Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Can I have your recommendation on Starbucks? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Starbucks Corp., $51.48, symbol SBUX on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 1.5 billion; Market cap: $77.2 billion; www.starbucks.com), is a leading seller and roaster of specialty coffee. Starbucks has 8,514 company-operated stores and 5,885 licensed outlets in over 60 countries. Stores in the Americas supply 69% of its sales, followed by China and the Asia-Pacific region (13%), and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (6%). It gets a further 9% of its sales by selling coffee and other beverages through supermarkets and 3% from other activities, like online sales. In its fiscal 2015 second quarter, which ended March 29, 2015, Starbucks’ sales rose 17.8%, to $4.6 billion from $3.9 billion a year earlier. That’s partly because it opened 210 stores, net of closures, during the quarter. On a same-store basis, sales rose 7%, reflecting a 3% increase in the number of transactions and a 4% rise in selling prices. Starbucks’ sales are also benefiting from stronger demand for breakfast and lunch foods. Earnings gained 15.9%,…