Dive Summary:
- McDonalds saw key trends and numbers fall in January, after growth struggles in the U.S. and a severe decline in Asia.
- For franchises open a year or more, sales dropped 1.9%, a telling statistic since it takes out any volatility from new stores.
- What makes these numbers even more troubling is their stark contrast to the very good year the company had in 2012 when sales rose 6.7%.
From the article:
After years of outperforming rivals, McDonald's has been struggling amid intensifying competition and challenging economic conditions around the world. Late last year, the company ousted the head of its U.S. business after the sales figure dropped for the first time in nearly a decade. CEO Don Thompson, who took the top spot this summer, has vowed to add business by emphasizing value while planning a series of new limited-time offers to attract customers.
But Thompson also warned last month that sales were trending negative for January. The company was also up against a tough comparison from a year ago, when global sales rose 6.7 percent.
