So why did U.S. sales fall? Just like 200 other companies reporting poor earnings this quarter, McD's blames the bad winter weather -- apparently, Ronald McDonald can't handle food logistics during polar vortexes. Plus, customers weren't interested in losing limbs to frostbite while waiting for their nuggets to fry, sending same-store sales down 1.7% during the first three months of 2014.
Is Ackman's merger bet paying off? Ackman's Pershing Square hedge fund crossed the 5% threshold of all of Allergen stock on April 10. Since then, the stock has grown from $117 to today's $164. Ackman will be pushing Allergan shareholders to get the 51% of votes needed to accept the offer; then he'll be Wall Street's (very wealthy) king of Botox.
- New Home Sales
- First-Quarter Earnings Reports: Apple, Boeing, Dr. Pepper, Six Flags, Zynga