McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) reported its Q4 results last week, with EPS of $2.59 coming in better than the Street estimate of $2.45. Revenue was $5.93 billion, beating the Street estimate of $5.71 billion.

Global comparable sales grew 12% in Q4, with double-digit growth across all segments. Despite beating expectations for the quarter, the company mentioned ongoing short-term inflation pressures. It reported lower-than-anticipated profit margins in Q4 due to elevated costs and store closures resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.

Analysts at RBC Capital believe the company offers a compelling balance of both defensive qualities and strong fundamental performance amid an uncertain macro, and with expectations resetting to more achievable levels (particularly 2023/2024 margins), they continue to see upside to shares.