McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) CMO Edith Morgan Flatley Sells 4,692 Shares

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total value of $1,553,052.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer directly owned 6,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,052,200. This represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

McDonald’s Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $327.56 on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12-month low of $283.47 and a 12-month high of $335.67. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $313.72 and its 200 day simple moving average is $308.70. The company has a market cap of $233.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.52.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.85% and a negative return on equity of 343.90%. The firm had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.83 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be given a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is presently 62.26%.

Trending Headlines about McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 outperformance and a clear value strategy. Recent coverage highlights MCD’s Q4 beat, double-digit active app engagement and a permanent “McValue” push that helped U.S. comps grow ~6.8% — a key reason investors see low downside and continued share gains. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: 2026 menu rollout tied to sales rebound. McDonald’s unveiled its 2026 menu and promotional plan, which management ties directly to the sales rebound and traffic recovery — a near-term revenue catalyst. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal and limited-time items returning. The Shamrock Shake and other beloved seasonal items are back nationwide — recurring LTOs that reliably boost traffic and spend. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: New product and brand engagement initiatives. McDonald’s is debuting new items (Big Arch burger) and launching branded collectibles/trading cards to drive visits and social buzz. These low-cost marketing plays can increase frequency among younger cohorts. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Product innovation to address diet trends. McDonald’s is testing higher‑protein menu options in response to GLP‑1‑driven consumer changes — a proactive product response that could protect traffic if tastes shift. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and history pieces with limited near-term impact. Several features (drive‑thru origin, nostalgia pieces) bolster brand perception but are unlikely to move the stock materially by themselves. Read More.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently commented on MCD. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on McDonald’s from $356.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Guggenheim reduced their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Argus raised McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $380.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on McDonald’s from $372.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $337.04.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald’s

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the second quarter worth $2,780,712,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 29,382.3% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,737,548 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,676,339,000 after purchasing an additional 5,718,087 shares during the period. Soundwatch Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the second quarter valued at about $1,412,069,000. J. Stern & Co. LLP lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 9,867.5% in the fourth quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 2,541,008 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $776,608,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515,515 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP boosted its position in shares of McDonald’s by 171.7% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 3,125,432 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $913,157,000 after buying an additional 1,974,998 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.