Starbucks (SBUX)

[iam802]

Instant coffee at around $1 a packet...and it took them 20 years to develop!!

For those who work in the CBD area, do you start seeing more expats having coffee at the local YaKun, Killiney?

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Starbucks Plans to Introduce Instant-Coffee Product Next Week

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... k&refer=us

Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp., the world’s largest coffee chain, plans to introduce instant coffees in its shops next week.

Starbucks has spent 20 years developing an instant product that replicates the taste of its brewed coffee, Vivek Varma, senior vice president for public affairs, told employees in a memo today. Seattle-based Starbucks plans to unveil the drink at events in New York and other cities next week.

The instant-coffee packets, marketed under the name Via, will be available in stores for $2.95 for a pack of three or $9.95 for 12, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company aims to tap into the $17 billion instant-coffee market as sales of its premium espresso-based drinks fall.

Starbucks rose 19 cents to $10.18 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. It has lost 46 percent in the past year.

[winston]

MORE ON THE CRAZIEST TRADE IN THE MARKET by Brian Hunt, Daily Wealth

Yesterday, we looked at the "ridiculous" rally in restaurant stocks.

Despite the recession, companies like Panera Bread, Chipotle, and Cheesecake Factory are all near 52-week highs. The market is suggesting the Fed's wild efforts to inject money and credit into the market are taking effect... which means bigger profits ahead for this beaten-down sector.

But what about the coffee stock everyone loved to hate last year... the king of the $5 cup of coffee? What about Starbucks?

As today's chart shows, even overpriced coffee – as measured by Starbucks (SBUX) stock – is enjoying a rally right now. Investors fled the stock last year on recession concerns... and SBUX fell a huge 60% from its peak. But now that the market believes things are getting "less bad," the stock is soaring. Shares are at a six-month high. As unlikely as it sounds, the "consumer spending" rally is on!

[LenaHuat]

I've flipped over from CNBC and thought I should post something abt Starbuck's pre-paid card here.
I always buy a S$29/90 card which entitles me to 6 drinks. I use it for the S$6/50 caramell machiatto.
That's a saving of S$9/00

[winston]

Stats of the week: 103%

Year-to-date gain in the share price of coffeehouse chain Starbucks. Recession... what recession?

================================

Sometimes, you need to use the Peter Lynch Principle ie. buy and hold until fundamentals really detiorates.

I first saw Starbucks at various airports around the US > 20 years ago or whatever. Also, I have a friend who would order their coffeee by mail from Seattle and would swear by them ..

Anyway, I did bought their stocks and sat on them for a while. But I also sold too early and missed the multi-baggers. I think I sold becuz Jim Rogers mentioned that he was seeing coffesshops on every corner in the US.

BTW, I even wrote to Starbucks and asked for their franchise for Asia, as they were not even in Asia at that time...

[kennynah]

BTW, I even wrote to Starbucks and asked for their franchise for Asia, as they were not even in Asia at that time...

did they even reply you?

[winston]

Ha Ha... yes, they did.

At that time, they wanted to own all the stores and did not want to franchise anything out. Also, they did not want to expand outside of the US and Canada. They were still growing in the US at that time...

[kennynah]

well...it was all about timing then... you could have been the owner of several fanchised starbucks coffeeshops in Asia...ad they wanted that mode of operations then...

life is such...

[winston]

THERE IS AN AMAZING UPTREND IN STARBUCKS RIGHT NOW
by Briant Hunt, Daily Wealth

Add Starbucks to our list of great "armchair" economic indicators.

It's one of the first places folks go when they have extra money to throw around. After all, you don't need to spend five bucks on fancy coffee when you can make it at home for 10 cents. This makes the company's share price an instant read on the consumer's mindset... much more instant and useful than an economist blathering about consumer confidence.

Today's chart shows that – for better or worse – the consumer is throwing money at expensive coffee again. After taking a beating in 2008, Starbucks has gained 140% in the last six months... and 47% in the last two. (Many other "spending stocks" are soaring as well.)

There are plenty of reasons to believe the economic recovery and stock rally aren't built on a solid foundation (debt and debt are the top two). But we've found the single most important rule for investment and trading success is "never fight the trend"... Never stubbornly hold on to a belief when the market is moving against you. The great speculator John Maynard Keynes put it best with his classic quote, "The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent."

Irrational or not, the trend of folks spending money on fancy coffee, copper inventories, and stocks, is UP. It will end when it ends.

[winston]

AN INCREDIBLE CHART FOR THE AMERICAN CONSUMER

America is back to the business of frivolous spending. That's the point of today's chart.

Longtime DailyWealth readers know we track shares of coffee chain Starbucks (SBUX) for a read on frivolous spending in America. You don't need to spend $4 on a fancy coffee when you can make it at home for 10 cents.

As today's chart shows, America is spending money on expensive coffee again... SBUX just punched through to a new 52-week high, gaining 48% in the last three months. SBUX isn't an isolated case. T

he charts of many other high profile "spending stocks" look the same. Shares of Nordstrom (expensive retail), Tiffany (expensive jewelry), and Coach (expensive handbags) are soaring right now.

These charts remind us of the claim that in the event of an apocalyptic nuclear war, two hardy species would survive to inherit the Earth: cockroaches and the American consumer. For better or worse, he is spending money again.

Source: brian Hunt, Daily Wealth

[helios]

Anyone tried the new brand, Via (Starbucks' instant coffee)?

Not sure if we can get it in Singapore [retails].

i hope i'll get a chance to taste it during the New Orleans trip in mid-March ...