DJ Here's What Wall Street Expects for Starbucks' Earnings Report -- Barrons.com

By David Marino-Nachison

Global coffee giant Starbucks (ticker: SBUX) is scheduled to report fiscal-first-quarter financial results after the market's close Thursday. Here's a snapshot of Wall Street's expectations and some recent history.

-- Wall Street analysts are looking for earnings per share of 64 cents using standard accounting methods, and a penny more without them, according to FactSet, on revenue of $6.49 billion and a global same-store sales increase of 2.8%.

-- In the year-ago quarter, Starbucks reported EPS of $1.57 using standard accounting, and 65 cents without it, on revenue of $6.07 billion and same-store sales growth of 2%.

-- Starbucks stock is up about 1.5% in 2019, trailing the S&P 500. Its shares, which closed Tuesday up 1.1% to around $65, have come down somewhat from 52-week highs set in November, but have nevertheless climbed from summer lows.

-- The company updated investors about its global growth plans in December. That update refreshed the debate about whether Starbucks is more rightfully considered a growth company or a more "mature" business that should focus more on shareholder returns.

-- Could the answer be both? The company still has substantial growth opportunities in the competitive Chinese market, for example. But as Barron's Lawrence Strauss noted earlier this month, the stock is also seen as potentially appealing to income-focused investors.

-- A conference call with investors is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET Thursday.

Email David Marino-Nachison at david.marino-nachison@barrons.com. Follow him at @marinonachison and follow Barron's Next at @barronsnext .

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 23, 2019 05:59 ET (10:59 GMT)

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