Peterson Wealth Services Sells 12,088 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Peterson Wealth Services cut its stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 98.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 164 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 12,088 shares during the quarter. Peterson Wealth Services’ holdings in McDonald’s were worth $38,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. acquired a new position in McDonald’s during the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in McDonald’s in the first quarter valued at approximately $51,000. POM Investment Strategies LLC increased its stake in McDonald’s by 46.2% in the second quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC now owns 174 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC increased its stake in McDonald’s by 140.0% in the second quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC now owns 180 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Burkett Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 2,312.5% in the third quarter. Burkett Financial Services LLC now owns 193 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $295.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Monday. HSBC decreased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $357.00 to $356.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Melius Research lowered their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $250.00 to $230.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 28th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on McDonald’s from $335.00 to $310.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 24th. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $286.00 target price on McDonald’s in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $295.64.

McDonald’s Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of MCD opened at $249.41 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $249.01 and a 200 day simple moving average of $284.22. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $229.20 and a 52-week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced 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. The company had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.19 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $1.93 per share. This is a positive change from McDonald’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.86. This represents a $7.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 1st.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: BTIG reaffirmed its “buy” rating and set a $295 price target, implying meaningful upside from the current trading level. The call supports the view that McDonald’s brand strength, franchise model and value offerings are not fully reflected in the stock. BTIG rating report
• Positive Sentiment: McRib’s return to select U.S. cities, an $8 meal promotion, five seasonal beverages and an upcoming Pokémon trading-card promotion could increase traffic, create urgency and support limited-term sales. However, the promotions are concentrated in specific markets or time periods and are unlikely to materially change near-term companywide earnings on their own. McRib return
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is investing heavily in restaurant training and considering the return of more PlayPlaces. The initiatives may improve service quality and family traffic over time, but they also require spending and have no immediate earnings impact. McDonald’s training effort
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst comparisons with Chipotle and Starbucks highlight McDonald’s defensive brand, global scale and dividend appeal, but also point to slower growth than some restaurant peers. These articles are investor commentary rather than new company guidance. McDonald’s versus Chipotle
• Negative Sentiment: Franchisees reportedly criticized the new hand-breaded chicken for oversized birds and tough meat. Quality or consistency problems could undermine McDonald’s chicken-growth strategy, reduce franchisee enthusiasm and weigh on customer traffic if not resolved. McDonald’s chicken rollout issues
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s decision to end its more-than-30-year FIFA World Cup sponsorship signals a shift toward owned marketing properties but could reduce global event visibility and reflects uncertainty about the return on major sponsorship spending. FIFA sponsorship ending
• Negative Sentiment: A bearish Seeking Alpha analysis argues that the stock’s prior decline may not be finished, reinforcing investor concerns about valuation, growth and competitive pressure. Bearish McDonald’s stock analysis

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s Corporation is a global quick-service restaurant company that operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald’s brand. Its restaurants serve a menu that includes hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, breakfast items, desserts, salads, beverages and coffee. Offerings vary by market, and many locations provide drive-thru service, delivery and digital ordering through the McDonald’s mobile app.

The company operates through a heavily franchised business model, with restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees, affiliates and the company itself.