McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.25, for a total value of $854,106.50. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 5,398 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,755,699.50. The trade was a 32.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
McDonald's Trading Down 0.8%
Shares of MCD stock opened at $323.33 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $230.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.59, a PEG ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 0.52. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $312.21 and a 200 day moving average price of $307.90. McDonald's Corporation has a twelve month low of $283.47 and a twelve month high of $328.06.
McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.05 by $0.07. McDonald's had a net margin of 32.04% and a negative return on equity of 280.89%. The company's revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.83 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.
McDonald's Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be paid a $1.86 dividend. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald's's payout ratio is presently 63.48%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MCD shares. BTIG Research upgraded McDonald's from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $360.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, February 2nd. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $350.00 target price on shares of McDonald's in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Guggenheim lifted their price target on McDonald's from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of McDonald's in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $372.00 price objective on shares of McDonald's in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, McDonald's has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $332.38.
Get Our Latest Research Report on McDonald's
Trending Headlines about McDonald's
Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald's this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — McDonald's reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results: revenue rose ~9.7% YoY and EPS topped consensus, driven by broad comparable-sales gains. That print is the primary bullish catalyst for the stock. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Value strategy is working — Management said Extra Value Meals and promotions are bringing back budget-conscious customers, producing the fastest comparable-sales growth in over two years and lifting loyalty metrics (systemwide loyalty sales +20%, ~210M 90‑day active users). This supports revenue momentum and margin leverage. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment and targets skew positive — Multiple firms hold buy/overweight ratings and recent price targets cluster above the current share level (median ~$342.50), which can underpin investor confidence after the beat. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: Marketing/pop-culture buzz — Limited promotions (McNugget “caviar” kits, Shamrock Shake seasonality) generated strong consumer and media attention; positive for brand and traffic but likely short-duration as a direct earnings lever. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Franchisee tensions — Reports say some franchisees resist centralized pricing and value initiatives; ongoing friction could complicate consistent execution or margins across markets. That risk may temper enthusiasm despite strong comps. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — Recent sales by a senior U.S. executive (disclosed Form 4) could be read as a headwind for sentiment; combined with elevated volume, some investors may be booking gains after the earnings pop. Article Title
Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald's
Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. increased its holdings in McDonald's by 142.9% in the 2nd quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 85 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of McDonald's during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of McDonald's by 162.5% in the third quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the period. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald's in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp grew its stake in shares of McDonald's by 95.7% in the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
McDonald's Company Profile
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Get Free Report)
McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is a global quick-service restaurant company best known for its hamburgers, French fries and breakfast offerings. The company develops, operates and franchises a system of restaurants that sell a range of food and beverage items, including signature products such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets, McCafé coffee beverages and a variety of salads, desserts and seasonal menu items. McDonald's serves customers through company-operated restaurants and franchised locations, and it supports sales via dine-in, drive-thru, digital ordering platforms and third-party delivery partnerships.
Founded in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald as a single San Bernardino, California restaurant, the business was transformed into a franchising model after Ray Kroc joined in the mid-1950s and led the brand's national and international expansion.
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