McDonald's Q1 2026 EPS rises 7% to $2.78; comparable sales up 3.8%
McDonald's reported first quarter 2026 results with revenue up 9% to $6,517 million and diluted earnings per share up 7% to $2.78, both helped in part by currency translation. Excluding restructuring charges, the company said diluted EPS was $2.83, up 6%, and it reaffirmed a 2026 outlook with operating margin in the mid-to-high 40% range.
Key points
- Global comparable sales rose 3.8%, with the U.S. up 3.9% and International Operated Markets up 3.9%.
- Operating income rose 12% to $2,953 million; charges of $47 million related to Accelerating the Organization restructuring were included.
- Net income rose 6% to $1,983 million; the effective tax rate was 22.0% versus 19.8% a year earlier.
- The company paid a quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share, or $1.3 billion, and repurchased 1.3 million shares for $393 million during the quarter.
The filing
Written by AI on Nov 8, 2026, 2:16 AM ET, from this filing only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on May 07, 2026.
Briefs are written by AI from the filing text and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the AI's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.