Starbucks Q1 Earnings Preview: Niccol's Turnaround, China Exit, and Barista Pig Doodle Scandal

Starbucks BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Starbucks is gearing up for a pivotal moment with its Q1 fiscal 2026 earnings release set for January 28 at 7:45 a.m. Eastern Time, followed by a conference call, as announced by the company on its investor site and Business Wire. Investors are buzzing over CEO Brian Niccols Back to Starbucks and Green Apron turnaround plans, which have sparked early positive comparable store sales, according to Simply Wall St analysis. Simply Wall St also reports the firm is selling 60 percent of its China stake, a bold reshuffle of its global footprint that could redefine long term growth amid sustainability gripes and PR hiccups. On Wall Street, BWG Global upgraded Starbucks outlook from Mixed to Positive on January 15, per Fintel and Nasdaq, signaling fresh optimism for margins and traffic rebound.

Drama hit the headlines with a Norwalk California Starbucks scandal on January 9, when a deputy got a coffee cup doodled with a pig a slur for cops CBS News and Police1 confirm. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department blasted it as deeply offensive, with Sheriff Robert Luna personally intervening and Starbucks firing the barista involved, as the company stated to KTLA and Audacy. Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson insisted it was a harmless meme meant for staff morale gone wrong, but the deputy felt disrespected after a tough shift, fueling heated Instagram debates with over 800 comments split between cop support and mockery.

A fresh class action lawsuit filed by two consumers accuses Starbucks of greenwashing its 100 percent ethically sourced coffee claims in New York and Washington, misleading on chemicals and sustainability, Daily Coffee News reveals all unconfirmed for now. No major public appearances or social media flares from execs popped up, but these moves under Niccol could etch lasting biographical notes if earnings deliver. Word count 348.

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