Coffee posts
FeedPosted Nov 4th 2009 4:30PM by Mark Fightmaster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Starbucks (SBUX)

On Thursday afternoon, coffee king
Starbucks (NASDAQ:
SBUX) will report third-quarter earnings. Currently, expectations call for a profit of
21 cents per share on revenue of $2.39 billion. A year ago, SBUX earned a penny per share in the third quarter, with revenue checking in at $2.52 billion. Fundamentally, SBUX has undertaken a number of cost-cutting measures included closing stores and cutting the prices on some of the company's easier-made beverages (this move was countered by raising the prices on some of SBUX's "more complicated beverages"). Worker layoffs have also had an impact on the company's bottom line. As for good news, SBUX announced that is going to keep 27 stores open that it had originally targeted for closing. This move was made after the firm reviewed its finances. I have long criticized SBUX for its spend-happy ways, but it seems that the company is trying to tame these tendencies. This does not mean that the firm doesn't still spend money loosely, but it is a start.
Continue reading Earnings Preview: Starbucks
Posted Oct 27th 2009 10:40AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: India, Brazil, Commodities
Last year's bull run in commodities was led mainly by oil, grains and gold. This year we've had spectacular bull runs in the "soft" commodities, which include mainly, coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar and orange juice.
Tea is at an all-time high; cocoa is at a 30-year high; and sugar is at a 28.5-year high. Orange juice reached its highest price in 15 months. Tea prices for the best quality broken pekoe, or BP1, surged to a record $5.02 a kilogram, up 70% since January.
Continue reading Bull markets in 'soft' commodities to hike coffee, orange juice prices
Posted Jun 3rd 2009 9:40AM by Mark Fightmaster (RSS feed)
Filed under: Starbucks (SBUX), McDonald's (MCD)

If it's Wednesday, that means another change at
Starbucks (NASDAQ:
SBUX), right? Reuters is reporting that SBUX is "
reworking 90 percent of its baked goods." The latest move by the caffeine king is to start selling baked goods without high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors and dyes. The company will also introduce salads and other items -- nothing like a coffee and some salad, right?
According to Michelle Gass, SBUX's executive vice president of marketing, "Food has been the Achilles' heel of the company. [...] That statement will be long buried after we launch this program." The new campaign from SBUX will be promoted as "Real Food. Simply Delicious." and is an extension of last year's healthy campaign.
Continue reading Starbucks: Another day, another change
Posted Apr 30th 2009 3:20PM by Steven Mallas (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings reports, Starbucks (SBUX)
Starbucks (NASDAQ:
SBUX) reported earnings after the bell on Wednesday. Today, shares are up almost 10% on active volume in early afternoon trading as I write this. What does the market see in the numbers that is making it so happy?
Well, it's difficult to say precisely. As we all know, Starbucks has been having its problems, and data in Q2 indicate that the status quo essentially remains. Sales: down almost 8%. Operating income: down 77%. Adjusted earnings per share: down two pennies to $0.16. Cash from operations: down 6%. Same-store sales: down 8%. See what I mean? I hate using the word "down" so many times.
Continue reading Starbucks perks up on Q2 beat, but I'm not convinced
Posted Apr 24th 2009 10:30AM by Steven Halpern (RSS feed)
Filed under: Newsletters, ETF Investing, Agriculture, Stocks to Buy, Recession
In a difficult economic environment, it is often wise for investors to consider stocks in more defensive and relatively recession-resistant sectors. And one such area is food and beverage stocks.
As the long-standing market maxim goes, consumers can pull back on spending for vacations, remodeling, and new cars, but they still need to eat and drink.
In that light, I turned to nine leading newsletter advisors who serve up their current favorite ideas in the food and beverage sector:
Continue reading Food for thought: Best buys in food & beverage
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