Pittenger & Anderson Inc. Buys 2,233 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Pittenger & Anderson Inc. raised its position in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 10.4% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 23,720 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 2,233 shares during the quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $7,372,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp lifted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 7.7% during the 1st quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp now owns 14,259 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $4,431,000 after buying an additional 1,023 shares in the last quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in McDonald’s by 0.3% during the first quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. now owns 97,969 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $30,448,000 after acquiring an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. Midwest Trust Co grew its stake in McDonald’s by 2.9% during the first quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 227,570 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $70,726,000 after acquiring an additional 6,334 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 39.0% in the first quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 764,007 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $237,446,000 after purchasing an additional 214,356 shares during the period. Finally, Sovran Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 8.2% in the first quarter. Sovran Advisors LLC now owns 3,268 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $960,000 after purchasing an additional 249 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is leaning into beverages with a new custom drink push, including a Dirty Dr. Pepper-style offering, which could help drive traffic and lift average ticket sizes as chains compete for drink sales. McDonald’s Dirty Dr. Pepper Leads Its New Custom Drink Push
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is also using promotions and limited-time offers, including free fries for National French Fry Day and a BT21 Happy Meal rollout, to support customer engagement and near-term sales momentum. Free fries article BT21 Happy Meals article
• Positive Sentiment: Some recent commentary suggests McDonald’s remains a defensible consumer name, with analysts and market writers highlighting its cash generation, brand strength, and potential to benefit from event-driven marketing around the FIFA World Cup. FIFA World Cup growth strategy article
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle pieces about ordering hacks, retro campaigns, and menu combinations are generating buzz, but these appear more like brand-interest stories than material stock drivers. Filet-O-Fish and Snack Wrap article Ordering hack article Vinyl record campaign article
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s has also been the subject of mixed third-party coverage comparing it with other consumer names and discussing macro risks, but these articles do not signal a clear company-specific catalyst on their own. McDonald’s or Pfizer article Index exit and oil shock article
• Negative Sentiment: A Deutsche Bank note says McDonald’s U.S. comparable sales likely hit a new low in the second quarter, reinforcing worries that traffic and same-store sales may be weakening. US sales likely hit new low article
• Negative Sentiment: Recent market pieces also note that McDonald’s has been registering bigger daily declines than the broader market, suggesting investors remain cautious heading into upcoming sales and earnings-related updates. Registers a bigger fall than the market article

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD traded down $1.56 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $274.93. The stock had a trading volume of 2,978,722 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,490,551. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1 year low of $264.53 and a 1 year high of $341.75. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $278.57 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $301.85. The firm has a market cap of $195.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.41.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 2nd were issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 2nd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 61.34%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total transaction of $769,108.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,744,760.48. This represents a 30.59% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This represents a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 8,681 shares of company stock valued at $2,456,440. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Cfra raised McDonald’s to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. KeyCorp reduced their target price on McDonald’s from $330.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 29th. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Evercore set a $350.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Erste Group Bank cut shares of McDonald’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $334.96.

McDonald’s Company 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.