Starbucks: weekly briefing
23 Oct – 30 Oct 2026
Top stories
- Starbucks US sales climb 7.7% and profit rises; revenue falls (Nation's Restaurant News, 29 Oct) — Starbucks said US same-store sales rose 7.7% in its fiscal fourth quarter, with adjusted earnings per share up 54% to 80 cents. Revenue fell 4% to $9.1 billion, which the company linked largely to the sale of its China business.
- Starbucks to resume buybacks as China shift clouds outlook (Financial Times, 29 Oct) — The Financial Times reported that Starbucks will restart share buybacks, but that its China changes have clouded the growth outlook. Other outlets reported the company is tightening its store-opening plans.
- Starbucks China ends free seating at about 8,000 cafés (Fortune, 23 Oct) — Starbucks China now requires customers to buy something before sitting down in its mainland stores. The company said pregnant women and people with mobility issues will still receive priority support.
- E-Mart weighs asset sales as Starbucks Korea sale talk grows (SIGNAL (Seoul Economic Daily), 25 Oct) — SIGNAL, citing industry sources, reported that E-Mart's net debt exceeds 13.5 trillion won and that some investors have sounded out a possible sale of SCK Company. An E-Mart official said there is no plan to sell it.
- Two Sea-Tac Airport Starbucks stores to close, affecting 135 jobs (The Seattle Times, 24 Oct) — The Seattle Times reported that two Starbucks coffeehouses at Seattle-Tacoma airport will close after the operator's contract was not renewed. A state notice listed 135 layoffs at one store, and Unite Here Local 8 called for rehiring.
Trends
This week's coverage centres on Starbucks' move from turnaround to growth. Fiscal fourth-quarter results showed US same-store sales up 7.7% and rising profit, though revenue fell 4%, largely because of the China sale. Capital and expansion decisions follow the same logic: buybacks are set to resume, while store-opening plans are reportedly tightened. The China seating rule is a separate, customer-facing policy change, and the Sea-Tac closures stem from an airport contract rather than company strategy. The Korean story stands apart, centring on E-Mart's debt and a possible sale rather than on Starbucks' own plans. Compared with the previous briefing, the store-closure thread has continued in smaller form and the labour dispute has dropped out of the lead stories, while the Korea angle has returned after fading.
What it means (opinion)
Opinion (site analysis): The results suggest Starbucks is shifting its focus from repairing the brand towards turning higher traffic into profit, though the sources only partly support that reading. Strong US comparable sales and a raised annual profit forecast point to momentum, while the China sale and store closures show the company accepting a smaller footprint in some places. The coverage does not show whether higher transactions can be sustained or whether buybacks will outpace store growth. Next week, watch the holiday menu launch on 5 November and Red Cup Day on 17 November as tests of the merchandise-led sales growth the chief executive described. Also watch whether E-Mart says more about SCK Company, since a Korean sale would be a notable step for the wider Starbucks network.
AI-assisted summary of public reporting; the analysis is opinion. Sources are linked above.