1129 ET - McDonald's says its U.S. business slowed significantly after a solid start to the year. Same-store sales increased less than 1% in the second quarter, which was below management's expectations, Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski tells analysts on a call. He says that, while McDonald's has lowered prices and prioritized affordability with its menu, execution across different restaurants wasn't consistent. "We don't have a strategy problem. We simply didn't execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter," Kempczinski says. Shares rise 1.6%.