$MCD just posted its first red year on a total return basis since 2014. Worst year since 2002.
That's a brutal stat for what's supposed to be a defensive blue-chip. When McDonald's can't hold up, you know the consumer is cracked.
This isn't just about burgers—it's about discretionary spend getting squeezed, traffic declining, and value perception breaking. The $5 meal deal didn't save them. Pricing power ran out.
If you're long legacy consumer names expecting a bounce, watch the chart. $MCD breaking multi-year support is a warning shot for the whole sector. Might be time to rotate into names actually growing revenue, not just hiking prices.
That's a brutal stat for what's supposed to be a defensive blue-chip. When McDonald's can't hold up, you know the consumer is cracked.
This isn't just about burgers—it's about discretionary spend getting squeezed, traffic declining, and value perception breaking. The $5 meal deal didn't save them. Pricing power ran out.
If you're long legacy consumer names expecting a bounce, watch the chart. $MCD breaking multi-year support is a warning shot for the whole sector. Might be time to rotate into names actually growing revenue, not just hiking prices.