McDonald's (MCD) Q3 2026 Earnings
Excludes net pre-tax charges of $56 million, or $0.06 per share, primarily related to restructuring charges associated with Accelerating the Organization (GAAP diluted EPS was $3.51)
How Did MCD Stock React to Q3 2026 Earnings?
Did MCD Beat Earnings? Q3 2026 Results
Yes. McDonald's reported Q3 2026 earnings of $3.57 a share on Nov 4, 2026, beating the $3.38 consensus estimate by 5.5%. Revenue was $7.2B against a $7.3B estimate.
McDonald's served up a profit beat but a revenue shortfall in its third quarter of 2026, painting a mixed picture for investors who had already pushed short interest in the stock to a 52-week high ahead of the report. Adjusted diluted EPS came in at $3.57, clearing the $3.38 consensus estimate by 5.52%, while GAAP diluted EPS landed at $3.51 after net pre-tax restructuring charges of $56 million, or $0.06 per share, tied to the company's Accelerating the Organization initiative. Revenue of $7.16 billion rose 1.1% year over year but fell short of the $7.29 billion analysts had expected, a 1.76% miss driven by a 3% decline in company-operated restaurant sales and only modest franchised revenue growth. The profit outperformance reflected a sharp jump in other operating income, which swung to a gain of $139 million from $37 million a year earlier, alongside disciplined cost management. Global comparable sales grew 1.5%, though U.S. comparable sales edged down 0.2%, leaving guest-count trends as the central concern heading into the next quarter.
- Global comparable sales +1.5%; Systemwide sales +4% to over $38 billion
- Higher other operating income and higher sales-driven franchised margins drove operating income growth
- International Developmental Licensed Markets comparable sales +4.2%, led by Japan, with all regions positive
- International Operated Markets comparable sales +1.4%, led by Germany and Australia
- U.S. comparable sales -0.2% as negative guest counts were largely offset by positive check growth; trends improved through the quarter after value intervention
- Loyalty Systemwide sales of $41 billion trailing twelve months and more than $11 billion in the quarter across 70 markets
- Lower diluted share count (708.3 million vs. 715.9 million)
“McDonald's delivered another quarter of global growth, with solid performance across much of our international business. In the U.S., we're encouraged by improvement as the quarter progressed following our intervention on value.”
McDonald's CEO, on the earnings call
MCD YoY Financials
| Metric | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Year over year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.2B | $7.1B | +1.1% |
| Operating Income | $3.6B | $3.4B | +7.1% |
| Net Income | $2.5B | $2.3B | +9.1% |
MCD Revenue by Segment
MCD Revenue by Geography
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.