shares of starbucks corp fell after hours tuesday after the coffee chain reported thirdquarter samestore sales that missed expectations despite a big rebound in china the coffee chain reported fiscal thirdquarter net income of 114 billion or 99 cents a share compared with 9129 million or 79 cents a share in the same quarter last year adjusted for restructuring and impairment costs starbucks earned 1 a share revenue rose 125 to 917 billion compared with 815 billion in the prioryear quarter samestore sales rose 10 worldwide with a 7 gain in north america those samestore sales jumped 24 internationally with a 46 gain in china analysts polled by factset expected starbucks sbux to report adjusted earnings per share of 95 cents on revenue of 929 billion and samestore sales growth of 11 operating margins rose to 173 from 159 a year ago with higher prices and productivity offset by greater spending on employee wages and benefits shares were down 07 after hours on tuesday shares of starbucks are roughly where they were at the beginning of the year starbucks executives over the past year have said that amid stubborn inflation customers see coffee as an affordable luxury worth treating themselves to but wall street has struggled to find a reason to push the stock higher amid questions about trends in north america and slowing samestore sales in the years ahead as well as china’s uneven economic recovery as it shakes off pandemic restrictions ubs analysts said that demand in the us was likely still “solid” but they said that the focus would be on demand in china quo vadis analyst john zolidis meanwhile said that along with china investors had been focused on the chain’s efforts to set up more drivethrough locations in the us and any benefits from higherpriced cold drinks and customizable orders the coffee chain also continues to fight with its unionized employees bargaining has stalled last month unionized workers accused starbucks of banning pridethemed decorations starbucks aggressively denied those allegations