McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Insider Joseph Erlinger Sells 2,626 Shares

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of McDonald’s 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 completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 5,398 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,755,699.50. This trade represents a 32.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

McDonald’s Stock Down 0.8%

McDonald’s stock opened at $323.33 on Thursday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $312.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $307.90. The stock has a market cap of $230.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.59, a P/E/G ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 0.52. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12-month low of $283.47 and a 12-month high of $328.06.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.83 earnings per share. McDonald’s’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be issued a $1.86 dividend. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 63.48%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on MCD shares. Morgan Stanley set a $335.00 target price on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Guggenheim upped their price objective on McDonald’s from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on McDonald’s from $340.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $350.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, McDonald’s has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $332.38.

Key McDonald’s News

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

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Encompass More Asset Management raised its position in McDonald’s by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Encompass More Asset Management now owns 2,120 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $648,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. WD Rutherford LLC raised its position in shares of McDonald’s by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. WD Rutherford LLC now owns 3,261 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $991,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of McDonald’s by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,102 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $642,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Redhawk Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in McDonald’s by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Redhawk Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,423 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $736,000 after buying an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Symmetry Partners LLC grew its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Symmetry Partners LLC now owns 1,771 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $538,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

About McDonald’s

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.