Slower growth for Starbucks
Starbucks reported yesterday that sales at stores in its US-dominated Americas region cooled more than analysts expected in its latest quarter. The world’s biggest coffee chain boosted its 2014 earnings per share forecast to a range of $2.59 (£1.56) to $2.67, from $2.55 to $2.65 before, sending shares up 0.9 per cent to after hours. Some analysts noted the poor performance of brick-and-mortar retailers over Christmas as part of the reason for the decline.