Starbucks Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance by About 10% on Strong Comparable Store Sales Growth
Starbucks (SBUX) raised its full-year non-GAAP earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2026 to a range of $2.55–$2.65, up from $2.25–$2.45 — an increase of roughly 10% at the midpoint. This adjustment followed strong third-quarter results marked by global comparable store sales growth of 7.9%, driven primarily by increased customer traffic rather than price hikes. The company reported a significant improvement in operating margin, which expanded to 14.4%, up 430 basis points year-over-year due to lower inflation and tariff refunds. Despite this performance, revenue remained nearly flat at $9.3 billion, largely unaffected by softer demand but impacted by the restructuring of its China business into a joint venture. Starbucks expects U.S. comparable sales growth above 6% for fiscal 2026 with fourth-quarter operating margins exceeding 11%. Shares rose about 5% in after-hours trading following the report, bringing them close to their 52-week high.
Tickers: $SBUX
Topics: comparable sales growth financial results operating margin Starbucks