Starbucks(US:SBUX) Benzinga·2026-01-29 17:01Core Viewpoint - Starbucks Corp announced a reimagined loyalty program and reported mixed fiscal first-quarter earnings, leading to a temporary rise in stock price before it traded lower [1] Rewards Program - The new loyalty program will feature a three-tiered structure for 35.5 million active U.S. members, launching on March 10, with Green, Gold, and Reserve membership levels offering increasing benefits based on Stars earned [2] - The program includes accelerated Star-earning rates and a new 60-Star redemption tier for $2 off any purchase, with Gold and Reserve members enjoying Stars that never expire [3] Earnings Snapshot - For fiscal Q1 2026, Starbucks reported adjusted earnings of $0.56 per share on revenues of $9.92 billion, compared to Wall Street's expectations of $0.59 per share on $9.63 billion in revenue [4] - The company achieved 4% comparable store sales growth globally, with North America and China growing by 4% and 7% respectively, marking the first U.S. comparable transaction growth in eight quarters [4] Future Outlook - Starbucks anticipates global and U.S. comparable store sales growth of 3% or greater for fiscal 2026, with adjusted EPS projected between $2.15 and $2.40, slightly below consensus of $2.35 [5] - The company plans to open 600 to 650 new coffeehouses globally [5] Analyst Ratings - RBC Capital Markets analyst reiterated an Outperform rating with a $105 price target, supported by long-term financial targets focusing on store productivity and cost efficiency [6] - The stock has a Buy Rating with an average price target of $99.78, despite trading at a premium P/E multiple [6] Market Performance - Starbucks shares were down 0.54% at $94.64 at the time of publication [9]