McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Insider Joseph Erlinger Sells 333 Shares

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 333 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.11, for a total value of $93,276.63. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,166,370.74. The trade was a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of MCD stock opened at $281.09 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $199.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.17, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.43. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $297.03 and a 200-day simple moving average of $308.93. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1-year low of $271.98 and a 1-year high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 442.10% and a net margin of 31.62%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 EPS. Analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 2nd. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 61.34%.

Institutional Trading of McDonald’s

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 84.4% during the fourth quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 35,510 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $10,853,000 after buying an additional 16,252 shares during the period. North Dakota State Investment Board acquired a new stake in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $7,493,000. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 21.9% in the fourth quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. now owns 21,487 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $6,567,000 after purchasing an additional 3,866 shares during the period. Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its position in McDonald’s by 5.2% in the third quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,029,572 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $312,877,000 after purchasing an additional 51,039 shares during the period. Finally, National Pension Service increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.5% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,533,015 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $465,868,000 after buying an additional 37,744 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is rolling out fresh promotional items, including a 2026 FIFA World Cup Happy Meal and Squishmallows tie-in, plus regional beverage offerings like refreshers and dirty sodas, which could help drive traffic and keep the brand top of mind for families and younger consumers. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Investor commentary remains constructive, with one article arguing McDonald’s still has a strong “moat,” reinforcing the view that its scale, franchise model, and brand strength can support earnings resilience. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s expansion in Ukraine suggests continued international growth, which can be a long-term support for revenue even in a challenging macro environment. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Viral social media attention around a McDonald’s nugget “hack” may boost brand visibility, but it is unlikely to materially affect fundamentals on its own. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: An insider sale by Joseph M. Erlinger of 333 shares is small relative to his remaining stake and does not appear to signal a major shift in outlook, though investors may note it. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s said it cannot meet its 2030 emissions targets and also fell short on a packaging goal, which could create ESG-related pressure and weigh on sentiment for some investors. Article Title

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MCD has been the topic of several recent research reports. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on McDonald’s from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley set a $331.00 target price on McDonald’s in a report on Friday, May 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on McDonald’s from $355.00 to $320.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their price objective on McDonald’s from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $334.45.

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.