A McDonald’s cheeseburger, fries and soda laid out in Celina, Texas, United States, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Jake Dockins | Bloomberg | Getty Images
McDonald’s is expected to report fourth-quarter results after the bell on Wednesday.
Here’s what Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG expect the company to report:
- Earnings per share: $3.05 expected
- A.evening : $6.84 billion expected
The fast-food giant, often seen as a bellwether for consumer spending, has been warning for more than a year that lower-income consumers are spending less. In response, McDonald’s has adopted discounted offerings, from rolling out a value menu to relaunching Extra Value combo meals.
A bright spot for McDonald’s and the broader fast-food segment has been high-income customers, who are abandoning fast-casual options. The animated promotions won over these consumers and also boosted the chain’s sales; the fourth quarter included the return of Monopoly, as well as the Grinch meal, timed for the holiday season.
Analysts expect McDonald’s same-store sales to rise 3.9%, fueled by a 5.4% increase in the U.S., according to StreetAccount estimates.
Despite its sales rebound, McDonald’s shares have only risen about 4% over the past year, hurt by broader industry concerns about the consumer and the rise of GLP-1 drugs. The S&P 500 has climbed more than 14% over the same period.