Starbucks(US:SBUX) Benzinga·2025-12-31 10:14Core Insights - Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol's turnaround plan, "Back to Starbucks," is showing positive results as confirmed by a recent Reddit thread discussing job applicants' experiences [1][2][4] Group 1: Turnaround Plan - Niccol's plan aims to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in Starbucks cafes, including changes like returning condiment bars, baristas writing on coffee cups, offering more ceramic mugs, eliminating non-dairy milk upcharges, and revising the code of conduct [5] - The plan was officially launched in September 2024 and is a response to challenges such as growing competition and changing consumer preferences for more affordable beverages [6] Group 2: Service Standards - The Reddit thread highlighted that job applicants are now asking about customer service, indicating that service standards are being internalized within the company [3][4] - Niccol expressed optimism about the progress being made in establishing these service standards [4] Group 3: Financial Performance - Starbucks reported a 1% increase in global comparable sales for Q4 compared to the same period last year, with Q4 revenue reaching $9.57 billion, exceeding forecasts [7] - However, adjusted EPS of 52 cents fell short of the 56-cent consensus [7] Group 4: Stock Performance - Year-to-date, Starbucks stock has fallen 6.58%, with a market capitalization of $96.94 billion [8] - The stock has traded between a 52-week high of $117.46 and a low of $75.50, closing at $85.25, down 0.37% [8]