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What investors are saying about Starbucks (SBUX)
Summary
In the past 30 days, 8 people on 4 investor and market shows discussed Starbucks (SBUX) in 9 views. Going by each speaker's latest call, 4 are bullish and 4 are bearish. Chorus has followed Starbucks since October 8, 2026.
Who talks about it most
The latest views
Newest first. Every quote is checked against the episode's transcript.
Tim Seymour · Seymour Asset ManagementBullish
Starbucks' numbers were excellent; the US turnaround and chart breakout make it a stock to own.
Seymour says the numbers were excellent, with US same-store sales up near 8%, and that Brian Niccol is a marketing genius reinvigorating the US business even though cost savings matter too. He notes the stock is rallying on those US comps and is near a 107 breakout level after six months in a range. He says the company is holding serve, closing about 300 stores while opening 250 selectively, and that investors can own it despite consumer pressures.
“I think Starbucks is kind of just... I think it's holding serve here. I think you can own it.”at 29:17
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Michael Khouw · OpenInterest.PROBullish
Starbucks' turnaround under new management is palpable; it is alright to own the stock here.
Khouw says recent store visits on the West Coast show clear changes that make stores feel like local businesses rather than a global chain. He points to greeting customers, ceramic cups, and a comfortable setup for working, and says the company is doing the right thing. He has faith in the new management and says it is a difficult business that he was not expecting much from. He adds that the stock is just above its long-term 101 moving average, which he would be cautious about.
“I think they're doing the right thing. I have a lot of faith in the new management here. It's a difficult business... but I think you're alright to own it here.”at 30:42
CNBC Fast Money: Amazon and Intel Report Results… And Alphabet’s Post-Earnings Plunge 10/29/26 ·
Michael Khouw · OpenInterest.PROBearish
Options market has turned bearish on Starbucks, with puts outpacing calls ahead of earnings.
Khouw had been positive on Starbucks' turnaround, which he saw in the stores and in options flow. Over the last five days, sentiment has shifted. Puts are outpacing calls, and open interest in puts has climbed above calls, which is unusual for Starbucks and for single stocks generally. He concludes the options market is less convinced by the turnaround than he was.
“we have seen puts outpacing calls and the open interest in puts has similarly now climbed above that of calls. That's unusual for Starbucks”at 46:15
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Stephanie Link · Hightower AdvisorsBullish
Starbucks' turnaround is in the fourth or fifth inning; margins still have room to recover to prior peaks.
She started buying in December because CEO Brian Niccol has a strong record from Chipotle and is executing the turnaround. Same-store sales grew 7.8% last quarter, versus negative mid-single digits across last year. Earnings are recovering, but operating margins are still depressed at 10.5%, against a prior peak of 18%. She added after the stock fell 6% on Chipotle takeover rumors, which she sees as a chance to buy more.
“think you're in the fourth or fifth inning of this turn. Same store sales last quarter grew 7.8% versus pretty much all of last year, negative mid single digits. ... operating margins are still very depressed at 10.5%. Prior peak was 18%.”at 27:42
CNBC Power Lunch: Top Stock Ideas, Growing U.S. Debt, AI & The Restaurant Industry 10/16/26 ·
Katie Stockton · Fairlead StrategiesBullish
Starbucks looks oversold after a 15% drop, with a bullish candle pattern on the merger-news reaction.
Stockton says the restaurant and retail group is mostly oversold on an intermediate-term basis. She suggests watching where Starbucks closed relative to the day's high-low range after the merger headline. Starbucks is about 15% off a recent high, and it closed in the upper part of its range, a candlestick pattern she likes to see after a big downdraft. She therefore thinks Starbucks might be overdone on the downside.
“So it seems like Starbucks might be overdone on the downside, whereas Chipotle is more of a secular downtrend at this point.”at 26:41
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Jacob Aiken-Phillips · Melius ResearchBearish
A Starbucks takeover of Chipotle looks unintuitive, with few synergies and heavy financing.
Aiken-Phillips is net skeptical. The two are coffee versus burrito chains, and he sees the synergies as mostly G&A and tech. A roughly $50B deal at a 30% premium, with half debt-financed, takes leverage to about 3x. Carl's dilution estimate points to a mid-single-digit EPS hit, and any rest would need more equity or debt with heavy interest costs. Rising rates make it a double-edged sword.
“it just seems like it's mainly a [G&A] and tech that could be synergies”at 20:37
Josh Brown · Ritholtz Wealth ManagementBearish
Starbucks, in year three of a failed turnaround, would fall about 20% if it pursued a Chipotle deal.
Josh argues Starbucks is in year three of a turnaround where the stock has not done anything. He can't imagine shareholders reacting positively to Starbucks taking on another company's turnaround. He says both stocks will lose another 20% if they are seriously going to combine. He would need to see resolution of inflation and consumer traffic before being inclined to think Starbucks could make a deal.
“I think both of these stocks will lose another 20% if they are seriously gonna go.”at 19:04
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Shannon Saccocia · Neuberger BermanBearish
Starbucks is an aging brand with a long turnaround ahead, so a Chipotle combination is premature.
Shannon contrasts Starbucks with Chipotle. Brian Niccol turned Chipotle around from safety problems and got growth back on pace. Starbucks is an aging global brand that needs a refresh, its traffic is down 15% from 2019, and its afternoon daypart needs optimizing. She says Starbucks needs a longer runway before it could digest another company that has hit speed bumps.
“Starbucks is an aging global demographic challenge... they continue to have traffic that's down 15% from 2019, and they have an afternoon daypart that needs to be optimized.”at 19:55
CNBC Halftime Report: The Rally and Rising Rate Risk 10/8/26 ·
Jenny Harrington · Gilman Hill Asset ManagementBearish
A Starbucks-Chipotle combination seems highly doubtful and could become a value-destroying deal.
Jenny finds a Starbucks-Chipotle combination highly doubtful. She compares it to the AT&T and Time Warner merger, which a few years later looked like a bad idea. Her view is that it could turn out to be a value-destroying deal.
“Seems highly doubtful to me. It feels like it has potential to be like an AT and T Time Warner, you know, where a few years later, it would just be like, oh, she was a bad idea.”at 20:58
CNBC Halftime Report: The Rally and Rising Rate Risk 10/8/26 ·
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