McDonald’s earnings miss estimates as diners pull back, Middle East boycotts hit sales

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McDonald’s french fries
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McDonald’s is expected to report its first-quarter earnings before the bell on Tuesday.

Here’s what Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG are expecting:

  • Earnings per share: $2.72 expected
  • Revenue: $6.16 billion expected

The fast-food giant reported disappointing fourth-quarter sales. Boycotts after its Israeli licensee offered discounts for soldiers pressured sales in the Middle East and some markets outside of the region. The company has also had to shutter some locations temporarily to ensure employees’ safety from protests.

Earlier this month, McDonald’s announced it would buy the 225 restaurants run by its Israeli franchisee.

In the U.S., the burger chain has seen low-income customers pull back their spending. Wall Street is expecting the trend to continue this quarter, predicting domestic same-store sales growth of just 2.6%, according to StreetAccount estimates.

McDonald’s shares have fallen 7.7% year to date, dragging its market value down to $197 billion.