Starbucks sees hotter-than-expected earnings for 2021

The coffee chain was forced to close many stores and limit operations to takeout and delivery at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but sales have since improved as consumers used the company's app to order and collect at stores.For the fourth quarter, comparable sales fell 9%, against Wall Street estimates of a 12.1% decline, as consumers gradually returned to their morning routines or shifted habits to other times of day.Starbucks shares fell more than 1% in after-hours trading.