The 4 Best Things About Starbucks Earnings

For some background: the financial results came in at $0.33 in earnings per share (EPS) on $4.46 billion in revenue. This compared to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates of $0.33 in EPS on $4.53 billion in revenue. In the same period of last year, Starbucks posted EPS of $0.28 on $3.87 in revenue.

First and foremost, Starbucks shares hit new an all-time high yet again after the report. This recent upward momentum has been in the works since January. The recent stock split only helped on this front. Friday morning, just an hour after the opening bell, shares reached as high as $51.80.

Mobile Order and Pay has been expanded throughout the Pacific Northwest. It began in mid-March. The feature allows customers to place an order in advance and pick it up at their selected Starbucks location. It is now available in over 650 stores in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska. This has the potential to be a game changer for Starbucks because it takes out the inconvenience of waiting, and has the potential to increase its sell-through. Imagine when this is in thousands of stores.

The coffee giant also made moves internationally that expanded its empire even further across the Pacific. Back at Starbucks’ investor day in December, the company said that it was expecting its revenues to almost double within the next five years. The key to this doubling is a specific focus on unlocking untapped opportunities across the company’s China and Asia-Pacific region. Obviously, the future growth is likely to come from international markets.

ALSO READ: Consumer Stocks Being Reshaped by Changing Tastes of Millennials

Starbucks completed the first step of its tender offer to acquire Starbucks Japan in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. The company obtained control of the remaining public shares during this quarter, bringing total ownership to 100%. This is the first step to further unlocking value in this region.

In terms of China, Starbucks and Chinese leading food and beverage producer Tingyi Holding announced in March that they have entered into an agreement to manufacture and expand the distribution of Starbucks ready-to-drink (RTD) products throughout mainland China. This is a $6 billion RTD coffee category.

Shares of Starbucks hit a new high of $51.94 Friday morning. Note that the stock has a consensus analyst price target of $50.94, as well as a 52-week low of $34.57.