Gradient Investments LLC Acquires 56,965 Shares of Starbucks Corporation $SBUX

Gradient Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) by 20.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 330,344 shares of the coffee company’s stock after purchasing an additional 56,965 shares during the period. Gradient Investments LLC’s holdings in Starbucks were worth $27,818,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Transce3nd LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Starbucks by 270.3% during the 2nd quarter. Transce3nd LLC now owns 274 shares of the coffee company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Starbucks in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Y.D. More Investments Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Starbucks in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Starbucks during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Starbucks during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. 72.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Starbucks Trading Down 3.4%

SBUX opened at $92.55 on Monday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $96.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $88.57. Starbucks Corporation has a 1-year low of $75.50 and a 1-year high of $104.82. The company has a market cap of $105.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 76.49, a PEG ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.93.

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

Trending Headlines about Starbucks

Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company plans to open 600–650 new stores in FY26, which supports revenue growth and global expansion if execution holds; this is a potential medium-term tailwind. Starbucks Targets 600-650 New Stores in FY26: Is Execution the Key?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyses note the company’s investment story is shifting as turnaround hopes confront valuation questions — useful context for medium/long-term positioning but not an immediate catalyst. How The Starbucks (SBUX) Investment Story Is Shifting As Turnaround Hopes Meet Valuation Questions
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry reference: Dutch Bros’ loyalty growth highlights the benefits of engagement-driven sales — a reminder that loyalty execution matters across the category. Dutch Bros Loyalty Hits 15M Members: Is Engagement Driving Sales?
• Negative Sentiment: RBC Capital downgraded SBUX, putting near-term pressure on the stock and signaling concerns from a major sell-side firm. RBC Capital downgrades Starbucks (SBUX)
• Negative Sentiment: Customer backlash following the March rewards-program overhaul (three-tier system) risks lower loyalty and transaction frequency if dissatisfaction persists. Starbucks Rewards Backlash Highlights Retail’s Shift Away From Points-Based Loyalty
• Negative Sentiment: Brand and design changes may not be winning back younger customers as intended, raising execution and brand-relevance risks. Starbucks’ Redesigns May Not Pull Youth Market, Starbucks Stock (NASDAQ:SBUX) Drops
• Negative Sentiment: Recent market reaction has been negative (shares down), reflecting the combination of the above headlines plus lingering concerns from the company’s recent EPS miss and high valuation metrics. Starbucks (SBUX) Suffers a Larger Drop Than the General Market: Key Insights

Insider Activity

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have commented on SBUX shares. 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. William Blair upgraded shares of Starbucks from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Barclays set a $116.00 price objective on shares of Starbucks and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $95.00 target price (up from $90.00) on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Starbucks from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $103.81.

Starbucks 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.