McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Stake Lifted by HS Management Partners LLC

HS Management Partners LLC grew its holdings in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 31.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 123,062 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 29,648 shares during the period. McDonald’s accounts for approximately 4.9% of HS Management Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. HS Management Partners LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $37,397,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MCD. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in McDonald’s during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,780,712,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 29,382.3% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,737,548 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,676,339,000 after purchasing an additional 5,718,087 shares during the period. Soundwatch Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the second quarter worth approximately $1,412,069,000. Viking Global Investors LP lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 171.7% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 3,125,432 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $913,157,000 after purchasing an additional 1,974,998 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi grew its position in McDonald’s by 96.0% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 4,032,676 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,188,147,000 after buying an additional 1,974,751 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at McDonald’s

In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,486 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $320.00, for a total value of $795,520.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,005,760. This represents a 28.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Ian Frederick Borden sold 17,134 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $310.00, for a total transaction of $5,311,540.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 26,353 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,169,430. The trade was a 39.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 42,516 shares of company stock valued at $13,036,090 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on MCD. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $340.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Guggenheim raised their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $295.00 to $310.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Barclays increased their target price on McDonald’s from $358.00 to $372.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $335.00 price target on McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $328.68.

McDonald’s News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target substantially to $372 and kept an overweight rating, signaling stronger analyst confidence and providing upside to the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an overweight rating on MCD, supporting continued buy-side interest. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: TD Cowen maintained a “hold” with a $320 target (small upside vs. current levels), a reminder some analysts see more moderate near-term returns. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s announced new and returning global menu items for 2026 (including promotional tie-ins like Pokémon Happy Meals and returning Pokémon cards), which can boost traffic and seasonal sales. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Specific marketing promos—Pokémon Happy Meals and collectible cards—are confirmed for 2026, a low-cost demand driver that typically lifts transactions and visit frequency. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is changing its drive-thrus (operational changes could improve throughput and margins but require rollout and capex). Investors should watch execution and cost timing. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Local store-level activity: a Biltmore McDonald’s grand opening drew attention but is a small, localized sales event. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple lawsuits allege misleading McRib ingredients (claims about offal/pork heart/tripe), raising reputational and potential litigation risk that could pressure same-store sales or incur legal costs if escalated. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Follow-up reporting details the suit’s ingredient allegations in depth; investors should monitor legal filings and any regulatory attention. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Unions accuse McDonald’s of repeated harassment of largely teenage staff—labor and PR headwinds that could increase scrutiny and potential costs if organizing or fines follow. Read More.

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MCD opened at $308.92 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $220.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.53. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $307.75 and its 200-day simple moving average is $304.66. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $276.53 and a 12 month high of $326.32.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.33 by ($0.11). The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.10 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $3.23 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were paid a dividend of $1.86 per share. This is a boost from McDonald’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is presently 63.48%.

McDonald’s Profile

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.