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McDonald's names Skye Anderson to lead U.S. business as domestic sales miss estimates

McDonald's names Skye Anderson to lead U.S. business as domestic sales miss estimates

The company blamed execution lapses on value promotions for weaker U.S. traffic even as adjusted profit beat forecasts and global sales growth slowed.

Fact Check
Both CNBC primary-report articles dated Aug 4, 2026 corroborate every claim element: Skye Anderson named U.S. president succeeding Joe Erlinger; a 26-year company veteran; Q2 earnings beat estimates (EPS $3.38 vs $3.32); revenue missed ($7.10B vs $7.13B); and U.S. same-store sales rose 0.8% with declining traffic ('sales stay muted'). Restaurant Dive and McDonald's corporate materials independently confirm Anderson's tenure and executive trajectory (West Zone President, GBS President, US COO). Evidence is consistent across independent sources with no conflicts.
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Summary

McDonald's named veteran Skye Anderson to lead its U.S. business after second-quarter comparable sales in its largest market rose 0.8%, below estimates and well short of a year earlier's pace, as the chain said it failed to execute its value strategy effectively. Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski said weak promotion of deals and a pullback in digital offers, including its buy-one-add-one promotion, hurt visits from loyal customers and accounted for about two-thirds of the traffic shortfall. Adjusted earnings per share rose to $3.38 from $3.19 a year earlier, topping expectations of $3.32, while total sales growth of 1.3% missed forecasts. Global comparable sales also slowed, with the international operated markets segment up 1.5% and the developmental licensed markets segment up 1.9%. McDonald's has been leaning on lower-priced meals, but said its McValue push generated less incremental traffic than expected, even as beverage sales improved. Shares were marginally higher after the report, though the stock remains down nearly 13% this year.

Terms & Concepts
  • same-store sales: Sales growth at locations open long enough to measure underlying performance.
  • adjusted earnings per share: Profit per share excluding selected one-time or nonrecurring items.
  • value promotions: Discounted menu offers designed to attract price-sensitive customers.