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.
The parent company of stores like TJ Maxx, Homegoods and Marshalls, posted mixed results in its latest quarter, prompting it to slash its outlook for the full year.
A survey says about 20% of Americans have a high-yield savings account. Preston Cherry, founder and president of Concurrent Financial Planning, joined Cheddar News to explain why it's a good time to open an account now.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumped 23 basis points from last week to 6.62 percent, the highest rate since November 2022, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
