"Net income rose to $103 million, or 25 cents a share, in the 14 weeks ended Oct. 3, compared with the $70 million, or 17 cents a share, it earned in a 13-week period a year earlier. Revenue for the quarter increased to $1.5 billion from $1.1 billion.

....

n 2004, growth for outlets open 13 months or more was 10 percent, a feat virtually unheard of in retailing, where the average comparable growth of stores open at least a year is less than 2 percent.

In a conference call yesterday with analysts, Howard D. Schultz, the company's chairman, and Orin C. Smith, who will be succeeded by Jim Donald in 2005, painted an optimistic picture for next year. Mr. Schultz said Starbucks planned to open 1,500 stores and expected growth of 20 percent in earnings per share for both revenue and earnings. "