How Much Should One Number Worry Starbucks Shareholders?

If you own Starbucks (SBUX), the headline revenue number can mislead you. Revenue fell 1.4% from a year earlier in the latest quarter, its only drop in four quarters, but Starbucks said the decline came mainly from turning its China stores into a licensed joint venture. Comparable store sales rose 7.9%, though management said close to half of that came from store closures, sales transfers, and delivery. That matters because the stock costs far more per dollar of profit than the S&P 500. The ques