Why Everyone Is Eating Up McDonald’s Earnings

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By Chris Lange Updated Published
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McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) released its most recent quarterly results before the markets opened on Monday. The golden arches said that it had $1.79 in earnings per share (EPS) on $5.14 billion in revenue. That compares with consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $1.67 in EPS on revenue of $4.97 billion. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $1.47 and $5.68 billion in revenue.

During the quarter, global comparable sales increased 5.5% and global comparable guest counts increased 0.8%. Also, systemwide sales increased 7% in constant currencies.

In the United States, first-quarter comparable sales increased 2.9%, driven by growth in average check resulting from menu price increases and product mix shifts. Comparable sales for the International Lead segment increased 7.8%, reflecting positive results across all markets.

The company did not release any guidance for the second quarter with its report. However, the consensus estimates call for $1.94 in EPS on $5.33 billion in revenue for the quarter.

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Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s president and CEO, commented:

We continued to build upon the broad-based momentum of our business, marking 11 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales and our fifth consecutive quarter of positive guest counts. More customers are recognising that we are becoming a better McDonald’s, appreciating our great tasting food, fast and friendly service and compelling value as we execute our Velocity Growth Plan.

Shares of McDonald’s closed Friday at $158.30, with a consensus analyst price target of $185.54 and a 52-week range of $139.84 to $178.70. Following the announcement, the stock was up about 4% at $164.70 in early trading indications Monday.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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