- Customer Interaction: The app enables customers to customize their drinks and select order locations, but they must complete their orders on the Starbucks app or website, emphasizing the importance of the loyalty program and helping to increase customer retention.
- Market Strategy: This announcement is part of Starbucks' 'Back to Starbucks' strategy aimed at enticing U.S. customers back to cafes, combining increased seating, a trimmed menu, and the reintroduction of loyalty tiers, showcasing the company's keen insight into customer needs.
- Attracting Young Consumers: The drink discovery feature is particularly crucial for appealing to Gen Z consumers, who show a greater interest in unique beverages, as Starbucks aims to boost transaction volumes and further drive business recovery.
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