Holocene Advisors LP Invests $115.41 Million in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Holocene Advisors LP purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor purchased 379,783 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock, valued at approximately $115,412,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MCD. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC raised its position in McDonald’s by 162.5% during the 3rd 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 last quarter. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Traub Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of McDonald’s during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Davis Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of McDonald’s during the third quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Miller Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in McDonald’s during the third quarter worth about $38,000. 70.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of MCD opened at $326.41 on Monday. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $283.47 and a twelve month high of $341.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $231.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.31, a PEG ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 0.51. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $320.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $311.51.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 net margin of 31.85% and a negative return on equity of 343.90%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.83 EPS. Analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The company 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 dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 62.26%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on MCD shares. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Citigroup boosted their target price on McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $335.00 price target on McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on McDonald’s from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised McDonald’s from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $355.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $339.69.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Tigress Financial raised its price target to $385 and reiterated a Buy, citing McDonald’s multi?year growth strategy and brand strength — a clear analyst endorsement that supports upside to the stock. Tigress Financial Upgrades McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) Price Target, Highlights Multi-Year Growth Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Value menu push: McDonald’s is rolling out $3 value items and $4 breakfast deals in the U.S. starting in April to win back price?sensitive customers — a traffic?driving move that could boost visit frequency if franchisees and consumers adopt it. McDonald’s to launch new $3 value items in US starting April, WSJ reports
• Positive Sentiment: Digital/loyalty tailwinds: Management cites a large loyalty base and digital tools as drivers for higher visit frequency and better targeted promotions — structural levers for revenue per user and margin expansion over time. Can MCD’s Digital Ecosystem Turn Loyalty Into Higher Visit Frequency?
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing and product noise: Viral moments (CEO burger video ? memes) and new product reviews (e.g., Big Arch) keep brand relevance and social buzz high but are unlikely to move fundamentals immediately. How McDonald’s CEO’s viral burger video turned memes into money
• Neutral Sentiment: Menu coverage / consumer perception: Media attention on affordability and menu mix helps narrative but the actual impact depends on execution and unit economics. McDonald’s Plans New $3 Menu, in Latest Bid to Win Customers With Better Deals
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Executive Joseph Erlinger disclosed a sale of 2,626 shares (~$862k). While routine insider sales aren’t always predictive, they can be interpreted as a mild negative signal by some investors. Insider sale filing
• Negative Sentiment: Short?term dampener: Analysts and commentary note the stock is down since earnings (some profit?taking and valuation debates persist), which can cap near?term upside until fresh evidence of traffic/margin improvement appears. Why Is McDonald’s (MCD) Down 2.5% Since Last Earnings Report?

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,486 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $320.00, for a total value of $795,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at $2,005,760. This trade represents a 28.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total value of $1,553,052.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer directly owned 6,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,052,200. This trade represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 74,143 shares of company stock valued at $24,517,724 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

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.