McDonald's reported Monday the launch of all-day breakfasts in the United States helped to lift fourth-quarter sales, capping a year of turnaround for the fast-food giant. Net income in the final quarter jumped 9.9 percent to $1.21 billion on total revenues of $6.34 billion, down 3.5 percent but solidly better than the $6.22 billion the market expected.
Adjusted earnings of $1.31 per share also beat estimates of $1.23.
Global comparable store sales, sales in stores operating for at least 13 months, increased 5.0 percent, the second quarter in a row of gains.
"We took bold, urgent action in 2015 to reset the business and position McDonald's to deliver sustained profitable growth," said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's president and chief executive, in a statement.
"We ended the year with momentum, including positive comparable sales across all segments for both the quarter and the year - a testament to the swift changes we made and the early impact of our turnaround efforts."
Full-year 2015 profit fell 4.8 percent to $4.53 billion. Global same-store sales rose 1.5 percent, bringing annual revenue to $27.44 billion, down 7.4 percent from a year ago.
McDonald's best performance was in the United States, its largest profits generator.
US comparable sales leaped 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, with McDonald's attributing most of the rise to the launch of round-the-clock breakfasts in October.
The company known as the home of the Golden Arches has been struggling in recent years in the US amid competition from fast-food chains perceived to offer healthier food.