Key Points
- McDonald’s insider Joseph Erlinger sold 333 shares on May 26 at an average price of $280.11, totaling about $93,277. After the sale, he still held 7,734 shares, making this a relatively small 4.13% reduction in ownership.
- The company recently beat earnings expectations, reporting $2.83 EPS versus the $2.74 consensus and revenue of $6.52 billion, up 9.4% year over year. Analysts currently expect McDonald’s to earn 12.93 EPS for the full fiscal year.
- McDonald’s announced a quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share, payable June 16 to shareholders of record on June 2, implying an annualized dividend of $7.44 and a 2.6% yield. The stock has also drawn mixed analyst views, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a price target of $334.45.
McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 333 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.11, for a total transaction of $93,276.63. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,166,370.74. This trade represents a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.
McDonald's Price Performance
Shares of MCD opened at $281.09 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $297.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $308.93. McDonald's Corporation has a 1-year low of $271.98 and a 1-year high of $341.75. The stock has a market cap of $199.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.43.
McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.09. McDonald's had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The business had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.47 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.67 EPS. The company's revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
McDonald's Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 2nd will be given a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 2nd. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 61.34%.
Key McDonald's News
Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald's this week:
- Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is rolling out fresh promotional items, including a 2026 FIFA World Cup Happy Meal and Squishmallows tie-in, plus regional beverage offerings like refreshers and dirty sodas, which could help drive traffic and keep the brand top of mind for families and younger consumers. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Investor commentary remains constructive, with one article arguing McDonald’s still has a strong “moat,” reinforcing the view that its scale, franchise model, and brand strength can support earnings resilience. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: The company’s expansion in Ukraine suggests continued international growth, which can be a long-term support for revenue even in a challenging macro environment. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: Viral social media attention around a McDonald’s nugget “hack” may boost brand visibility, but it is unlikely to materially affect fundamentals on its own. Article Title
- Neutral Sentiment: An insider sale by Joseph M. Erlinger of 333 shares is small relative to his remaining stake and does not appear to signal a major shift in outlook, though investors may note it. Article Title
- Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s said it cannot meet its 2030 emissions targets and also fell short on a packaging goal, which could create ESG-related pressure and weigh on sentiment for some investors. Article Title
Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald's
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in shares of McDonald's by 84.4% during the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 35,510 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $10,853,000 after buying an additional 16,252 shares during the last quarter. North Dakota State Investment Board bought a new stake in shares of McDonald's during the 4th quarter valued at about $7,493,000. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. grew its position in shares of McDonald's by 21.9% during the 4th quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. now owns 21,487 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $6,567,000 after buying an additional 3,866 shares during the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group grew its position in shares of McDonald's by 5.2% during the 3rd quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,029,572 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $312,877,000 after buying an additional 51,039 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service grew its position in shares of McDonald's by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,533,015 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $465,868,000 after buying an additional 37,744 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company's stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities analysts have weighed in on MCD shares. Morgan Stanley set a $331.00 price target on shares of McDonald's in a report on Friday, May 8th. TD Cowen dropped their price target on shares of McDonald's from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of McDonald's from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of McDonald's from $356.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on shares of McDonald's from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $334.45.
View Our Latest Research Report on MCD
McDonald's Company Profile
(
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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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