Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Sells 54,954 Shares of Starbucks Corporation $SBUX

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group trimmed its stake in Starbucks by 2.0%, selling 54,954 shares and retaining 2,749,008 shares (about 0.24% of the company) valued at roughly $231.5 million at quarter-end.
• Quarterly results: Starbucks reported $0.56 EPS (missing estimates of $0.59) while revenue of $9.92 billion beat expectations; it set FY2026 guidance of $2.15–$2.40 EPS and the consensus analyst rating is a Hold with a $103.07 target.
• Insider selling: CEO Brady Brewer sold 1,641 shares and EVP Sara Kelly sold 2,500 shares; insiders have disposed of 6,370 shares worth about $608,664 in the past 90 days.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. trimmed its position in Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX - Free Report) by 2.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,749,008 shares of the coffee company's stock after selling 54,954 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned approximately 0.24% of Starbucks worth $231,494,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its stake in Starbucks by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 433,112 shares of the coffee company's stock valued at $36,576,000 after purchasing an additional 13,262 shares during the last quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Starbucks during the 3rd quarter valued at about $6,099,000. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Starbucks by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 548,768 shares of the coffee company's stock valued at $46,426,000 after purchasing an additional 16,428 shares during the last quarter. Allstate Corp acquired a new position in Starbucks during the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,491,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Starbucks by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 113,438,902 shares of the coffee company's stock valued at $9,596,931,000 after purchasing an additional 577,279 shares during the last quarter. 72.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Starbucks Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ SBUX opened at $96.60 on Monday. Starbucks Corporation has a twelve month low of $75.50 and a twelve month high of $104.82. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $95.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $89.44. The company has a market capitalization of $110.06 billion, a PE ratio of 79.83, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.95.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on SBUX shares. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $105.00 price target on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $103.00 price target (up from $100.00) on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Friday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of Starbucks in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Finally, 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. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $103.07.

Trending Headlines about Starbucks

Here are the key news stories impacting Starbucks this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Starbucks hired Chipotle’s chief development officer, Stephen Piacentini, to help accelerate its store renovation and development rollout under the "Back to Starbucks" program — a hire that signals execution focus on faster store refreshes and unit-level returns. Starbucks hires Chipotle’s chief development officer
• Positive Sentiment: New product push: Starbucks rolled out Energy Refreshers nationally and launched MUSH protein oats (plus returning Frappuccino SKUs) to drive afternoon frequency and broaden occasions — initiatives that can lift ticket size and off‑peak sales if they gain traction. Starbucks Bets On Protein Oats, Energy Drinks And Store Refresh To Reignite Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: International portfolio tweak: Alshaya Group is taking over Starbucks operations in Greece and Cyprus — a regional licensing move that trims direct exposure but is unlikely to move overall revenue materially. Alshaya Group takes over Starbucks operations in Greece and Cyprus
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider transaction: CEO Brady Brewer sold 1,641 shares under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan — typically neutral because such sales are planned, though some investors watch insider activity for conviction signals. SEC Filing: Brady Brewer Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/board scrutiny: A PR Newswire notice highlights a shareholder inquiry about possible fiduciary breaches — such actions can create headline risk and investor uncertainty if they evolve into formal litigation. Did Starbucks Corporation Insiders Breach their Fiduciary Duties to Shareholders?
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Rapidly expanding chains like Dutch Bros are executing cost-efficient growth (lower new-store CapEx), raising questions about Starbucks’ ability to balance aggressive store and design investments with margin recovery. Dutch Bros' CapEx Efficiency Gains Traction: Can It Boost Returns?
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed reception to store redesigns: The unveiling of an "uplifted" Chicago store drew some negative headlines and a short-term stock pullback as investors weigh public perception, safety concerns in certain urban markets, and whether the remodels will deliver the expected sales lift quickly. Starbucks unveils new ‘uplifted’ store designs in Chicago

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Brady Brewer sold 1,641 shares of Starbucks stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.12, for a total value of $159,373.92. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 86,605 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,411,077.60. The trade was a 1.86% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sara Kelly sold 2,500 shares of Starbucks stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 59,609 shares in the company, valued at $5,789,226.08. This trade represents a 4.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 6,370 shares of company stock worth $608,664 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.03% of the company's stock.

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.

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