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McDonald's Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Global comparable sales rose 5.7%: Fourth-quarter global comparable sales rose 5.7%, with positive global comparable guest counts and comparable sales growth in all segments. Source
  • Quarterly diluted EPS rose 8%: Reported diluted EPS was $3.03, up 8%. Excluding $0.09 of current-year charges and prior-year items, it was $3.12, up 10%. Source
  • Loyalty sales rose 20%: Systemwide sales to loyalty members across 70 markets rose 20% for the full year, to nearly $37 billion. Source
  • Fourth-quarter charges of $80 million: Pre-tax charges of $80 million, mainly restructuring under Accelerating the Organization, equal $0.09 per diluted share in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Franchised margins drove operating income: Excluding the charges, operating income growth in both periods was primarily driven by higher sales-driven Franchised margins. Source
  • Systemwide sales up 11%: Fourth-quarter systemwide sales rose 11%, or 8% in constant currencies. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $7,186 million: Full-year free cash flow was $7,186 million, against $6,672 million in 2024, after $3,365 million of capital expenditures. Source

“McDonald’s value leadership is working, said Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski.”

Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Loyalty measurement now covers 70 markets, up from 60 in the third-quarter release. Source
  • New: The company declared a 5% increase in its quarterly cash dividend, to $1.86 per share. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Global comparable sales rose 5.7%: Fourth-quarter global comparable sales rose 5.7%, with positive global comparable guest counts and comparable sales growth in all segments. Source
  • Revenue rose 10% in quarter: Consolidated revenues rose 10% in the fourth quarter, or 6% in constant currencies. Source
  • Operating income up 13% adjusted: Operating income rose 10% in the fourth quarter. Excluding current-year charges and $3 million of prior-year net charges, it rose 13%. Source
  • Quarterly diluted EPS rose 8%: Reported diluted EPS was $3.03, up 8%. Excluding $0.09 of current-year charges and prior-year items, it was $3.12, up 10%. Source
  • Full-year diluted EPS rose 5%: Full-year diluted EPS was $11.95, up 5%. Excluding current-year and prior-year items, it was $12.20, up 4%. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. comparable sales driven by promotions: U.S. fourth-quarter comparable sales growth came from positive check and guest count growth, primarily from marketing promotions. A year earlier U.S. comparable sales fell 1.4%. Source
  • International Operated Markets broadly positive: Nearly all International Operated Markets posted positive comparable sales in the fourth quarter, led by the U.K., Germany and Australia. Source
  • Developmental licensed markets led by Japan: Positive comparable sales in International Developmental Licensed Markets were led by Japan, and every geographic region was positive. Source

“The momentum we’ve built reinforces the progress we've made with our strategy and has earned us the right to look forward together as a system.”

Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski

Products, customers and loyalty

  • Loyalty sales rose 20%: Systemwide sales to loyalty members across 70 markets rose 20% for the full year, to nearly $37 billion. Source
  • Active loyalty users near 210 million: 90-day active loyalty users rose 19% to nearly 210 million at year-end. Source
  • Customer listening lifted value scores: Management said listening to customers and acting on their feedback improved traffic and strengthened value and affordability scores. Source

Costs, charges and margins

  • Fourth-quarter charges of $80 million: Pre-tax charges of $80 million, mainly restructuring under Accelerating the Organization, equal $0.09 per diluted share in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Full-year charges of $229 million: Net pre-tax charges for the year were $229 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, mostly restructuring. Prior-year net charges were $291 million. Source
  • Franchised margins drove operating income: Excluding the charges, operating income growth in both periods was primarily driven by higher sales-driven Franchised margins. Source
  • Company-operated restaurant costs rose: Company-owned and operated restaurant expenses rose to $2,159 million in the fourth quarter, from $1,977 million a year earlier. Source

Systemwide sales and demand

  • Systemwide sales up 11%: Fourth-quarter systemwide sales rose 11%, or 8% in constant currencies. Source
  • Full-year systemwide sales top $139 billion: Full-year systemwide sales rose 7%, or 5% in constant currencies, to over $139 billion, an increase of $9 billion. Source
  • Most restaurants independently owned: About 95% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow rose to $7,186 million: Full-year free cash flow was $7,186 million, against $6,672 million in 2024, after $3,365 million of capital expenditures. Source
  • Operating cash flow and capex rose: Cash provided by operations was $10,551 million, against $9,447 million, while capital expenditures rose from $2,775 million. Source
  • Buybacks fell, dividends paid rose: Full-year treasury stock purchases were $2,056 million, down from $2,824 million. Common stock dividends paid rose to $5,115 million from $4,870 million. Source
  • Diluted share count declined: Fourth-quarter weighted average diluted shares were 714.2 million, against 719.7 million a year earlier. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales, global, fourth quarter Source5.7%
Comparable sales, global, full year Source3.1%
Comparable sales, U.S., fourth quarter Source6.8%
Comparable sales, International Operated Markets, fourth quarter Source5.2%
Comparable sales, International Developmental Licensed Markets, fourth quarter Source4.5%
Traffic (comparable guest counts), global, fourth quarter Sourcepositive
Average check, U.S., fourth quarter Sourcepositive
Restaurant locations, year-end Sourceover 45,000

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Restructuring charges under Accelerating the Organization reduced reported EPS by $0.09 in the quarter and $0.25 for the year. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.