Starbucks Closes 500 Stores Amid $1 Billion Overhaul Strategy
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 30 2025
0mins
Should l Buy BLMN?
Source: Benzinga
- Increased Market Pressure: In 2025, the restaurant industry faced severe challenges, prompting Starbucks to close approximately 500 North American cafes in response to declining sales, reflecting a trend of consumers shifting towards home cooking, which is expected to impact the company's short-term revenue.
- Strategic Restructuring: Starbucks has implemented a $1 billion overhaul strategy aimed at improving operational efficiency; although the decision to close its high-end Seattle Roastery has raised eyebrows, this move is intended to stabilize domestic sales and enhance market competitiveness.
- Industry Contraction: Several iconic chains have reduced their footprints in 2025, with Denny's closing 70 to 90 units and Papa John's shutting down 173 locations, indicating an overall industry shrinkage that may lead to further market share concentration.
- Investor Intervention: Following its store closures, Denny's was acquired by private investors for $620 million, aimed at stabilizing operations, reflecting investor confidence and expectations for recovery in the restaurant sector.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy BLMN?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on BLMN
Wall Street analysts forecast BLMN stock price to rise
6 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
3 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 6.320
Low
6.00
Averages
8.00
High
11.00
Current: 6.320
Low
6.00
Averages
8.00
High
11.00
About BLMN
Bloomin Brands, Inc. is a casual dining restaurant company. It has four founder-inspired brands: Outback Steakhouse, Carrabbas Italian Grill, BonefishGrill, and Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. The Company’s segment includes U.S. and International Franchise. Outback Steakhouse is a casual steakhouse restaurant concept focused on steaks, bold flavors and Australian decor. Carrabbas Italian Grill offers authentic Italian cuisine passed down from its founder's family recipes. Bonefish Grill specializes in fish from around the world, hand-cut in-house every day, savory wood-grilled specialties, and locally created seasonal partner selection dishes. Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is a contemporary interpretation of the classic American steakhouse, boasting culinary mastery, signature style and unrivaled attentive service to create memorable dining experiences for guests. The Company owns, operates, and franchises over 1,450 restaurants in 46 states, Guam and 12 countries.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Bloomin' Brands Q4 2025 Earnings Call Insights
- Performance Overview: In Q4 2025, total revenues reached $975 million, a slight increase from $972 million last year, with U.S. comparable sales flat but traffic up 50 basis points, indicating effective efforts in customer attraction.
- Outback Performance: Outback's traffic outperformed the industry by 190 basis points, with comparable sales down 60 basis points, marking the first positive traffic growth since Q4 2021, suggesting a gradual recovery momentum for the brand.
- Future Outlook: The company anticipates U.S. comparable sales growth between 0.5% and 2.5% for 2026, while planning to invest approximately $50 million in turnaround initiatives aimed at enhancing service quality and refreshing restaurant locations to boost market competitiveness.
- Cost Control: Despite facing commodity inflation pressures of 4.5% to 5.5%, management has reduced total debt to $787 million and optimized operational costs, demonstrating proactive strategies in addressing external challenges.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Q4 Performance Analysis
- Performance Overview: Bloomin' Brands reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 25 cents, aligning with analyst expectations, although sales of $975.223 million showed a modest year-over-year increase of 0.3%, falling short of the market's $981.039 million forecast, indicating ongoing challenges amid margin pressures.
- Restaurant Sales Growth: Restaurant sales reached $958.026 million, up from $952.091 million a year ago, reflecting the company's efforts to enhance guest experience and food quality, with CEO Mike Spanos noting this marked the first positive traffic since Q4 2021.
- Strategic Investment Plans: The company launched a turnaround strategy in November, focusing on targeted investments in steak quality at Outback Steakhouse, with plans for additional strategic investments over the next year to drive long-term sustainable and profitable growth, highlighting its commitment to competitive positioning.
- Future Outlook: Bloomin' Brands expects first-quarter GAAP earnings per share between 54 and 59 cents, exceeding analysts' estimates of 49 cents, while projecting GAAP earnings per share for fiscal 2026 to range from 70 to 85 cents, indicating strong confidence in future growth prospects.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Q4 Results Beat Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Bloomin' Brands reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.26, exceeding expectations by $0.02, indicating a stable and improving profitability trend for the company.
- Slight Revenue Growth: The company's Q4 revenue reached $975.22 million, reflecting a 0.3% year-over-year increase, although it fell short of market expectations by $5.34 million, highlighting challenges from increased competition and weak consumer spending.
- Cautious Future Guidance: Bloomin' Brands provided cautious guidance for 2026, projecting U.S. comparable restaurant sales growth of 0.5% to 2.5%, with diluted EPS expected between $0.70 and $0.85, suggesting a conservative outlook on future growth.
- Tax Rate Impact: The effective income tax rate was negative, which could affect future profitability and cash flow, prompting investors to monitor its potential implications on overall financial health.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Reports Q4 2025 Results with Strategic Turnaround Focus
- Financial Overview: Bloomin' Brands reported total revenues of $975.2 million for Q4 2025, a slight increase of 0.3% compared to FY 2024, but a net loss of $13.475 million highlights the challenges faced during its turnaround efforts due to ongoing asset impairments and restructuring costs.
- Earnings Per Share Changes: The adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.26 from $0.22 in FY 2024, reflecting the company's efforts to improve profitability despite the overall poor financial performance, indicating a potential recovery trajectory.
- Restaurant Sales Performance: Outback Steakhouse experienced a 0.6% decline in comparable restaurant sales in the U.S., while Carrabba’s Italian Grill saw a 1.6% increase, illustrating the varied performance across different brands and its impact on overall revenue structure.
- Future Outlook: The company anticipates U.S. comparable restaurant sales growth of 0.5% to 2.5% for FY 2026 and plans to invest $185 million to $195 million in new restaurant openings, demonstrating confidence in future growth and strategic positioning.
See More
Texas Roadhouse Misses Q4 Estimates Amid High Beef Prices
- Revenue and Profit Decline: Texas Roadhouse's Q4 revenue increased by 3.1% year-over-year to $1.48 billion, falling short of Wall Street's $1.496 billion estimate, indicating pressure on profits from high beef prices.
- Same-Store Sales Slowdown: Although comparable sales surged to 8.2% in the first three weeks, the overall quarterly growth dropped to 4.2%, missing analyst expectations of 5.2%, reflecting weakened consumer demand and seasonal impacts.
- Increased Shareholder Returns: The company repurchased $50 million worth of stock in Q4 and raised its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.75 per share, demonstrating a commitment to shareholders despite cost pressures.
- Stable Future Outlook: Management maintained a commodity inflation forecast of around 7% for 2026, despite concerns over persistent high beef prices, while planning to open 35 new restaurants in the coming year, indicating a steadfast expansion strategy.
See More
Jim Cramer's Trust Portfolio Trading Update
- Capital One Increase: Acquiring 30 shares of Capital One Financial at approximately $208 each raises the weighting in Jim Cramer's Trust to 3.05% from 2.9%, increasing total shares to 580, indicating confidence in the company's growth potential despite risks from proposed interest rate caps.
- Danaher Reduction: Selling 200 shares of Danaher at around $207 each decreases the weighting from 2.1% to 1.05%, realizing a disappointing 9% loss, reflecting concerns over its acquisition of pulse oximetry leader Masimo and a preference for biotech-focused acquisitions.
- Texas Roadhouse Sale: Offloading 200 shares of Texas Roadhouse at about $189 each reduces the weighting to 0.95% from 1.9%, achieving an 8% gain, yet concerns over persistent beef inflation suggest potential earnings misses in upcoming reports.
- Strategic Portfolio Adjustment: By reducing positions in underperforming stocks, Jim Cramer's Trust aims to sidestep potential earnings shortfalls, demonstrating a cautious approach to earnings expectations in the current market climate.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Q4 2025 Earnings Call Insights
- Performance Overview: In Q4 2025, total revenues reached $975 million, a slight increase from $972 million last year, with U.S. comparable sales flat but traffic up 50 basis points, indicating effective efforts in customer attraction.
- Outback Performance: Outback's traffic outperformed the industry by 190 basis points, with comparable sales down 60 basis points, marking the first positive traffic growth since Q4 2021, suggesting a gradual recovery momentum for the brand.
- Future Outlook: The company anticipates U.S. comparable sales growth between 0.5% and 2.5% for 2026, while planning to invest approximately $50 million in turnaround initiatives aimed at enhancing service quality and refreshing restaurant locations to boost market competitiveness.
- Cost Control: Despite facing commodity inflation pressures of 4.5% to 5.5%, management has reduced total debt to $787 million and optimized operational costs, demonstrating proactive strategies in addressing external challenges.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Q4 Performance Analysis
- Performance Overview: Bloomin' Brands reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 25 cents, aligning with analyst expectations, although sales of $975.223 million showed a modest year-over-year increase of 0.3%, falling short of the market's $981.039 million forecast, indicating ongoing challenges amid margin pressures.
- Restaurant Sales Growth: Restaurant sales reached $958.026 million, up from $952.091 million a year ago, reflecting the company's efforts to enhance guest experience and food quality, with CEO Mike Spanos noting this marked the first positive traffic since Q4 2021.
- Strategic Investment Plans: The company launched a turnaround strategy in November, focusing on targeted investments in steak quality at Outback Steakhouse, with plans for additional strategic investments over the next year to drive long-term sustainable and profitable growth, highlighting its commitment to competitive positioning.
- Future Outlook: Bloomin' Brands expects first-quarter GAAP earnings per share between 54 and 59 cents, exceeding analysts' estimates of 49 cents, while projecting GAAP earnings per share for fiscal 2026 to range from 70 to 85 cents, indicating strong confidence in future growth prospects.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Q4 Results Beat Expectations
- Earnings Beat: Bloomin' Brands reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.26, exceeding expectations by $0.02, indicating a stable and improving profitability trend for the company.
- Slight Revenue Growth: The company's Q4 revenue reached $975.22 million, reflecting a 0.3% year-over-year increase, although it fell short of market expectations by $5.34 million, highlighting challenges from increased competition and weak consumer spending.
- Cautious Future Guidance: Bloomin' Brands provided cautious guidance for 2026, projecting U.S. comparable restaurant sales growth of 0.5% to 2.5%, with diluted EPS expected between $0.70 and $0.85, suggesting a conservative outlook on future growth.
- Tax Rate Impact: The effective income tax rate was negative, which could affect future profitability and cash flow, prompting investors to monitor its potential implications on overall financial health.
See More
Bloomin' Brands Reports Q4 2025 Results with Strategic Turnaround Focus
- Financial Overview: Bloomin' Brands reported total revenues of $975.2 million for Q4 2025, a slight increase of 0.3% compared to FY 2024, but a net loss of $13.475 million highlights the challenges faced during its turnaround efforts due to ongoing asset impairments and restructuring costs.
- Earnings Per Share Changes: The adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.26 from $0.22 in FY 2024, reflecting the company's efforts to improve profitability despite the overall poor financial performance, indicating a potential recovery trajectory.
- Restaurant Sales Performance: Outback Steakhouse experienced a 0.6% decline in comparable restaurant sales in the U.S., while Carrabba’s Italian Grill saw a 1.6% increase, illustrating the varied performance across different brands and its impact on overall revenue structure.
- Future Outlook: The company anticipates U.S. comparable restaurant sales growth of 0.5% to 2.5% for FY 2026 and plans to invest $185 million to $195 million in new restaurant openings, demonstrating confidence in future growth and strategic positioning.
See More
Texas Roadhouse Misses Q4 Estimates Amid High Beef Prices
- Revenue and Profit Decline: Texas Roadhouse's Q4 revenue increased by 3.1% year-over-year to $1.48 billion, falling short of Wall Street's $1.496 billion estimate, indicating pressure on profits from high beef prices.
- Same-Store Sales Slowdown: Although comparable sales surged to 8.2% in the first three weeks, the overall quarterly growth dropped to 4.2%, missing analyst expectations of 5.2%, reflecting weakened consumer demand and seasonal impacts.
- Increased Shareholder Returns: The company repurchased $50 million worth of stock in Q4 and raised its quarterly dividend by 10% to $0.75 per share, demonstrating a commitment to shareholders despite cost pressures.
- Stable Future Outlook: Management maintained a commodity inflation forecast of around 7% for 2026, despite concerns over persistent high beef prices, while planning to open 35 new restaurants in the coming year, indicating a steadfast expansion strategy.
See More
Jim Cramer's Trust Portfolio Trading Update
- Capital One Increase: Acquiring 30 shares of Capital One Financial at approximately $208 each raises the weighting in Jim Cramer's Trust to 3.05% from 2.9%, increasing total shares to 580, indicating confidence in the company's growth potential despite risks from proposed interest rate caps.
- Danaher Reduction: Selling 200 shares of Danaher at around $207 each decreases the weighting from 2.1% to 1.05%, realizing a disappointing 9% loss, reflecting concerns over its acquisition of pulse oximetry leader Masimo and a preference for biotech-focused acquisitions.
- Texas Roadhouse Sale: Offloading 200 shares of Texas Roadhouse at about $189 each reduces the weighting to 0.95% from 1.9%, achieving an 8% gain, yet concerns over persistent beef inflation suggest potential earnings misses in upcoming reports.
- Strategic Portfolio Adjustment: By reducing positions in underperforming stocks, Jim Cramer's Trust aims to sidestep potential earnings shortfalls, demonstrating a cautious approach to earnings expectations in the current market climate.
See More
