Sozzi Reviews Saucy McDonald's Under Easterbrook's Management

McDonald's story is now very different than it was at the beginning of the year when CEO Don Thompson was leaving the company.

Despite the fact that same-restaurant sales in the United States are lagging most of the fast-food industry, the new CEO, Steve Easterbrook, “has managed to change the narrative on the burger giant,” Sozzi assured.

Under New Management

The expert pointed out a few areas where McDonald’s has improved since Easterbrook took over, including food preparation, service and franchisee satisfaction.

However, he continued, Easterbrook now faces a new challenge: “To keep moving the narrative forward to justify a company that will be hard-pressed to deliver 5 percent to 7 percent operating income growth in 2016.”

Moreover, the latest investor day, held on November 10, was a mixed bag for the CEO and his team, Sozzi pointed out. There were good news and not-so-good news. Overall, the analyst believes the shares “deserve to trade sideways into the next earnings report.”

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Grading The Company's Performance

Finally, he looked into food-quality, highlighting a few concerns like the excessive use of condiments and the use of “poor-quality cheese product.”

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.

Image Credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons