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Starbucks May Be Selling Pieces Of Its Empire — & Investors Love It!

Starbucks is suddenly looking less like a traditional coffeehouse operator and more like a global brand owner learning how to monetize mature markets while still chasing store growth. The latest twist is Japan, where the company is reportedly exploring strategic options that could include a partial stake sale or public listing at a valuation of roughly $2.5 billion to $3.1 billion. That follows the China transaction with Boyu Capital, which shifted Starbucks China into a joint venture structure and brought in approximately $3.1 billion in gross cash proceeds before taxes. At the same time, the company is not shrinking its ambitions. Management raised fiscal 2026 comp guidance to 5% or better, expects 600 to 650 net new stores this year, and says international markets remain a durable growth engine.