When it comes to growth outside the U.S., Starbucks
Three existing company executives will take responsibility for Asia, the Americas, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa, respectively. This new management structure will help the company tackle coveted markets like China, Brazil, and India.
Starbucks has long eyed foreign markets for additional growth. However, its previous organization simply divided the world into the U.S. and the "international" market. Although my colleague Eric Bleeker recently revealed Starbucks' international success, this more focused approach could definitely help the company drive that growth even more aggressively. Eric also pointed out that rival Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
International markets mean more than ever to companies and their investors. Expansion in huge, populous regions with growing middle-class consumers (like, oh, say, China) provides a key path to growth, especially as the U.S. economy continues to struggle. Yum! Brands'
Starbucks is currently trading at 22 times forward earnings. That pales in comparison to Green Mountain's whopping forward price-to-earnings ratio of 42, and makes McDonald's
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