MCDonald's (MCD) has demonstrated a generally increasing trend in net income over the course of 2024, with some fluctuations. The net income for the first quarter of 2024 was $1.93 billion, which increased to $2.02 billion in the second quarter. The third quarter saw a further increase to $2.26 billion, before slightly decreasing to $2.02 billion in the fourth quarter1.
This pattern suggests that MCD's earnings were growing steadily throughout the year, with a peak in the third quarter, and a slight dip in the fourth quarter. The overall trend for 2024 is positive, with the company's net income increasing by approximately 5.5% from the first to the fourth quarter.