It was a happy holiday at Starbucks, but the company's sales momentum could start to slow due to the coronavirus outbreak in China.
New drinks like the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew were a hit with customers, helping the Seattle-based coffee giant beat Wall Street's forecasts in the October-December period. Starbucks reaffirmed its 2020 profit guidance for now, but said it has already closed more than half of its stores in China.
Starbucks reported Tuesday that its earnings rose 16% to $886 million in its fiscal first quarter. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring items like restructuring charges, were 79 cents per share. That beat Wall Street's forecast of 76 cents.
Starbucks said same-store sales — or sales at stores open at least 13 months — jumped 5% worldwide in the October-December period, ahead of analysts' forecast of 4.4%. Revenue was up 7% to $7.1 billion, in line with analysts' forecasts.
Starbucks said 1.4 million U.S. customers joined its Starbucks Rewards loyalty program during the quarter. The company said demand for mobile ordering and payment is growing in the U.S.
Young Chang, founder and CEO of A-Sha Noodles, joined Cheddar News to discuss what inspired him to create his new company. "Our whole objective was to keep that nostalgic comfort feeling of the ramen noodle but bring it in a better-for-you method," he said.
Over 140 CEOs sent President Joe Biden and Congressional leaders an open letter on the potential major devastation the economy could face if a debt ceiling agreement isn't reached. Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy, spoke with Cheddar News to explain his reasoning why he joined in on the letter.
Uber unveiled some new features at its annual product showcase. Cheddar News discussed some of these products, most of which are geared toward families, along with group grocery orders and group rides.
Alex Morris, president and chief investment officer with F/M Investments, joined Cheddar News to discuss Wednesday's trading session as stocks climbed amid optimism over a potential debt ceiling deal just days ahead of a deadline.
A tiff over Taco Tuesday is heating up, with Taco Bell asking U.S. regulators to force a Wyoming-based fast-food chain to abandon its longstanding claim to “Taco Tuesday” as a trademark.
