Key Points
- Joseph Erlinger, McDonald's President of U.S. operations, sold 2,626 shares at an average price of $307 under a prearranged 10b5-1 plan, generating about $806,182 and cutting his stake by 23.82% to 8,400 shares.
- McDonald's beat quarterly expectations with $3.12 EPS (vs. $3.05 est.) and $7.01 billion in revenue (up 9.7% YoY), and pays a quarterly dividend of $1.86 ($7.44 annual, ~2.4% yield).
- The stock carries a consensus "Hold" rating with an average target of $339.69 as analysts weigh management's beverage and value‑menu initiatives against recent share weakness and mixed price‑target revisions.
McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.00, for a total value of $806,182.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 8,400 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,578,800. This represents a 23.82% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.
McDonald's Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:MCD opened at $304.48 on Tuesday. McDonald's Corporation has a 1 year low of $283.47 and a 1 year high of $341.75. The company has a market cap of $216.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.48, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.53. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $320.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $311.79.
McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.81 billion. McDonald's had a negative return on equity of 343.90% and a net margin of 31.85%.McDonald's's revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.83 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.
McDonald's Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd were paid a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. McDonald's's payout ratio is currently 62.26%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several brokerages recently issued reports on MCD. TD Cowen restated a "hold" rating and issued a $320.00 target price on shares of McDonald's in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $335.00 target price on shares of McDonald's in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Erste Group Bank raised McDonald's from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. UBS Group raised their price target on McDonald's from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Guggenheim cut their price objective on McDonald's from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $339.69.
Read Our Latest Analysis on McDonald's
Trending Headlines about McDonald's
Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald's this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Major beverage expansion — McDonald’s plans to add energy drinks (including Red Bull mixes), specialty sodas and refreshers nationwide, a push aimed at lifting traffic, increasing ticket size and improving beverage margins; Wall Street coverage frames this as a strategic growth lever for a slowed core business. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Value menu expansion — McDonald’s is doubling down on a new “under $3” menu to drive transactions and low‑price traffic, which could help offset soft comps and support unit-level sales recovery. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: Cultural buzz and marketing noise — viral CEO tasting clips and promotional tie‑ins (e.g., K‑pop collaboration) are creating social engagement that can support short‑term traffic but are hard to quantify for long‑term financial impact. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Insider sale disclosed — President of U.S. operations Joseph Erlinger sold 2,626 shares under a prearranged 10b5-1 plan; while routine, insider selling can weigh on sentiment when combined with other negatives. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: Near‑term share weakness & sector pressure — MCD has fallen over 6% this month amid broader consumer/coffee‑chain softness; reports note coffee/energy competitors saw share moves after McDonald’s beverage news, adding volatility. Article Title Article Title
Institutional Trading of McDonald's
Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new position in McDonald's in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald's in the 4th quarter worth $1,851,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its stake in shares of McDonald's by 19.8% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 728,516 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $222,657,000 after purchasing an additional 120,420 shares in the last quarter. World Investment Advisors raised its holdings in McDonald's by 82.9% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 40,400 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $12,348,000 after purchasing an additional 18,306 shares during the period. Finally, Farmers National Bank raised its holdings in McDonald's by 1.9% in the 4th quarter. Farmers National Bank now owns 29,407 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $8,988,000 after purchasing an additional 553 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About McDonald's
(
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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