SBUX Gross Margin Analysis

Gross margin measures the percentage of revenue left after paying direct product costs, so at 24.6%, Starbucks keeps about a quarter of each sales dollar before operating expenses.

That is far below the sector median of 47.1%, placing the company at the 17th percentile among peers, meaning nearly all comparable firms retain more from revenue. Trend data is not available: year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter changes are both listed as N/A, and the single historical value of 24.6% offers no basis for direction. With a low margin level and no evidence of improvement, the main risk is structural cost pressure or weaker pricing power relative to the sector. The unchanged, low absolute margin supports a cautious stance, as even a stable figure at this percentile leaves little cushion for unexpected costs. This directly reinforces the overall CAUTIOUS verdict rather than contradicting it.

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