Starbucks receives analyst upgrade amid food sector World Cup boosts

Starbucks has received a “strong-buy” rating upgrade from equities researchers at Robert W. Baird. While other analysts have provided mixed outlooks—including a downgrade from Morgan Stanley and a hold rating from Zacks Research—the company recently reported quarterly earnings of $0.85 per share, exceeding analyst consensus estimates.

In the restaurant sector, the FIFA Men’s World Cup provided a sales boost for several food chains. Wingstop reported that same-store sales swung into double-digit growth on key match days, despite an overall second-quarter decline driven by lower-income consumer spending. Other companies, including Chipotle, Shake Shack, and El Pollo Loco, also reported increased traffic or sales lifts linked to the global soccer tournament.