Sapient Capital LLC Sells 2,651 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Sapient Capital LLC cut its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 26.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,284 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 2,651 shares during the period. Sapient Capital LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $1,969,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of MCD. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, DecisionPoint Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 1,616.7% in the fourth quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 103 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: A Hello Kitty and Godzilla crossover scheduled to launch August 18 could generate customer interest and support limited-time promotional sales, particularly in international markets. McDonald’s Hello Kitty and Godzilla crossover arrives August 18
• Positive Sentiment: Articles highlighting menu updates, ordering options and new or unusual products show that McDonald’s is continuing to use innovation and promotions to refresh its offering and attract visits. McDonald’s is making some big changes to its menu
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s franchise-heavy model continues to compare favorably with other consumer stocks because of its global scale, high margins and recurring free cash flow, supporting the long-term investment case. Airbnb vs. McDonald’s: Which Consumer Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $273.30 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $194.18 billion, a PE ratio of 22.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.41. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $260.96 and a 12 month high of $341.75. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $273.98 and a 200-day simple moving average of $296.14.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 512.80%. The business had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.13 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.19 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.88 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 60.44%.

Insider Buying and Selling at McDonald’s

In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total transaction of $769,108.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,744,760.48. This represents a 30.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing 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 stock was sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total value of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. The trade was a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 8,348 shares of company stock worth $2,355,634 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised McDonald’s from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $260.00 to $306.00 in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on McDonald’s from $305.00 to $295.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on McDonald’s from $322.00 to $319.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price target on McDonald’s from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and twelve have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $325.44.

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.