McDonald’s Stock Rises as Global Comparable Sales Return to Growth

McDonald’s (MCD) shares rose Monday as the fast-food giant’s global comparable sales returned to growth, offsetting worse-than-expected fourth-quarter results.

The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.83, below the $2.87 analysts expected, per Visible Alpha. McDonald’s registered revenue of $6.39 billion, while analysts were looking for $6.46 billion.

Comparable Sales Return to Global Growth But Decline in US

McDonald’s said Monday that global comparable sales rose 0.4%, better than the 0.41% drop analysts had expected. Its global comparable sales had declined each of the last two quarters.

However, comparable sales dropped 1.4% in the U.S., more than analysts had expected, as McDonald’s dealt with the impact of an October E. coli outbreak that affected traffic in several states.

Executives have acknowledged over the last year that McDonald’s prices had risen too high for many consumers, as many Americans with strained budgets turned away from spending on fast food. The chain responded by launching new value-centric deals last summer, with a number of new promotions rolled out at the start of 2025 as McDonald’s looks to win back customers.

McDonald’s shares rose nearly 5% in Monday morning trading. They entered the day up less than 2% over the last 12 months.

UPDATE—This article has been updated with the latest share price information.