BTIG Research Upgrades McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) to Buy

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at BTIG Research from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat reports. The firm presently has a $360.00 target price on the fast-food giant’s stock. BTIG Research’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 12.59% from the company’s current price.

MCD has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $295.00 to $310.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Truist Financial increased their price target on McDonald’s from $350.00 to $356.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $358.00 to $372.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $331.37.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

NYSE:MCD opened at $319.73 on Monday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $310.21 and a 200-day moving average of $306.81. McDonald’s has a 52 week low of $283.47 and a 52 week high of $326.32. The company has a market capitalization of $227.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.28, a PEG ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.52.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.33 by ($0.11). McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.The business had revenue of $7.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.23 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that McDonald’s will post 12.25 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $306.58, for a total value of $805,079.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 5,398 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,654,918.84. This represents a 32.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Manuel Jm Steijaert sold 6,567 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $305.50, for a total transaction of $2,006,218.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,606 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,407,133. This trade represents a 58.78% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 32,008 shares of company stock worth $9,895,452. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of McDonald’s

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Federated Hermes Inc. grew its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 84.1% during the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 141,775 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $41,422,000 after buying an additional 64,757 shares in the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 236.7% during the 3rd quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 6,502 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,976,000 after buying an additional 4,571 shares during the last quarter. Welch Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Welch Group LLC now owns 206,004 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $60,188,000 after purchasing an additional 2,180 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.7% in the third quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 143,492 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $43,606,000 after buying an additional 3,774 shares during the period. Finally, Choreo LLC raised its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 58,515 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $17,096,000 after acquiring an additional 954 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: BTIG upgraded MCD from Neutral to Buy and set a $360 price target after discussions with franchisees — a direct driver of improved investor sentiment and a potential catalyst for multiple buy-side re-ratings. BTIG upgrade report
• Positive Sentiment: Limited-edition McNugget® Caviar kits (partnership with Paramount Caviar) will be distributed for free online on Feb. 10 — a high-profile, low-cost promotion likely to boost traffic, social engagement and short-term same-store sales. McNugget Caviar PR
• Positive Sentiment: New product rollouts and promotions — including a Friends-themed Happy Meal with collectible toys and broader 2026 menu changes (new sauces, Happy Meals, seasonal returns) — reinforce McDonald’s ability to drive traffic and mix improvement. These campaigns support both top-line momentum and brand relevance. Friends Happy Meal launch
• Positive Sentiment: QSR profile highlights creative leadership credited with powering McDonald’s growth — qualitative evidence that management/marketing execution is being recognized by industry press, which can sustain investor confidence in long-term comp trends. QSR Magazine profile
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s released final rosters for the 49th McDonald’s All American Games — a brand/CSR marketing event that helps long-term brand affinity but has limited immediate financial impact. All American Games rosters
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/market commentary pieces summarize why MCD outpaced the market today — useful context for short-term moves but largely descriptive of the items above (upgrade + promotions). Zacks market note
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle pieces (Shamrock Shake seasonal return, Coke taste story, broader menu reporting) keep consumer interest high but are unlikely to move fundamentals on their own. Shamrock Shake return

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.