Item 1A. Risk Factors
You should carefully consider the risks described below in addition to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations section, the Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk section, the Controls and Procedures section, and the consolidated financial statements and related notes. The risks described below are not the only risks facing the Company. The following risks, some of which have occurred and any of which may occur in the future, could materially and adversely affect our current and future business and financial performance. Risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results.
Risks Related to Brand Relevance and Brand Execution
Our success depends substantially on the value of our brand, and failure to preserve its value could have a negative impact on our financial results.
The Starbucks brand is recognized throughout most of the world, and we have received high ratings in global brand value studies. To be successful in the future, we believe we must preserve, grow, and leverage the value of our brands across all sales channels.
Various factors, events, or conditions may result in a diminution or erosion of trust in our brand value. Adverse developments pertaining to the matters discussed elsewhere in this risk factors section may negatively impact the value of our brands. Such developments may include difficulties executing strategic initiatives, adapting to shifting consumer preferences, or managing global operations, and challenges stemming from macroeconomic volatility, supply chain pressures and disruptions, or an evolving competitive, regulatory, social, and geopolitical landscape. The impact of such developments on the value of our brands may be exacerbated if they receive considerable publicity or if they result in litigation. The value of our brands may be affected by actual or perceived developments, whether isolated or recurring, whether the result of actions by us or our business partners or the result of external developments, and whether such developments are in our control. Negative commentary about Starbucks, even if or , has in the past, and could in the future, the value of our brand, and impacts may be compounded by social media, video-sharing, and messaging platforms that could dramatically increase the speed with which publicity may be disseminated, often before we have a meaningful to , respond to, and address an issue. In addition, we cannot ensure that our store partners, licensees, or other business partners will not act or refrain from acting in a manner that affects the value and relevance of our brand. Because brand value is based in part on consumer perceptions on a variety of subjective qualities, it may be to address developments impacting the value of our brands in a timely and manner to mitigate .
The diminution of, or erosion of trust in, our brand value may have negative consequences for the Company. Consumer demand for our products and our brand value could diminish significantly if we or our employees, licensees, or other business partners fail to preserve the quality of our products, or act, or are perceived to act, in an unethical, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate manner. To the extent third parties object to actions or positions taken or perceived to have been taken by us, it may generate negative sentiment around our business. Developments affecting the value of our brands have in the past, and may in the future, trigger boycotts of our stores, products, and brand. Each of these consequences, individually and collectively, could have potentially material impacts on our brand value, business performance, and financial results.
We may not be successful in our brand, marketing, promotional, advertising, and pricing strategies.
Our continued success depends on our ability to adapt brand, marketing, promotional, advertising, and pricing strategies to shifting economic conditions, competitive pressures, and evolving customer preferences. We operate in a complex and costly
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marketing environment. Decisions to collaborate or refrain from collaborating with certain parties may impact our brand image and, consequently, our financial performance. Our programs may not always reach consumers as intended, particularly given the wide range of generational, geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic characteristics and channels of communication used by our customers, and effective resource allocation across channels, including digital, is critical. Additionally, factors such as operating costs, competitor strategies, and inflation may affect our pricing decisions, which could impact demand. For example, there is no guarantee future cost increases will be absorbed by customers. If our marketing or pricing strategies underperform relative to competitors, our sales and market share could decline. Likewise, if we do not continuously strengthen our capabilities in marketing, data analytics (including artificial intelligence and machine learning) and innovation to understand and maintain or grow consumer interest, brand loyalty, and market share while strategically expanding into other profitable categories of the commercial beverage industry, our business could be affected.
Risks Related to Our Business
We may not be successful in implementing important strategic initiatives (including our restructuring plan), effectively managing growth, or executing strategic transactions, any of which may have an adverse impact on our business and financial results.
We may not be able to implement important strategic initiatives in accordance with our expectations or that generate expected returns, which may result in an adverse impact on our business and financial results. In conjunction with our broader Back to Starbucks plan, these strategic initiatives are designed to create growth, improve our results of operations, and drive long-term shareholder value. Such initiatives include improving our service model, and further transforming our non-retail support organization; enhancing partner investment to improve customer experience; closing, renovating, and redesigning coffeehouses; strengthening our leadership in coffee; expanding digital engagement through mobile, loyalty, delivery, and international platforms; simplifying store operations; and responsibly growing our global footprint. We have in the past and may in the future undertake restructuring initiatives, which have resulted, and may continue to result, in the incurrence of significant additional costs, and our ability to the anticipated cost savings and other benefits from these actions is subject to many estimates and assumptions, which are subject to uncertainties. Such initiatives may be both internally and to our customers and may be viewed by our stakeholders.
We undertake these initiatives in the context of ongoing efforts to adapt to shifting consumer behaviors amid economic volatility, optimize our mix of licensed and company-operated stores, expand relevant product offerings across dayparts, and drive growth in cold beverages and Channel Development partnerships, while also advancing appropriate sustainability efforts, managing climate-related risks, and reducing operating costs. Risks to successful and timely implementation of these initiatives include delays or cancellations of store openings due to labor or material shortages, permit procurement issues, or lack of suitable real estate; supply chain scalability and sustainability challenges; underperformance or delays in product innovation; remodel disruptions or cost overruns; coordination and execution challenges; to realize cost savings; increased taxation; regulatory constraints, including public health mandates; credit rating ; and geopolitical . If these initiatives to deliver expected results or we do not fully realize their intended benefits, our financial performance may . Additionally, prioritizing these efforts over other organizational needs or misallocating resources could materially impact our business and operating results.
Managing growth—particularly in international markets—requires balancing local autonomy with consistency in our goals, policies, and standards. Ineffectively balancing these imperatives could materially harm our business results and financial performance.
Furthermore, we may be unsuccessful in implementing strategic initiatives through large acquisitions, integrations, divestitures, partnerships, joint ventures, or other strategic transactions. If we are unable to complete such transactions or successfully integrate and develop acquired businesses, including the effective management of integration activities, we could fail to achieve the expected increases in revenues and operating results or the anticipated synergies and cost savings. In the past we have been, and in the future we may be, unable to realize the expected benefits of strategic transactions, or it may also take longer than expected to realize the expected benefits. This has in the past required, and may in the future require, us to assess potential impairment of assets, including goodwill and intangibles. Any resulting impairment charges could materially affect our financial results.
Evolving consumer preferences and tastes, as well as adverse public or medical opinions about the health effects of consuming our products, may adversely affect our business.
Our success depends on attracting and retaining customers. Financial performance may be adversely affected by reduced discretionary spending, lack of acceptance of new products, brands, or platforms, or declining demand for existing offerings. We have previously been, and may in the future be, unable to accurately predict consumer demand for our products. This has
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resulted, and may in the future result, in insufficient or excess inventory, increased inventory markdowns, and higher costs. Any of these outcomes could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Additionally, health concerns related to ingredients such as caffeine, dairy, sugar, or allergens—whether accurate or not—along with increased litigation, regulation and regulatory scrutiny, or taxes on certain food components, ingredients, or additives, could reduce demand and harm our results. Shifts in consumer behavior, including dietary changes or use of weight-loss drugs, may also impact sales.
If our business partners and third-party providers do not satisfactorily fulfill their responsibilities and commitments, it could damage our brand, and our financial results could suffer.
Our global business strategy, including our plans for new stores, branded products, and other initiatives, relies significantly on a variety of business partners, including licensees, joint venture partners, third-party manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, particularly for our entire global Channel Development business. These partners are often authorized to use our logos and deliver branded products directly to customers. To maintain consistent customer experience, we provide training and oversight to certain partners; however, factors beyond our control—such as financial instability, labor shortages, or noncompliance with sanitation protocols—may affect the quality of their service and products. We do not have direct control over these partners and may lack visibility into their operations.
We source products from a broad network of domestic and international business partners, and in some cases, licensees source products independently. We do not monitor the quality of non-Starbucks products served by authorized foodservice operators. Failures by business partners to comply with applicable laws or meet brand standards may negatively impact our business. Additionally, inconsistent use or inadequate protection of our brand and intellectual property could erode consumer trust and materially affect our financial results.
Reported incidents involving food- or beverage-borne illnesses, tampering, adulteration, contamination, or mislabeling, whether or not accurate, could harm our business.
We may experience food or beverage-safety incidents such as contamination, mislabeling, or adulteration during any stage of production or preparation. We rely on third-party suppliers for many of our ingredients and finished products. A failure to meet quality standards—even if due to factors beyond our control—could result in public exposure, regulatory scrutiny or action, litigation (including product liability claims and class actions), or temporary store closures, which could materially harm our business. Additionally, clean water is essential for beverage preparation, and access may be limited in certain international markets. As we expand our offerings requiring temperature control, the risk of food-safety incidents increases if proper conditions are not maintained due to mechanical failure or human error. Such incidents may our brand and reputation and could impact our business and financial performance.
Reports—whether accurate or not—of food- or beverage-safety issues such as contamination, mislabeling, or adulteration during any stage of production or preparation have historically harmed the reputations of companies in our industry. Any perceived association with such incidents, even if unfounded, could harm our reputation and materially impact our business and financial performance. Food-safety incidents involving competitors or shared suppliers, even if unrelated to Starbucks, could generate negative publicity and impact our sales regionally or globally. In addition, real or perceived concerns about food safety issues, such as phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics or heavy metals in the U.S. food supply chain, could impact consumers’ confidence in our offerings. Confirmed food-safety issues may also result in product recalls. A widespread product recall could lead to significant financial losses from costs, inventory , sales, and reputational . in customer traffic due to safety , publicity, or store could affect our operations.
If we are unable to meet our projections for new store openings or efficiently maintain the attractiveness of our existing stores, our operating results could suffer.
Our growth depends in part on our ability to open new stores and operate them profitably within projected timelines. Store development costs have risen due to construction labor inflation and increased material and equipment expenses. Each new store involves substantial startup costs and a ramp-up period during which profitability may be delayed as we train partners and build a customer base. If we fail to attract sufficient customers or offset higher startup costs, new stores may underperform relative to existing ones.
Store development is subject to risks including site selection, lease negotiations, permitting and regulatory compliance, contractor availability, labor and material costs, and external disruptions such as weather events, natural disasters, or pandemics. We also face competition for prime locations, contractors, and qualified personnel. Additionally, new stores may
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cannibalize sales from nearby existing locations. Failure to manage these risks could result in increased costs and lower-than-expected sales and earnings, materially affecting our operating results.
We also invest in remodeling and maintaining existing stores. If costs exceed projections, closures last longer than planned, or remodeled stores underperform, we may not achieve expected returns, which could negatively impact our financial results.
Risks Related to Operating a Global Business
We are highly dependent on the financial performance of our North America operating segment.
Our financial performance is heavily reliant on our North America operating segment, which accounted for approximately 74% of total net revenues in fiscal year 2025. A slowdown or decline in this segment—particularly in the U.S.—has in the past, and could in the future, materially impact our overall business, as other segments may not offset the shortfall. Given its maturity and role as the primary source of operating cash flow, reduced performance in North America could limit our ability to fund international expansion, strategic initiatives, and shareholder returns.
We are dependent on the performance of licensed and company-owned international markets to achieve our growth targets.
The International segment is a critical profit center. Achievement of our growth targets is partially dependent on sustained performance and growth internationally, particularly in the markets operated by our larger regional licensees and in key company-owned markets outside North America. If one or more of these international markets fail to achieve stable revenues and earnings—due to economic downturns or other factors—our consolidated results could be materially impacted.
In addition to the risks that apply to our business generally, wherever conducted, our International business may also be subject to certain additional risks and risks that take on a different magnitude or character in the context of our international business. Success in international markets can depend on factors distinct from those in the U.S., including regional taste preferences, varying consumer acceptance of our products, and differing regulatory regimes across markets. International operations may also face higher occupancy and operating costs due to elevated rents and regulatory compliance. Finally, because many markets are in earlier development stages, operating expenses as a percentage of revenue tend to be higher than in more established markets. Each of these factors present risks to our business performance and financial results.
We face risks as a global business that could adversely affect our financial performance.
Operating in 89 global markets, we face diverse cultural, regulatory, geopolitical, and economic environments. Our success depends on navigating these differences effectively and leveraging operational strengths across markets. However, planned initiatives may not resonate uniformly with customers and could lead to unexpected shifts in perception or market share. Our international operations are also subject to additional inherent risks of conducting business abroad, such as:
• Uncertainty in economic, legal, regulatory, social, and political conditions, including rising anti-American sentiment in certain markets;
• Governmental trade and investment restrictions, such as tariffs, export duties, ownership limits, and favoritism toward local competitors;
• Economic or trade sanctions limiting product sourcing or business operations;
• Delays in store openings due to external factors, competition, or limited access to affordable real estate, potentially impacting financial performance;
• Operational and supply chain challenges abroad, including staffing, logistics, product consistency, and cultural or language barriers;
• Slower-than-expected growth in disposable income in developing economies;
• Complex and varying interpretations of laws and regulations, including those related to taxes, labor, privacy, and responsible business matters;
• Local employment laws increasing the cost and complexity of hiring and termination;
• Labor disruptions due to geopolitical instability or social unrest;
• Health and safety regulations affecting store operations;
• Challenges in enforcing intellectual property and contract rights;
• Foreign currency fluctuations and restrictions on currency use or fund repatriation; and
• Licensing and import requirements that may hinder business operations.
Moreover, many of the foregoing risks are particularly acute in developing markets, which are important to our long-term growth prospects. An inability to effectively manage the risks associated with our international operations could adversely affect our business performance and financial results.
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Our reliance on key business partners may adversely affect our business and operations.
Our growth depends on the ability of licensee partners to execute our strategies and implement our growth platforms and product innovations. Success also relies on negotiating, maintaining, and enforcing commercial agreements, and on partner performance under those agreements. International licensees may face legal or financial constraints that limit expansion. Our Channel Development business is heavily reliant on Nestlé, which holds global rights to distribute certain Starbucks branded packaged goods. If Nestlé fails to meet its obligations or support our brand, it could materially impact Channel Development and our overall financial results. Additionally, our retail licensed operations are concentrated among a few large licensees, and their inability to access capital or grow effectively, including their inability to meet store development and renovation targets, could adversely affect performance in key markets. A failure by any of our large regional licensees or Channel Development business partners to grow the relevant Starbucks business, or otherwise perform its obligations under agreements with us, could adversely affect our performance. We may not have the ability to offset such performance or non-performance in the markets or verticals into which these parties extend Starbucks brand. Likewise, if we are to maintain and grow our relationships with these licensees and business partners, it could affect our business performance and financial results.
Risks Related to Supply Chain
Increases in the cost of high-quality arabica coffee beans or other commodities or decreases in the availability of high-quality arabica coffee beans or other commodities could have an adverse impact on our business operations and financial results.
The availability and price of coffee beans and other commodities are highly volatile. We purchase, roast, and sell high-quality arabica coffee, which typically trades at a premium above the “C” commodity price. This premium varies based on supply and demand and can significantly impact our ability to secure fixed-price contracts. We often enter supply agreements with defined quality, quantity, and delivery terms, but with pricing tied to future “C” market rates.
Coffee supply and pricing are influenced by factors in producing countries, including weather and extreme weather events, water availability, natural disasters, crop disease, input costs, inventory levels, political and economic conditions, and actions by organizations seeking to influence global prices. Climate change may intensify these risks—for example, droughts or frosts in Brazil have in the past driven price increases. Speculative trading also contributes to volatility. Tariffs have also affected, and in the future may affect, our costs to procure coffee. Given coffee’s central role in our operations and our limited ability to fully hedge against price increases, rising costs or supply shortages could materially impact our profitability and ability to meet customer demand. We supply strategic products, including coffee, to our licensees, and we may have limited ability to pass along increased costs.
We also rely on significant quantities of dairy products and plant-based alternatives, such as oat and almond milk, as well as other commodities including tea, cocoa, produce, meats, eggs, energy, and packaging materials. Price increases or supply disruptions—whether due to shortages, processing delays, tariffs, or other factors—could materially affect our profitability, particularly in international markets.
Our supply chain may be unable to fully support current and future business needs.
Even without acute disruptions, our supply chain may not fully meet current or future business needs. We cannot guarantee that suppliers will support our growth or continue providing products at current volumes or favorable prices and other terms. Delays or cost inefficiencies in supply could impair growth and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results. Inaccurate sales forecasting or insufficient inventory may lead to expedited shipping costs, stockouts, and diminished customer and partner satisfaction. Conversely, overestimating demand—especially for new products—can result in inventory write-offs. Failure to scale and improve forecasting, planning, production, and logistics could frustrate customers, reduce sales, and our brand reputation.
We are subject to risks from changes to the trade policies and tariff and import/export regulations by the U.S. and other foreign governments.
Changes in the import and export policies, including trade restrictions such as new, increased, threatened, or retaliatory tariffs or quotas, embargoes, sanctions and countersanctions, safeguards, or customs restrictions by the U.S. and foreign governments, have in the past required, and could in the future require, us to change the way we conduct business and such changes have in the past adversely affected, and could in the future adversely affect, our financial condition, results of operations, reputation, and our relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees in the short- or long-term. It may be time-consuming and expensive for us to alter our business operations to adapt to or comply with any such changes. Likewise, changes in laws and
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policies governing foreign trade, manufacturing, development, and investment in the territories or countries where we currently sell our products or conduct our business could adversely affect our business.
Interruption of our supply chain and our reliance on suppliers could affect our ability to produce or deliver our products and could negatively impact our business and profitability.
Any material disruption to our supply chain—such as the loss of a roasting plant, logistics interruptions, trade restrictions, pandemics, labor shortages, natural disasters, or geopolitical conflicts—could materially impact our business and profitability. We rely on a broad network of domestic and international suppliers to provide high-quality products in compliance with applicable laws, and in certain cases, products are sourced by our licensees directly. As we update our fresh and prepared food offerings, sourcing from regions with limited infrastructure or political instability may present additional challenges. For certain products, we depend on a limited number of suppliers, and their failure to meet our standards, deliver on time, or comply with regulations—factors often beyond our control—could materially harm our operations and financial results.
Risks Related to Macroeconomic Conditions
Our financial condition and results of operations have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by a number of macroeconomic and other factors, many of which are largely outside our control.
As a retailer reliant on discretionary spending, our financial results are sensitive to macroeconomic conditions. A prolonged downturn or slow recovery may reduce consumer spending, leading to lower demand or shifts to lower-priced products. Factors such as job loss, inflation, interest rate changes, taxation, credit access, public health crises, trade disputes, and geopolitical instability can all impact consumer behavior, including spending and routines, potentially affecting demand for our products. Reduced customer traffic or transaction value without corresponding cost reductions could pressure margins. If economic uncertainty persists, consumers may adopt lasting changes in spending habits, potentially affecting our sales, profitability, and growth plans.
Our operating results have been, and will continue to be, subject to a number of other macroeconomic and other factors, many of which are largely outside our control. Any one or more of the factors listed below could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, or results of operations:
• Rising real estate costs in certain domestic and international markets;
• Supply chain disruptions;
• Climate change and extreme weather affecting input costs and availability;
• Changes in tax laws and government regulations, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in the U.S. in July 2025;
• Adverse litigation outcomes;
• Inflation and interest rate fluctuations;
• Natural or man-made disasters disrupting major markets;
• Government shutdowns and election-related impacts globally, including regime change and political and civil unrest;
• Terminations of, or changes in, existing trade agreements among the countries in which we operate;
• Tariffs imposed on commodities or goods, including recent tariffs imposed or threatened to be imposed by the U.S. on other countries, and any retaliation measures taken by such countries;
• Labor unrest, geopolitical instability, terrorism, anti-American sentiment, or public health crises—especially in key markets; and
• Foreign currency exchange rate volatility.
A disruption in the credit markets or a downgrade of our current credit rating could increase our future borrowing costs and impair our ability to access capital and credit markets on terms commercially acceptable to us, which could adversely affect our liquidity and capital resources or significantly increase our cost of capital. Furthermore, unfavorable economic conditions could also adversely affect our suppliers and licensees, who in turn could experience cash flow problems, more costly or unavailable financing, credit defaults, and other financial hardships. This could lead to supplier or licensee insolvency, increase our bad debt expense, or cause us to increase the levels of unsecured credit that we provide to suppliers and licensees. Additionally, the insolvency of any of our licensees could result in operations or our exit from a particular market and impact our reputation.
Failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance or any announced guidance will likely adversely affect the market price and increase the volatility of our stock, and fluctuations in the stock market as a whole may also impact the market price and volatility of our stock.
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We have in the past failed, and may in the future fail, to meet announced guidance or market expectations, which has adversely affected, and could in the future adversely affect, the market price of our stock. Any guidance we provide is based on certain assumptions, which may or may not prove to be correct. Failure to meet announced guidance or market expectations going forward, particularly with respect to our operational and financial results, shareholder returns, and expectations regarding the success of our Back to Starbucks plan and related guidance, whether due to our assumptions not being met or the impact of various risks and uncertainties, will likely result in either or both a decline in or increased volatility in the market price of our stock. In addition, price and volume fluctuations in the stock market as a whole may affect the market price of our stock in ways that may be unrelated to our financial performance.
Risks Related to Human Capital
The loss of key personnel, difficulties with recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, or ineffectively managing changes in our workforce could adversely impact our business and financial results.
Much of our future success depends on the continued availability and service of key personnel and employees. The loss of any of our executive officers, including our chief executive officer or other key senior management personnel, could harm our business. Our success also depends substantially on the contributions and abilities of our retail store employees we rely on to give customers a superior in-store experience and elevate our brand. Accordingly, our performance depends on our ability to recruit and retain high-quality management personnel and other employees to work in and manage our stores, both domestically and internationally. Our ability to do so has been and may continue to be impacted by challenges in the labor market (which has experienced, and may continue to experience, wage inflation and labor shortages), our position with respect to unions and the unionization of partners, increased employee turnover, changes in availability of our workforce, and shifts in remote or hybrid work arrangements. Our ability to attract and retain corporate, retail, and other personnel is also acutely impacted in certain international and domestic markets where the competition for a relatively small number of qualified employees is intense or in markets where large high-tech companies are to offer more competitive salaries and benefits. These factors and others have also made, and may continue to make, it more to maintain an system of operational internal controls for a dispersed workforce, and to train partners to deliver a consistently high-quality product and customer experience.
Additionally, there is intense competition for qualified technology systems developers, who are necessary to develop and implement new technologies for our growth initiatives, including increasing our digital relationships with customers. If we are unable to recruit, retain, and motivate employees sufficiently to maintain our current business and support our projected growth, our business and financial performance may be adversely affected.
Changes in the availability and cost of labor could adversely affect our business.
Our business could be adversely impacted by increases in labor costs, including wages and benefits, which, in a retail business such as ours, are two of our most significant costs, both domestically and internationally. Such increases could be triggered by state and federal legislation and regulatory actions regarding wages, scheduling, and benefits; increases in healthcare and workers’ compensation insurance costs; and increases in wages and costs of other benefits necessary to attract and retain high-quality employees with the right skill sets. For example, at the federal level, effective July 1, 2024, the United States Department of Labor increased the minimum salary threshold requirements for employees who are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime requirements, and at the state level, Assembly Bill 1228 increased minimum wage and established working hour and working condition standards for certain partners in California. These changes, along with others that may occur in the future, could have a significant impact on the classification of employees as being exempt from overtime and add to our labor costs. The growth of our business can make it increasingly difficult to locate and hire sufficient numbers of employees, to maintain an effective system of operational internal controls for a globally dispersed enterprise, and to train employees worldwide to deliver a consistently high-quality product and customer experience; the to do so could materially our business and results of operations. Furthermore, we have experienced, and could continue to experience, a of labor for store positions, and the increased availability of alternative telecommuting employment options by other employers could decrease the pool of available qualified talent for other key functions. In addition, our wages and benefits programs may be to attract and retain the talent.
Starting in September 2021, Starbucks partners at a number of company-operated stores sought union representation through elections conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. Unions have secured representation rights at around 6% of our more than 10,000 U.S. company-operated stores, with potentially more to follow, and Starbucks has been engaged in collective bargaining for initial collective bargaining agreements for these stores. If we encounter difficulties negotiating collective bargaining agreements, are unsuccessful in those efforts, or obtain contracts with unfavorable terms, then we could incur additional costs, change our employee culture, decrease our flexibility, and increase our operational complexity. These risks could also present the potential to disrupt our current operational model by affecting our ability to fully implement operational changes to enhance our efficiency and adapt to changing business needs.
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The law places limitations on unilateral actions taken with respect to employees who are represented by unions because, in certain circumstances, the law requires the employer to notify and to bargain with the union prior to making certain operational or other changes that may affect employee wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment. Moreover, where a petition for representation has been filed by a union, the employer is also constrained from making changes in wages, hours, and working conditions. These limitations could also negatively affect our costs, change our employee culture, decrease our flexibility, and increase our operational complexity. They also present the potential to disrupt our current operational model by affecting our ability to fully implement operational changes to enhance our efficiency and adapt to changing business needs.
Moreover, we have experienced work stoppages and other disruptions caused by union activities or organizing efforts in some company-operated stores. Such work stoppages and other disruptions have the potential to negatively impact our operations, third-party providers upon whom we rely to deliver product, our sales and customer flow in impacted locations, our costs, and can also have a negative impact on our reputation and brand.
Additionally, while we respect the rights of partners to organize, our position with respect to unions and the unionization of partners could negatively impact how our brand is perceived and could have material adverse effects on our business, including on our financial results. These positions could also expose us to legal risk, causing us to incur costs to defend legal and regulatory actions, potential penalties and restrictions, and reputational harm.
Risks Related to Competition
We face intense competition in each of our channels and markets, which could lead to reduced profitability.
The specialty coffee market is highly competitive across product quality, innovation, service, convenience (e.g., delivery and mobile ordering), and price. We face increasing competition in all channels and markets and do not hold leadership positions in every segment. In the U.S., large quick-service competitors offering coffee, tea, and other competitive products may reduce customer traffic and transaction value. Globally, competition from established brands, new entrants, and smaller specialty operators may hinder growth and impact sales. Furthermore, our competitors may attempt to gain market share by offering products at prices at or below those typically offered by our company, which may require us to increase spending on advertising and promotions and/or reduce prices.
In packaged coffee, tea, and ready-to-drink segments, competition from well-funded players may affect Channel Development profitability.
Our ability to compete depends on product improvement and innovation, pricing, customer experience, and strategic investments in store development, technology, and digital engagement. If we are unable to respond to consumer demand for healthy beverages and foods, or our competitors respond more effectively, this could have a negative effect on our business. However, our competitive strategies may not always succeed and could have unintended consequences. Declines in consumer demand—due to shifting preferences, economic pressures, or changes in routines—could also negatively affect our business.
Risks Related to Responsible Business Matters
Climate change may have an adverse impact on our business.
We recognize that climate-related risks are inherent to global business operations. Climate change can affect the supply and pricing of coffee and other non-coffee inputs due to weather volatility, water scarcity, and other environmental factors in producing regions. It may also impact water availability across our supply chain and markets. Operating in 89 global markets, our properties and operations are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events—such as wildfires and droughts—which may disrupt operations, close stores, affect customers and suppliers, and increase costs, potentially resulting in financial losses.
Our business is subject to evolving corporate governance and public disclosure regulations and expectations, including with respect to responsible business matters, that could expose us to numerous risks.
We are subject to evolving and increasingly complex laws and regulations from various authorities and regulatory bodies. These rules—often inconsistent across jurisdictions—can increase compliance uncertainty and administrative costs. Additionally, growing stakeholder focus on responsible business matters has led to heightened expectations and regulatory requirements, such as extended producer responsibility obligations that relate to our product packaging, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, or the state of California’s new climate change disclosure requirements. The evolving obligations may increase compliance costs and the risk of noncompliance.
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Implementing responsible business initiatives and reporting progress can be costly, complex, and subject to evolving standards, assumptions, and internal controls. Public disclosures may be criticized for accuracy or completeness, and previously reported data may require future adjustments. Failure to meet targets or goals adopted in connection with our responsible business initiatives or otherwise respond to stakeholder expectations on these topics could harm our reputation, reduce customer loyalty, and adversely affect our financial performance. Inadequate progress on responsible business initiatives may also erode trust, trigger negative publicity, litigation, or boycotts, and expose us to civil or criminal liability. Objections from third parties or governments to these initiatives may result in reputational , administrative, legislative, or public backlash, or other action, and could impact our financial results or business performance. Such consequences could also result from actual or perceived changes to the scope or extent of our responsible business initiatives, or any thereof. may come both from those who believe these initiatives are overly ambitious or , and from those who believe they are not ambitious enough. As focus on these issues from consumers, government actors, and other stakeholders intensifies, the risks described in this section may increase.
Certain activist shareholder actions have caused, and could continue to cause, us to incur expense, hinder execution of our business strategy, and adversely impact our stock price.
We regularly engage with shareholders to strengthen the Company and enhance long-term value. However, activist campaigns can result in significant costs, including legal expenses and diversion of management and Board attention. Public activism may also create uncertainty about our strategic direction, strain relationships with stakeholders, hinder talent recruitment, and cause stock price volatility unrelated to business fundamentals. Shareholders with substantial holdings may influence key decisions, including director elections, mergers, and amendments to governing documents. These risks could materially affect our business and operating results.
Risks Related to Regulation and Litigation
Failure to comply with applicable laws and changing legal and regulatory requirements could harm our business and financial results.
Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and reporting requirements, including those imposed by the SEC, Nasdaq, and foreign jurisdictions. This includes trade, labor, healthcare, food and beverage, sanitation, safety, environmental, labeling, anti-bribery and corruption, and merchandise laws. These legal frameworks are complex and often subject to varying interpretations, which may result in inadvertent non-compliance. Regulatory shifts—such as changes in enforcement priorities—can increase compliance costs and expand reporting obligations. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could result in the imposition of civil or criminal liability.
Environmental regulations are evolving, with new or expanded rules targeting carbon emissions, plastic use, and commercial water consumption. These changes may lead to higher compliance costs, capital expenditures, and other financial obligations for us and our partners, potentially affecting profitability. Additional emerging regulations, such as import tariffs tied to alleged human rights violations, may also impact operations. Certain jurisdictions have enacted or proposed taxes or other restrictions on the manufacture, distribution, or sale of certain of our products, particularly beverages containing caloric sweeteners. These taxes and other measures vary in structure and may apply broadly or selectively. Additionally, environmentally focused taxes or other measures, such as plastic packaging levies or extended producer responsibility laws, are gaining traction. These measures can adversely affect our financial performance by raising product costs, reducing consumption, or generating negative publicity.
Separately, the OECD’s Pillar Two initiative establishes a 15% global minimum tax for multinational entities. As of September 28, 2025, several countries where we operate have enacted legislation implementing the OECD’s Pillar Two initiative. While not expected to materially impact our consolidated financial results, we continue to monitor developments.
Overall, the regulatory environment is growing more complex due to evolving laws, market expansion, and jurisdictional conflicts. Due to evolving technologies, such as artificial intelligence technologies, the legal and regulatory landscape is uncertain and evolving, and may impose compliance obligations that could increase our costs or limit how we may use these technologies. Moreover, the costs of monitoring and responding to such regulations could have an adverse effect on our operations or financial condition. Non-compliance—whether by us or our partners—can result in litigation, liability, fines, reputational harm, and financial restatements, all of which may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We have been, and could continue to be, party to litigation or other legal proceedings that could adversely affect our business, results, operations, and reputation.
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We are, and may continue to be, subject to litigation and legal proceedings that could adversely affect our business. These may involve claims from employees, customers, regulators, suppliers, shareholders, or others, including class or collective actions. Allegations have included claims related to employment practices, food safety and product defects, data privacy, discrimination, personal injury, advertising, intellectual property disputes, securities violations, and other matters. A judgment significantly in excess of any applicable insurance coverage or third-party indemnity could materially adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Even unfounded claims can result in substantial legal costs, management distraction, and potential settlements or penalties. may also generate publicity, our reputation, customer relationships, and financial performance. See Note 16 , Commitments and Contingencies, to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of Part II of this 10-K for information regarding certain legal proceedings in which we are involved.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and Information Technology
The unauthorized access, use, theft, or destruction of customer or employee data (personal, financial, or other), or of Starbucks proprietary or confidential information, that is stored in our information systems or by third parties could impact our reputation and brand and expose us to potential liability and loss of revenues.
Our information technology systems and those of our third-party service providers, business partners, and licensees—including those supporting point-of-sale, mobile platforms, payment systems, delivery, rewards, and administrative functions—store personal, financial, and confidential data from customers, employees, business partners, and licensees, as well as proprietary business information. Although we have put in place policies, procedures, and technological safeguards designed to protect the security of this information, we cannot guarantee that this information will not be improperly disclosed or accessed. Like other prominent retail companies, we have experienced cyber-attacks (e.g., phishing) and other attempts to breach or gain unauthorized access to our systems, as have our third-party service providers, business partners, and licensees. We expect such threats to continue and evolve, especially with the rapid evolution and increased adoption of artificial intelligence.
Unauthorized access, theft, or destruction of data or any breach, ransomware attack or other incident affecting our systems—whether through external attacks or internal methods—could result in reputational harm, loss of customers, business disruption, regulatory investigations, litigation (including class actions), and significant financial costs. It may take considerable time for us to investigate and evaluate the full impact of incidents, particularly for sophisticated attacks. Responding to cybersecurity incidents may require substantial investments in technology, personnel, legal compliance, and customer support, including notification and credit monitoring. These costs could materially impact our financial results and divert resources from strategic initiatives. Media reports of actual or perceived vulnerabilities—whether involving us or our third-party service providers, business partners, or licensees—can our brand and business, regardless of an ’s scope or validity.
Failure to maintain satisfactory compliance with certain privacy and data protection laws and regulations may result in substantial negative financial consequences, reputational harm, and civil or criminal penalties.
We are subject to a complex and rapidly evolving landscape of local, national, and international laws and regulations governing the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer, and other processing of personal data. These laws and regulations are frequently amended, reinterpreted, and increasingly enforced, often resulting in heightened compliance obligations, litigation risk, and operational costs. Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying, with agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general applying consumer protection laws to online data practices. The legal landscape remains fluid, with privacy and data protection laws potentially limiting data use, requiring changes to processing practices, exposing us to fines, litigation, or other penalties, or impacting our ability to develop new services. Regulatory changes may include new legislation, invalidation of existing rules, or increased penalties, all of which can impact our ability to develop and offer new products and services. For example, the EU’s GDPR and the U.K. equivalent impose strict data protection requirements and significant penalties for . China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and Data Security Law similarly regulate personal and non-personal data processing activities and establish data subject rights and obligations for personal information processors, with civil and liabilities for . Other jurisdictions served by Starbucks and its licensees are enacting or proposing comparable laws, including restrictions on cross-border data transfers and data safeguards, which may increase compliance costs and affect business operations.
In the U.S., the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and numerous other state privacy laws impose disclosure obligations and grant consumers rights over their personal data. Some such laws include private rights of action. These state laws require ongoing investment in compliance infrastructure. Privacy and data protection laws, such as those referenced above, may also affect emerging business models, such as Starbucks Digital Solutions, which rely on Starbucks acting as a data controller in licensed markets. In such cases, Starbucks may bear primary responsibility for compliance with applicable privacy regulations.
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The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence technologies has led data protection authorities around the world to consider and adopt new and evolving interpretations of privacy and data protection laws, with specific obligations regarding processing of personal data, including required notices, consents, and opt-outs.
Claims we have failed to comply with applicable privacy and data protection laws or to adequately safeguard personal data, even if unfounded, may result in regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, litigation (including class actions), reputational harm, and financial penalties, any of which could materially affect our operations and financial performance.
We rely heavily on information technology in our operations and growth initiatives, and any material failure, inadequacy, interruption, or security failure of that technology could harm our ability to effectively operate and grow our business and could adversely affect our financial results.
We rely extensively on interconnected information technology systems to support our operations, including point-of-sale, mobile ordering, payments, supply chain management, loyalty programs, and administrative functions. We also depend on third-party providers for key systems and services, which may lack full redundancy within or across markets. Our growth initiatives—particularly those involving digital engagement and convenience-led formats—depend heavily on the reliability and performance of these systems. Any failure, inadequacy, inefficiency, or interruption could disrupt operations and adversely affect financial results. Our contractual and operational safeguards may not be effective in preventing the failure of these systems or services to operate effectively and be available. Failures—whether due to outages, cyber-attacks, software flaws, misconfigurations, or other —could materially impact product availability, operational , and financial performance. If our response and recovery plans are or , remediation efforts may incur significant, costs.
Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, may not deliver expected efficiencies and could introduce new risks, such as those related to cybersecurity, data privacy, inaccuracies, hallucinations, bias or discrimination and intellectual property infringement, which may become more pronounced as the Company’s reliance on such technologies increases.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
Failure to adequately protect our intellectual property or ensure that we are not infringing on the intellectual property of others could harm the value of our brand and our business.
Our brand names, trademarks, and other intellectual property are critical assets that support brand awareness and product development across domestic and international markets. We protect these assets through a combination of trademarks, copyrights, service marks, trade secrets, patents, and other intellectual property rights. While we have registered certain trademarks in the U.S. and abroad, not all of our trademarks are registered in every market where we operate or may operate in the future, and some may never be registered.
Securing and enforcing intellectual property rights—especially in rapidly evolving areas—can be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, the laws and enforcement mechanisms we rely on to protect our intellectual property from unauthorized use may be inadequate. Our competitive position may be adversely affected by our possible inability to effectively protect our intellectual property.
We also seek to maintain certain intellectual property as trade secrets. The secrecy of such trade secrets and other sensitive information could be compromised, which could cause us to lose the competitive advantage resulting from these trade secrets.
Additionally, we also face the risk of infringing third-party intellectual property rights. Any infringement claims, even unmerited claims, can be time consuming and disruptive to our ability to generate revenues or enter into new market opportunities. Further, such claims may lead to expensive and disruptive litigation or significantly increased costs as a result of our attempt to license the intellectual property rights to avoid infringement of third-party rights. Additionally, licensees and other third parties who hold licenses to our intellectual property may take actions that diminish the value of our intellectual property, further exposing us to reputational and financial risk.
