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 on Tuesday reported better-than-expected sales in its fiscal first quarter as some of its turnaround efforts start to take hold. The Seattle coffee giant said its revenue was flat at $9.4 billion for the 13-week period ending Dec. 29. That beat Wall Street's forecast of $9.3 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

Starbucks announced another stage in its leadership shake-up on Tuesday, as CEO Brian Niccol will bring in two more executives who spent time at his former employer Taco Bell while dividing key leadership roles.

Starbucks is adding more former Taco Bell executives as part of its ongoing effort to revamp the coffee giant’s business under CEO Brian Niccol.