Starbucks' (NASDAQ: SBUX) brand perception may have been dented by CEO Howard Schultz's promise to hire 10,000 refugees worldwide, according to a recent YouGov survey. The research firm claims that prior to the announcement in late January, 30% of respondents stated that they would consider visiting a Starbucks the next time they wanted coffee. After the announcement, that percentage dropped to 24%.
Schultz's decision was a direct response to the Trump administration's initial travel ban on citizens of several Muslim-majority countries. In an announcement to employees, Schultz stated that the company "will neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new administration's actions grows with each passing day."...