McDonald's (MCD) same-store-sales growth is expected to slow in Q2 and Q3 as pressure on lower-income consumers more than offsets boosts from World Cup promotions, beverage innovation and value offerings, RBC Capital Markets said Monday in a report.
US same-store-sales growth in Q2 are expected to be mostly in line with consensus expectations as consumers grappled with elevated fuel prices, the report said. For Q3, investors will focus on underlying trends excluding the lift from the World Cup and new menu items to get a clearer read on traffic in H2, RBC said.
Despite a generally solid underlying performance, international sales are expected to come in slightly below forecasts as several key markets face a tough comparison to last year's global Minecraft promotion, the report said.
RBC also flagged risks to unit growth and said a potential investment cycle tied to restaurant upgrades and new openings may weigh on McDonald's free-cash-flow conversion.
Q2 results are expected Aug 4.
RBC rates McDonald's stock as sector perform with a $305 price target.
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