Patrons sit inside a Starbucks in New York, Nov. 16, 2007. Photographer: Robert Caplin/Bloomberg News - Bloomberg By Duane D. Stanford Bloomberg January 02, 2007 Starbucks Corp., whose shares last year had the biggest annual decline ever, fell the most in 17 months in New York trading after Bear Stearns & Co. lowered its recommendation on the stock. The firm cut its rating on Starbucks shares to ``peer perform'' from ``outperform'' on concern that a decline in sales and higher food costs will hurt profitability at the world's largest chain of coffee shops. Seattle-based Starbucks has expanded its customer base to include ``less affluent'' coffee drinkers ``who react to economic pressures,'' Joseph Buckley, a Bear Stearns analyst in New York, wrote in a note to investors today. ``Dairy costs also remain stubbornly high and are likely to continue to significantly pressure margins in the March and possibly June quarters.'' The downgrade w...