NEW YORK, Feb 11, 2026, 10:27 ET — Regular session
- Starbucks shares edged up roughly 0.2% in early trading, rebounding after falling for two days straight
- After the U.S. jobs report beat expectations, Wall Street kicked off the day with gains
- Investors are closely monitoring if Starbucks’ new menu strategy can boost foot traffic without squeezing margins even more
Starbucks Corp shares edged up 0.2% to $97.75 in Wednesday’s morning trade, recovering slightly from the previous day’s dip. Earlier, the stock fluctuated between $97.35 and $98.32.
The wider market provided support. U.S. stocks advanced following a jobs report that revealed payrolls increased by 130,000 in January, with the unemployment rate dipping to 4.3%. “The underlying employment picture looks like it’s stronger than expected,” noted Jordan Rizzuto, chief investment officer at GammaRoad Capital Partners. Reuters
Starbucks knows the drill: boost foot traffic without sacrificing the brand. On Feb. 9, the chain launched one of its biggest U.S. menu overhauls in years, introducing new bakery items, a permanent everyday brewed coffee, and fresh drinks, Axios reported. Food now accounts for roughly a quarter of its U.S. sales, the report added.
CBS News reported that the new lineup features a Dubai chocolate bite, a cookie-croissant swirl, fruit-flavored matcha drinks, and a new 1971 Roast coffee. “Customers told me that our menu needed to feel more relevant,” CEO Brian Niccol said during an investor day. Starbucks revealed same-store sales — those at locations open at least a year — climbed 4% in the latest quarter, according to a report from late January. CBS News
Analyst moves kept the stock in focus. On Feb. 10, Wolfe Research bumped its Starbucks price target to $112 from $100, maintaining an “outperform” rating, according to an MT Newswires report featured on MarketScreener. Remember, a price target reflects where analysts expect the stock to trade in roughly 12 months—not a guarantee. MarketScreener
Starbucks closed Tuesday at $97.53, down 1.46%, marking its second day in a row dropping despite the Dow posting a slight gain. According to MarketWatch data, the stock held up better than Coca-Cola but fell short of the modest advances seen in PepsiCo and McDonald’s.
The consumer environment has cooled. U.S. retail sales stalled in December, while spending at food services and drinking places dipped 0.1%, a key indicator of discretionary demand, according to a Commerce Department report. Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics, noted, “Signs of earlier consumer strength may be starting to falter.” Reuters
Starbucks is ramping up its brand marketing tied to major events. On Tuesday, it announced plans to connect with New York Fashion Week and throw a “coffee rave” in Tribeca on Feb. 13, featuring DJ LP Giobbi. About Starbucks
Rates remained steady following the jobs report. According to Reuters, traders now assign just a 20% probability to a Federal Reserve rate cut by April, with policymakers closely monitoring inflation and economic growth.
Yet, the margin issue looms large. Starbucks’ operating margins have dropped for eight quarters in a row. Niccol admits the “strategic investments” aimed at shoring up operations “will take time to flow through” before delivering lasting earnings growth. Reuters
Starbucks announced a $0.62 quarterly dividend, set for payment on Feb. 27 to shareholders recorded by Feb. 13, according to its latest quarterly results release.
On Friday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET, the U.S. consumer price index for January hits the tape — a key figure that often shakes up rate expectations and, in turn, consumer stocks.
