McDonald's (MCD) Posts Q3 adj.-EPS of $1.51; Global Comps Fell 3.3%

(Updated - October 21, 2014 8:01 AM EDT)

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) reported Q3 EPS of $1.09, $0.29 worse than the analyst estimate of $1.38. Revenue for the quarter came in at $6.99 billion versus the consensus estimate of $7.2 billion.

EPS was $1.51, excluding all of the following items:

• $0.26 per share due to an increase in tax reserves for 2003-2008 resulting from an unfavorable lower tax court ruling in a foreign tax jurisdiction, as well as an increase in tax reserves related to audit progression in other foreign tax jurisdictions.
• $0.15 per share due to the estimated impact of the previously-disclosed supplier issue in China. In mid-July, food quality issues were discovered at a supplier to McDonald's and other food companies in China. As a consequence, results in China, Japan and certain other markets were negatively impacted due to lost sales and profitability, including expenses associated with our recovery efforts.
• $0.01 per share due to the estimated impact of temporary store closures in Russia and Ukraine.

Global comparable sales decrease of 3.3%, reflecting negative guest traffic in all major segments and the impact of the previously-disclosed supplier issue in certain markets in APMEA

"McDonald's third quarter results reflect a significant decline versus a year ago, with our business and financial performance pressured by a variety of factors - from a higher effective tax rate, to unusual events in the operating environments in APMEA and Europe, to under-performance in the U.S., our largest geographic segment," said McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson. "While our ability to withstand these factors is a testament to the Company's enduring brand and strong financial foundation, by all measures our performance fell short of our expectations."

Don Thompson continued, "We recognize that we must demonstrate to our customers and the entire McDonald's System that we understand the problems we face and are taking decisive action to fundamentally change the way we approach our business."

The Company is implementing a new global approach designed to increase its relevance with customers and drive guest traffic. This is focused on three specific areas:

• McDonald's Experience of the Future - a comprehensive restaurant execution concept that elevates the menu and customer experience elements that are hallmarks of the McDonald's brand, and capitalizes on investments in reimaging, service and technology enhancements to improve the look, feel and convenience of the McDonald's experience in ways that are in-tune with today's consumer needs,
• Digital Strategy - a global strategy built around simplifying the customer journey across ordering, payment and mobile offers - beginning with the implementation of exciting and relevant new options, such as Apple Pay,
• Resourcing for Growth - a diligent review of the organization's structure and use of resources in order to redirect spending toward those initiatives, such as the digital strategy and the McDonald's Experience of the Future, that will support the Company's key long-term growth initiatives.

Don Thompson concluded, "We began 2014 mindful of the challenges we faced in driving sales and profitability. The internal factors and external headwinds have proven more formidable than expected and will continue into the fourth quarter, with global comparable sales for October expected to be negative. These significant challenges call for equally significant changes in the way we do business. In the U.S., we are driving decision making from headquarters back into the field, where our restaurants serve the daily needs of our customers in their local communities. In our international markets, we are taking action to restore customer trust and regain business momentum. We understand the depth of the challenges and we are responding with the sense of urgency required to improve our performance."

For earnings history and earnings-related data on McDonald's (MCD) click here.

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