Starbucks Is Offering Executives $6 Million Performance-Based Stock Grants Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is offering leadership stock grants if they can "meaningfully" reduce operating expenses.

By Erin Davis

Michael Reaves | Getty Images
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol looks on during the Golden Bear Pro-Am prior to the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 28, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has been on a mission to turn around the coffeehouse's lagging sales through a variety of measures, from dress codes to menu changes. Now, the company is offering executives massive stock grants if they can help make it happen.

The stock grants have a $6 million target value, Bloomberg reports, and are based on performance. In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, Starbucks said the restricted stock units are eligible to vest after the company's 2027 fiscal year, or in late September 2027.

Related: Starbucks Is Hiring a 'Global Content Creator' to Travel, Drink Coffee, and Get Paid Six Figures

Niccol's wants his "Back to Starbucks" plan enacted "as quickly as possible," the filing says.

The company is also hiring 3,000 more baristas as part of Niccol's plan to improve sales after five consecutive quarters of declines. Starbucks reported in May that same-store sales dropped 1% in the first quarter of 2025, falling short of Wall Street expectations.

The awards "include a goal of meaningfully reducing operating expenses to support continued investment in the in-store experience," the filing says, per Bloomberg.

Related: Starbucks Is Hiring In-Store Human Workers After Replacing People With Machines — and Finding It Didn't Work

Erin Davis

Entrepreneur Staff

Trending News Writer

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

You Can Get Paid $18,000 More a Year By Adding AI Skills to Your Resume, According to a New Study

Employers are emphasizing AI skills — and are willing to pay a lot more if you have them.

Leadership

7 Steps to De-Risking Big Business Decisions Before They Backfire

When the stakes are high, these seven steps can help you avoid costly mistakes, eliminate bias and make smarter decisions that actually scale.

Leadership

The Difference Between Entrepreneurs Who Survive Crises and Those Who Don't

In a business world accelerated by AI, visibility alone is fragile. Here's how strategic silence and consistency can turn reputation into your most powerful asset.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Here's the Real Reason Your Employees Are Checked Out — And the Missing Link That Could Fix It

Most disengaged employees aren't exhausted — they're disconnected, and storytelling may be the key to rebuilding that connection.

Business News

United Airlines Says It Is Adding Extra Flights in Case Spirit 'Suddenly Goes Out of Business'

Rival airlines, including United and Frontier, are adding new routes as Spirit cuts 12 cities from its schedule.