Jain Global LLC Sells 17,053 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Jain Global LLC lowered its position in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 39.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 25,931 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 17,053 shares during the quarter. Jain Global LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $7,880,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 84.1% during the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 141,775 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $41,422,000 after acquiring an additional 64,757 shares during the period. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 236.7% during the third quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 6,502 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,976,000 after purchasing an additional 4,571 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. lifted its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 143,492 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $43,606,000 after purchasing an additional 3,774 shares during the last quarter. Choreo LLC boosted its stake in McDonald’s by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 58,515 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $17,096,000 after purchasing an additional 954 shares during the period. Finally, Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in McDonald’s in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,120,000. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $326.79 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $232.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.35, a PEG ratio of 2.90 and a beta of 0.51. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $320.82 and its 200 day moving average is $311.61. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52 week low of $283.47 and a 52 week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted 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. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.81 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.85% and a negative return on equity of 343.90%. McDonald’s’s revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.83 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be given a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is presently 62.26%.

Insider Activity

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $328.34, for a total transaction of $862,220.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 8,733 shares in the company, valued at $2,867,393.22. The trade was a 23.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 26,276 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.54, for a total value of $8,764,097.04. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,638,066. The trade was a 53.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 71,657 shares of company stock worth $23,722,204. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on MCD. KeyCorp increased their price objective on McDonald’s from $340.00 to $354.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $305.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 24th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Seventeen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $339.69.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: KeyBanc raised its price target and called out strong momentum in McDonald’s U.S. business — a direct analyst catalyst that supports upside expectations. KeyBanc Cites Strong Momentum in McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)’s Domestic Business
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish pieces (Seeking Alpha, Seeking Alpha follow-ups, and Yahoo summaries of bullish theses) argue McDonald’s is still a structurally attractive holding thanks to scale, menu innovation and resilient margins. These reinforce buy-side interest. Three Reasons To Own McDonald’s Now
• Positive Sentiment: Company strategy milestones (franchising, digital/operational improvements highlighted in business press) are being framed as the “next big step” in McDonald’s post?pandemic playbook — potentially supportive for long?term sales and margins. McDonald’s Just Announced the Next Big Step In Its Post-Pandemic Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: McValue 2.0 menu is getting attention as a traffic driver, but analysts warn McDonald’s current valuation leaves limited upside — positive for comps but mixed for shares. McDonald’s McValue 2.0 Menu Is Appetizing But Valuation Leaves Little Room For Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple consumer?interest pieces (sauces, fries, Filet?O?Fish cheese) are being shared widely — good for brand engagement but unlikely to move the stock materially. How are McDonald’s Big Mac & Big Arch sauces different? Why McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Always Has Crooked Cheese
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noting Darden (DRI) and Restaurant Brands (QSR) outpacing McDonald’s highlights relative underperformance risk — investors may reallocate to higher?growth peers. Why DRI And QSR Are Outpacing McDonald’s Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Barchart suggests the stock’s price targets have moved higher but the share price has been flat, making shorting out?of?the?money puts an attractive trade — a signal that some market participants expect limited near?term upside or downside risk. McDonald’s Stock Price Targets Are Higher – Shorting MCD Puts Works Here
• Negative Sentiment: Industry pieces on burger/commodity cost pressures (Burger King/Whopper coverage) flag margin risk for beef?centric menu items — a potential headwind if input costs spike. McDonald’s and Burger King face whopper of a burger problem

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.