SBUX (Starbucks) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: -2.63% (As of Jun. 2026)

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Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
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SBUX Starbucks Corp SBUX
85 GF Score
Price $107.69
GF Value $98.27
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 6 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %?

Starbucks SBUX -0.79% 85 Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is -2.63% as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus rates SBUX with a GF Score™ of 85/100 and a GF Value™ of $98.27 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 250 Restaurants companies, Starbucks ranks worse than 76.8% on this metric.

Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. Starbucks's forward rate of return for was -2.63%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % or its related term are showing as below:

SBUX' s Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.77   Med: 15.19   Max: 24.42
Current: -2.77

During the past 13 years, Starbucks's highest Forward Rate of Return was 24.42. The lowest was -2.77. And the median was 15.19.

SBUX's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is ranked worse than
76.8% of 250 companies
in the Restaurants industry
Industry Median: 13.835 vs SBUX: -2.77

Unlike the Earnings Yield %, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.


Starbucks  (NAS:SBUX) Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Explanation

Unlike the Earnings Yield, the Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.

For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is to make it comparable to the growth rate.


Be Aware

In the Forward Rate of Return calculation, the growth rate is added directly to today's free cash flow yield. Therefore the calculation is reliable only if the company can grow at the same rate in the future as it did in the past. Investors should pay close attention to this when researching growth stocks. A more accurate measurement for return is Return on Capital.


Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Related Terms


Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Chart

Starbucks Annual Data
Trend Sep16 Sep17 Sep18 Sep19 Sep20 Sep21 Sep22 Sep23 Sep24 Sep25
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 1.63 6.55 12.47 16.18 14.18

Starbucks Quarterly Data
Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26 Jun26
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 18.14 14.18 8.52 2.09 -2.63

SBUX vs MCD, YUM, CMG: Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Comparison

For the Restaurants subindustry, Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % vs Restaurants Industry

For the Restaurants industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % falls into.


SBUX
85GF Score
Starbucks Corp SBUX
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Starbucks Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % Calculation

Forward Rate of Return is a concept that Don Yacktman uses in his investment approach. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation. He said in the interview (March 2012, when the S&P 500 was at about 1400):

If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.

The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).

Starbucks's Forward Rate of Return of Jun. 2026 is

Forward Rate of Return=Normalized Free Cash Flow/Price+5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=2.83485714/102.19+-0.054
=-2.63 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

What does a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of -2.63% mean?
Starbucks (SBUX) has a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % of -2.63% as of Jun. 2026. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Starbucks and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #192 out of 250 companies in the Restaurants industry, placing it in the top 76.8%.
Is Starbucks' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % too high?
Starbucks' current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is -2.63%. Based on the distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #192 out of 250 companies in the Restaurants industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Starbucks has a GF Score™ of 85/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Starbucks' Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % compare to MCD and YUM?
According to the Restaurants industry distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #192 out of 250 companies for Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. This places Starbucks in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 13.84. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for a Restaurants company?
The median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % among Restaurants companies is 13.84, based on 250 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % mean?
A high Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Yacktman's forward rate of return equals the sum of normalized free-cash-flow yield plus earnings growth. View historical data on Starbucks and its competitors. For the Restaurants industry, the median Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is 13.84 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Starbucks's current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is -2.63%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Starbucks stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Starbucks (SBUX) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $98.27, compared to a current price of $107.69 — trading 9.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is -2.63%. Starbucks' overall GF Score™ is 85/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % calculated?
Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Starbucks (SBUX), the current Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is -2.63% as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Starbucks (SBUX) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Starbucks stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $107.69 is trading 9.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of $98.27. GuruFocus considers Starbucks to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for SBUX:

  • Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %: -2.63%
  • GF Value™: $98.27 vs. price of $107.69 (9.6% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 85/100 with 6 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the SBUX stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Starbucks Business Description

Address 2401 Utah Avenue South, Seattle, WA, USA, 98134
Starbucks stands out as the world's biggest and most recognizable coffee brand, powered by ultracustomizable beverages in-store and a sweeping footprint of nearly 41,000 cafes in over 80 countries. About 52% are company-operated, with the balance run by licensees. The company operates roasteries and sells across its North America (74% of revenue as of the end of fiscal 2025), international (21%), and channel development (5%) segments. The brand collects revenue from company-operated stores, licensee royalties, equipment and product sales, retail ready-to-drink beverages, and packaged coffee.
85GF Score

Get the complete analysis for SBUX

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$107.69
Price
$98.27
GF Value