Key Takeaways McDonald's is sharpening its U.S. value push with a national relaunch of its Extra Value Meals.The updated EVM lineup sets clear price anchors on items representing about 30% of transactions.MCD is supporting operators with major co-investment as it aims to stabilize guest counts into 2026.McDonald's Corporation (MCD) is sharpening its value positioning in the United States as the company navigates a highly bifurcated consumer backdrop. Management emphasized that lower-income QSR traffic conti ...

Core Viewpoint - McDonald's Corporation, valued at $213.4 billion, operates over 38,000 restaurants globally, but has underperformed the broader market in stock performance over the past year [1][2]. Financial Performance - McDonald's stock prices have gained 3.4% year-to-date and 1.7% over the past 52 weeks, significantly lagging behind the S&P 500 Index's gains of 14.4% in 2025 and 12.7% over the past year [2]. - The company reported a 6% increase in systemwide sales on a constant currency basis and an 8% increase after forex translation, with comparable sales growing by 3.6% [4]. - Total revenue for the quarter grew 3% year-over-year to $7.1 billion, exceeding market expectations by 15 basis points [4]. - Adjusted EPS declined by 31 basis points to $3.22, missing consensus estimates by 3.9% [4]. Analyst Expectations - For the full fiscal year 2025, analysts project an adjusted EPS of $12.15, reflecting a 3.7% year-over-year increase [5]. - The consensus rating among 36 analysts covering McDonald's stock is a "Moderate Buy," with 14 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," 20 "Holds," and one "Strong Sell" [5]. Analyst Ratings - On November 6, Baird analyst David Tarantino maintained a "Neutral" rating on McDonald's and raised the price target from $322 to $325 [7].

Morning, Kate. >> Good morning, Carl. So, Sweet Green CEO John Newman saying last night, quote, "I think it's pretty obvious that the consumer is not in a great place overall, but I think it's much more complicated than that." Taking a look at the big picture here, lower income consumers pulling away from quick service chains.McDonald's CEO noting a bifurcated consumer with lower income traffic across the sector down double digits. A similar pullback taking shape this quarter at Wingstop. CNBC viewed a memo ...

Market Overview - Pre-market trading has declined, reflecting a cautious sentiment towards AI infrastructure spending and a lack of economic data, particularly during what was expected to be Jobs Week [1] - The market has seen a downward trend over the past five days, moving away from all-time highs reached in late October [1] Employment Data - Non-farm payroll numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) are unavailable due to a government shutdown, with estimates suggesting a loss of 60,000 jobs last month [2] - The unemployment rate is expected to rise to 4.5%, while hourly wages are anticipated to remain steady at a year-over-year increase of 0.3% [2] - ADP reported an addition of 42,000 new jobs, which is better than BLS estimates but still indicates a weak labor market [3] - The Challenger Job Cuts report indicated 153,000 job cuts, highlighting ongoing challenges in employment [3] Interest Rate Expectations - There is a tentative expectation for a 25 basis-point interest rate cut in approximately 4.5 weeks, although market indexes may have already priced in this cut [4] - The "neutral rate" of inflation is uncertain but is believed to be higher than the optimal 2% [4] Earnings Reports - Wendy's (WEN) reported Q3 earnings of $0.24 per share, exceeding expectations by 20%, leading to a 9% increase in shares [5] - Six Flags Entertainment (FUN) posted earnings of $3.28 per share, surpassing the consensus estimate by 46.4%, although shares are down 2% in early trading [5] - Fluor (FLR) reported Q3 earnings of $0.68 per share, beating expectations by 54.55%, with shares up 4.6% in pre-market trading [6] - Constellation Energy (CEG) reported earnings of $3.04 per share, falling short of the anticipated $3.13, resulting in a 6.3% decline in shares [7] - Canopy Growth (CGC) shares increased by 12% despite reporting a loss of $0.01 per share, an improvement from the expected loss of $0.10 [8] Consumer Sentiment and Credit - The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment report for November is expected to show a slight decrease to 53.0 from 53.6, remaining above the neutral threshold of 50 [9] - Consumer credit for September is projected to total $10.0 billion [9]

Core Insights - Angry Chickz has secured an investment from Saratoga Investment Corp. to facilitate national expansion, with plans to increase from 33 locations to over 50 in the next year [1] - The company reported $55.6 million in sales for 2024, reflecting a 58.7% year-over-year increase, with average unit volumes of $2.1 million, surpassing competitors like Popeyes and KFC [2] Company Overview - Founded in 2018 in Los Angeles, Angry Chickz has rapidly grown its presence in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) chicken category [2] - The CEO, David Mkhitaryan, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Saratoga, emphasizing the importance of capital and strategic support for growth while maintaining quality and culture [3] Investment Details - Saratoga Investment Corp. is a publicly traded business development company that finances middle-market companies across various industries, with a portfolio that includes other food brands [4] - Mike Grisius, co-managing partner and chief investment officer at Saratoga, highlighted Angry Chickz as a compelling growth investment opportunity due to its strong brand and operational discipline [5] - DelMorgan & Co. acted as the exclusive financial advisor for Angry Chickz during this transaction, while Glaser Weil LLP provided legal counsel [5]

This story was originally published on CIO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CIO Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Whataburger selected Rohit Kapoor to serve as its EVP and chief digital and technology transformation officer, the company said Wednesday. Kapoor will join the company Oct. 27, reporting to CEO and President Debbie Stroud.  Kapoor comes to the Texas-based burger chain after a three-year stint as EVP and CIO for retailer Claire's. The executive held technology l ...

You can find original article here Nrn. Subscribe to our free daily Nrn newsletters. Domino’s Pizza is pulling multiple value levers in a tough macroeconomic environment, and it appears to be working. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based pizza chain cited its “Best Deal Ever” promotion as a major driver of U.S. sales growth for the third quarter ended Sept. 7, 2025. Over the past few months, Domino’s brought back both the Best Deal Ever promotion — offering any pizza with any toppings for $9.99 — and the company’s ...

A Slice of the Ordinary When people debate artificial intelligence (AI), they usually start in Silicon Valley or Shenzhen, as in many forums it becomes about geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China. The conversation revolves around graphics processing units (GPUs), model architectures or the latest release from an AI lab. For instance, we just saw Oracle book more than $330 billion of future performance obligations in a single quarter.¹ Rarely does attention drift to a Midwestern convenience sto ...

Core Insights - Del Taco has launched the new Del Dorado Chicken Menu, featuring freshly grilled, marinated chicken and new Salsa Roja, available nationwide starting September 30, 2025 [1][4] Product Offerings - The Del Dorado Chicken Menu includes various items such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and Crunchtada®, all made with freshly grilled chicken and topped with ingredients like spicy jack cheese, guacamole, and Salsa Roja [2][6] - Specific items in the menu include the Del Dorado Chicken Epic Burrito, Grilled Burrito, Taco, Quesadilla, and Crunchtada®, each crafted to deliver bold flavors [3][6] Marketing and Promotions - The menu will be available from September 30 through November 11, 2025, alongside the popular Orange Cream Shake [5] - Del Taco has recently won accolades in USA TODAY's 10 Best Reader's Choice Awards, being named Best Fast Food Restaurant and its fries as Best Fast Food Fries, indicating strong brand recognition and customer loyalty [5] Company Background - Founded in 1964, Del Taco operates nearly 600 restaurants across 17 states, serving over three million guests weekly [8] - The company emphasizes quality by preparing menu items from scratch, using real ingredients like freshly grilled chicken and house-made guacamole [7][8]

Core Insights - RaceTrac, a rapidly growing regional convenience store chain, is set to enhance its foodservice offerings by acquiring sandwich chain Potbelly for $566 million, which will provide immediate access to a strong food brand and culinary expertise [3][4]. Group 1: Company Strategy - The acquisition of Potbelly is seen as a strategic move for RaceTrac to bolster its foodservice program, which has not been a strong focus in the past [2][4]. - By integrating Potbelly's offerings, RaceTrac aims to elevate its food options and improve customer perception, leveraging Potbelly's respected brand for quality [6][8]. Group 2: Market Positioning - The deal allows RaceTrac to potentially place Potbelly locations within its stores, enhancing the customer experience with popular menu items like the "Wreck" and "Sweet Heat Pork BBQ" [5]. - Industry experts believe that the partnership could benefit both companies, with RaceTrac's real estate development strengths aiding Potbelly's expansion plans to reach 2,000 locations [8].