During the third quarter, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp increased its holdings in Starbucks by 29.8%, acquiring an additional 18,633 shares to reach a total position of 81,177 shares. According to the latest SEC filing, this stake was valued at approximately $6.87 million at quarter end, marking one of the largest percentage increases among institutional investors in the period.

A total of eighteen analysts maintain Buy ratings on Starbucks, eight analysts rate it Hold and two rate it Sell, resulting in a consensus opinion of Moderate Buy. In the third quarter, several smaller funds also adjusted positions: PFS Partners LLC expanded its stake by 457.4%, Game Plan Financial Advisors LLC and MTM Investment Management LLC established new positions, and REAP Financial Group LLC more than doubled its holdings. Hedge funds and other institutions now own just over 72% of the company’s shares.

In its most recent quarter, Starbucks reported earnings per share of $0.56, missing analyst expectations by $0.03, while revenue rose 5.5% year-over-year to $9.92 billion, surpassing forecasts by $300 million. The company’s net margin stood at 3.63% and return on equity was negative 28.66%. Management has set full-year guidance of $2.15 to $2.40 in adjusted EPS, and consensus estimates project $2.99 for the current fiscal year. Starbucks declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share, representing an annualized payout of $2.48 and yielding 2.7%, with a dividend payout ratio exceeding 200% due to high share counts and earnings variability.