McDonald's Corp. posted worse-than-expected results for the fourth quarter of last year. Revenues slumped by 21% which was the predictable disappointing result of a dismal year for the fast-food chain. Global problems in this sector prompted core changes to its business. The company warned stockholders that its January sales would likely be negative and its results for the first half of the year would be pressured. However, they said that launched changes would have a positive impact in the second half of the year. "2014 was a challenging year for McDonald's around the world. Our results declined as unforeseen events and weak operating performance pressured results in each of our geographic segments. Our business continues to face meaningful headwinds," Chief Executive Don Thompson said in a news release. In addition, the company also unveiled a $2 billion capital spending plan for 2015 - its lowest capital budget in more than 5 years – as management seeks to shore up its balance sheet. McDonald's has been working to rejuvenate its business in recent months after posting some of its worst monthly sales figures in more than a decade last year. The company has been losing customers who switched to rivals having just a few menu items. McDonald's menu has become bloated in recent years as the chain has added fruit smoothies and salads in a bid to appeal to a broad range of customers. As the result, the service became slower which has driven away many customers. Thompson vowed to fix the problems announcing plans to cull menu items and give customers the option of more customized ordering. Executives said they will continue to pay special attention to every ingredient in its products and to improve the quality of its food. Overall, McDonald's reported a profit of $1.1 billion, or $1.13 per share, down from $1.4 billion, or $1.40 per share, a year earlier.
