Earnings per share and discontinued operations

The lower portion of the 2006 income statement for McDonald”s follows (dollars in millions):

Income from continuing operations

$2,875.0

Income from discontinued operations net of taxes

671.2

Net income

$1,544.2

Basic net earnings per share:

Continuing operations

$2.33

Discontinued operations

0.54

$2.87

Diluted net earnings per share:

Continuing operations

$2.30

Discontinued operations

0.53

$2.83

REQUIRED:

a. Why is there a distinction between net earnings from continuing operations and net earnings from discontinued operations?

b. Estimate the number of common shares outstanding.

c. Why is there a distinction between basic net earnings per share and diluted net earnings per share?

d. Estimate the number of common shares that would be outstanding if all potentially dilu-tive securities were converted to common shares.