Chicago — McDonald's Corp.'s choice of an insider to replace ailing CEO Charlie Bell should keep the company on the path that has led to a sales rebound in the past two years, analysts said Tuesday.
New McDonald's chief executive Jim Skinner worked closely with Bell and his predecessor, Jim Cantalupo, and oversaw many of the same corporate changes in Japan that are credited for turning around U.S. sales, McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said.
Bell, 44, who was diagnosed with colon cancer soon after he was named CEO, stepped down Monday to focus on battling the disease.
"Choosing an insider is an indication that we like the way things are going already and we want someone who's well-versed in what we're doing," Morningstar Inc. analyst Carl Sibilski said of the company's decision.
Riker said Skinner, Bell and Cantalupo were the "big three" who helped change company strategy to focus on existing restaurants, menu items and marketing campaigns. Cantalupo died of a heart attack in April.
Analysts expected the change in leadership would have little impact on the company's stock.
In trading Tuesday, McDonald's shares were up 72 cents, or 2.45 percent, at $30.10 on the New York Stock Exchange.
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