McDONALD'S EXPECTS U.S. TO DELIVER 2021 SALES GROWTH

McDonald's Corp. expects overall sales growth in the “low double digits” in 2021, forecasting on Thursday that an increase in its U.S. market would be offset by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in parts of Europe. The hamburger chain missed Wall Street estimates for profit and revenue in the fourth quarter, with comparable sales in its international operated markets falling 7.4 per cent, largely due to weakness in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, where the coronavirus crisis has been intense. Total revenue fell 2.1 per cent to US$5.31 billion, missing the US$5.37-billion estimate. Excluding one-time items, earnings per share were US$1.70, missing the average estimate by 8 cents. Comparable U.S. sales rose 5.5 per cent, beating an estimated 5.15 per cent increase.