In a release before market open on July 29th 2024, McDonald’s Corporation, a bellwether for the QSR segment of the restaurant industry, reported results for the 2nd quarter of FY 2024 ended June 30th 2024.The Company disappointed on revenue, earnings and sales growth. Consensus EPS was $3.07, $0.27 above the actual value for Q2. For the period, the Company earned $2,022 million on total revenue of $6,490 million with a diluted EPS of $2.80. Comparable figures for the 2nd quarter of fiscal 2023 were net income of $2,310 million on total revenue of $6,498 million with a diluted EPS of $3.15.
Revenue for Q2 was almost flat falling 0.1 percent from Q2 FY 2023. Operating margin fell from 47.8 percent to 45.0 percent for the most recent quarter. Gross margin for Company-operated stores declined from 15.9 percent for Q2 FY 2023 to 15.7 percent suggesting acceptable control of costs for ingredients, packaging and rationalization of menus to offset increased labor cost. The Accelerating the Arches efficiency initiative, was unable to maintain traffic despite promotions. The Company may be benefitting from trade-down from restaurant dining in the demographic with an annual income of over $100,000. In contrast management are concerned over loss of traffic and check value among lower income customers
In commenting on results at the end of Q1 FY 2024, Chris Kempczinski, president and CEO stated, “Consumers continue to be even more discriminating with every dollar that they spend as they faced elevated prices in their day-to-day spending, which is putting pressure on the QSR industry." This prescient statement suggests that McDonald’s and competitors have reached a limit with increases in menu prices. This is consistent with the divergence in cost of food-at-home compared to QSRs and casual dining restaurants.
For Q2 FY 2024, McDonald’s posted a decline in comparable store sales in the U.S. of -0.7 percent with comparable store sales for the international operated markets segment of -1.1 percent contributing to a global comparable store sales reduction of -1.0 percent. The International Developmental Licensed Market Segment posted a 1.3 percent decline in comparable sales due to turbulence in the Middle East although partly offset by gains in Latin America and Japan.
Projections for 2024 in the SEC 8K report included net restaurant expansion contributing 2.0 percent to system-wide sales with an operating margin of a mid-to high 40 percent.
On June 30th 2024 there were 42,406 McDonald’s stores. Restaurant breakdown included 13,484, in the U.S.; 10,333 International-operated and 18,589, International Developmental Licensed locations. During 2024 the Company intends to open 1,600 new restaurants globally. According to the report most will be traditional in design but the Company will consider alternatives including a test of a small free-standing ‘CosMC’ format.
McDonald’s Corporation attained a market capitalization of $181,610 million on July 29th 2024. Total assets on December 31st 2023 amounted to $56,146 million of which 24.0 percent comprised lease right-of-use assets. Long-term debt and lease obligation were $50,211 million.
MCD has ranged over the past 52-weeks from $243.93 to $302.39 with a 50-day moving average of $266.67. MCD trades with a forward P/E ratio of 20.5. The 12-month trailing operating margin was 44.2 percent and profit margin, 33.4 percent. Return on assets was 14.1 percent. Prior to release MCD closed on Friday, July 26th at $252.00 but opened post-release on Monday, July 29th at $252.61, closing up 9.4 percent to $261.42.