Starbucks reaffirms profit outlook despite rising dairy costs

SEATTLE Starbucks Corp. recorded an 8.8-percent year-to-year jump in profit for its third quarter on a 20.1-percent increase in total revenue, reflecting the opening of 668 new locations during the quarter.

The company, which operates or licenses 14,396 coffee outlets worldwide, also reiterated its full-year profit outlook despite talk of margin-squeezing dairy costs and slowed sales in the Unites States. Starbucks raised the prices of its beverages this week by