Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) Receives Upgrade Amid Q2 Earnings Anticipation and Strategic Initiatives

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • Apr 28, 2026

• Jefferies upgraded Starbucks' (NASDAQ: SBUX) stock rating to Hold, signaling potential stabilization in the company's investment outlook.
• Starbucks anticipates strong Q2 revenue of approximately $9.23 billion and earnings per share (EPS) between $0.43 and $0.44.
• Strategic initiatives like "Back to Starbucks" and "Green Apron Service" aim to boost transaction growth, despite ongoing challenges from seasonal margin pressures and higher costs.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is a leading global coffee company that operates a vast chain of coffeehouses worldwide. On April 28, 2026, the analyst firm Jefferies upgraded its rating on Starbucks to a Hold from Underperform. This change occurred when the stock price was $96.81, signaling a potential stabilization in the company's investment outlook.

This rating change comes as Starbucks prepares to release its second-quarter earnings. Analysts forecast revenue of about $9.23 billion, an increase from $8.76 billion last year. Expected earnings per share (EPS), or the company's profit per share, is projected to be between $0.43 and $0.44, up from $0.41 a year ago.

Efforts to improve performance are underway at Starbucks, including bringing in a new CEO to help turn things around, as highlighted by The Motley Fool. Initiatives like the "Back to Starbucks" plan and "Green Apron Service" aim to boost transaction growth. The company also recently declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.62 per share.

However, Starbucks faces challenges from seasonal margin pressures and higher costs for coffee and tariffs. As noted by Zacks Investment Research, these headwinds are expected to peak in the second quarter. The company's own cost-saving initiatives may help to offset some of these financial pressures, though historically Starbucks has missed earnings estimates.

Starbucks shares recently traded at $96.67, with a daily fluctuation between $96.58 and $98.68. Over the past year, the stock has traded between a low of $75.50 and a high of $104.82. The company has a market capitalization, or total stock value, of approximately $110.14 billion.