Starbucks reported a smaller-than-expected fall in first-quarter comparable sales on Tuesday, in early signs of the struggling coffee chain benefiting from CEO Brian Niccol's efforts to revive demand.

Starbucks has reported better-than-expected sales in its fiscal first quarter as some of its turnaround efforts start to take hold.

Key Takeaways Starbucks reported fiscal first-quarter results that topped analysts’ expectations, despite sales and profit declines year-over-year.The better-than-expected results came as new CEO Brian Niccol said the company made progress toward its "Back to Starbucks" strategy.