Quantitative Investment Management LLC Buys New Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Quantitative Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 12,246 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock, valued at approximately $3,310,000.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Hamilton Point Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Hamilton Point Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,750 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $535,000 after purchasing an additional 31 shares in the last quarter. Encompass More Asset Management raised its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Encompass More Asset Management now owns 2,120 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $648,000 after buying an additional 32 shares during the period. Richmond Investment Services LLC lifted its position in McDonald’s by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC now owns 2,278 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $696,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management inc. now owns 8,809 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $2,692,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allied Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Allied Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,366 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $417,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on MCD shares. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $315.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $295.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Tigress Financial boosted their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $385.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, UBS Group set a $305.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $322.96.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investors purchased 34,703 MCD call options, approximately 34% above typical volume. The activity may indicate increased bullish speculation, though options flow alone does not confirm a sustained rally.
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s benefited from a modest rebound in burger stocks as traders considered whether elevated short interest could contribute to a short squeeze. Wendy’s Climbs 4%, McDonald’s Ticks Up: Is Short Interest Setting Up a Squeeze in the Burger Trade?
• Positive Sentiment: The company is bringing back Spicy McNuggets on September 1 after a two-year absence, alongside other limited-time menu items and seasonal coffee promotions. These launches could support traffic and customer engagement, although their financial impact is likely modest. McDonald’s to Bring Back Spicy McNuggets
• Positive Sentiment: A consumer survey again ranked McDonald’s fries ahead of major competitors, reinforcing the brand’s strong customer recognition. A Hello Kitty and Godzilla Happy Meal promotion may provide additional promotional appeal.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst comparisons with Domino’s highlight McDonald’s global expansion, digital initiatives and customer-engagement efforts, but do not represent a new company-specific catalyst. McDonald’s vs. Domino’s: Which Stock Has Better Growth Prospects?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports about a fake McDonald’s support bot promising free premium AI tools appear to be a scam warning rather than an operating or earnings development.
• Negative Sentiment: Argus lowered its McDonald’s price target to $310, signaling more limited near-term upside despite the target remaining above the current market level. Argus Lowers McDonald’s Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s slipped with other burger stocks after takeover speculation surrounding Wendy’s faded, removing a sector-wide catalyst. Separately, commentary pointing to weakening consumer conditions raises concerns about pressure on traffic and value-focused spending, though the claim is not a formal company forecast.

McDonald’s Stock Up 0.0%

Shares of MCD opened at $265.05 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $187.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.53, a PEG ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.41. The business’s 50 day moving average is $270.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $291.48. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $259.85 and a 52-week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.32 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $7.10 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 572.06%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.19 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is presently 60.44%.

Insider Activity

In other 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 value of $1,493,248.64. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This represents a 40.44% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company 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.