Anticipating McDonalds Earnings: What to Expect

McDonald’s, the global fast-food giant, recently released its quarterly results, revealing a mixed performance due to the turmoil in the Middle East impacting sales in those markets. The company reported earnings per share of $2.95, surpassing the expected $2.82. However, revenue fell slightly short of expectations at $6.41 billion, compared to the anticipated $6.45 billion.

Following the news, shares of McDonald’s fell less than 1% in premarket trading. Despite this, the company’s net income for the fourth quarter increased to $2.04 billion, or $2.80 per share, compared to $1.9 billion, or $2.59 per share, in the previous year. Excluding certain costs, the company’s earnings per share reached $2.95. Net sales also experienced an 8% rise to $6.41 billion.

However, the Middle Eastern sales struggle impacted global same-store sales, which grew only 3.4% in the quarter, falling short of the estimated 4.7%. The International developmental licensed markets segment saw a mere 0.7% growth in same-store sales, largely due to the Israel-Hamas war. On the other hand, China and Japan reported positive same-store sales growth for the quarter.

Fortunately, domestic same-store sales increased by 4.3%, in line with expectations. This growth has been attributed to menu price hikes and effective marketing and digital sales growth. The previous quarter had seen a decline in U.S. traffic as low-income consumers cut back on spending.

McDonald’s also reported that the International operated markets segment witnessed 4.4% same-store sales growth, only slightly shy of estimates. However, France saw a decline in sales.

Despite these challenges, McDonald’s remains optimistic about its future. The company reiterates its forecast for 2024, with expectations of new restaurant openings increasing system-wide sales growth by nearly 2% excluding currency changes. To achieve this, McDonald’s plans to open over 2,100 new locations this year, aiming to expand its reach to more customers. The company anticipates spending between $2.5 billion and $2.7 billion on capital expenditures, with a focus on new restaurant openings in the U.S. and its international operated markets.

Overall, despite the turmoil in the Middle East impacting sales, McDonald’s continues to navigate challenges and remains focused on expanding its global presence and delivering positive financial results.