PYA Waltman Capital LLC Increases Stock Position in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

PYA Waltman Capital LLC increased its holdings in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 52.0% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 6,860 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 2,346 shares during the period. PYA Waltman Capital LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $1,854,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MCD. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 4,008.8% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 84,230 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $22,768,000 after purchasing an additional 82,180 shares during the period. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 16.9% during the second quarter. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. now owns 13,859 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $3,746,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Peterson Wealth Services grew its position in McDonald’s by 3,294.5% in the 4th quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 11,779 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $3,600,000 after buying an additional 11,432 shares during the last quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. grew its position in McDonald’s by 84.4% in the 4th quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 35,510 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $10,853,000 after buying an additional 16,252 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Sarl increased its stake in McDonald’s by 10.4% in the 4th quarter. Capital International Sarl now owns 64,256 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $19,639,000 after buying an additional 6,079 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: International operated markets delivered 1.5% comparable-sales growth in the second quarter of 2026, led by Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom. Value offers, menu innovation and loyalty programs could help McDonald’s offset softer demand in some regions. Can MCD’s International Markets Drive Growth Amid Consumer Pressure?
• Positive Sentiment: A SpongeBob and One Piece-themed Happy Meal is scheduled to launch September 15. The high-profile collaboration may support traffic, family demand and promotional engagement, although its financial impact is likely limited. McDonald’s Announces SpongeBob/One Piece Collab Happy Meal
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s and Burger King introduced chicken-nugget offerings on the same day, highlighting continued menu competition. The launch could generate traffic but also underscores the crowded quick-service restaurant market. Chicken nuggets land on menus at Burger King, McDonald’s on same day
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s has lagged the S&P 500 over the past year, and its shares are near a 12-month low. Analysts remain moderately optimistic, but the relative weakness suggests investors are concerned about growth and valuation amid a challenging consumer environment. Is McDonald’s Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on MCD. Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of McDonald’s to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, August 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of McDonald’s from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. 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. Finally, Evercore set a $320.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $322.96.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

McDonald’s stock opened at $261.11 on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corporation has a one year low of $259.85 and a one year high of $341.75. The business has a fifty day moving average of $270.33 and a two-hundred day moving average of $290.60. The company has a market cap of $184.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.41.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 572.06%. The company had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $3.19 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.87 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 60.44%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the company’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 transaction, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This represents a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.26% 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.