Christopher Kempczinski Sells 26,276 Shares of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Stock

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) CEO Christopher Kempczinski sold 26,276 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.54, for a total value of $8,764,097.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,638,066. This trade represents a 53.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of MCD stock opened at $327.90 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $314.06 and its 200-day moving average price is $308.84. The stock has a market cap of $233.52 billion, a PE ratio of 27.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.52. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $283.47 and a 12 month high of $335.67.

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

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be paid a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is presently 62.26%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald’s

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. lifted its holdings in McDonald’s by 142.9% in the second quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 85 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 162.5% in the third quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in McDonald’s during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 95.7% during the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MCD. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. KeyCorp upped their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $340.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective 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. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on McDonald’s from $356.00 to $370.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $337.04.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Erste Group raised MCD from “hold” to “buy”, which supports positive analyst sentiment and may lift demand for the shares. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Menu and sales momentum: Management rolled out the 2026 menu tied to a sales rebound and stronger comps; investors view the menu plan as a near‑term catalyst for traffic and revenue. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile marketing push: New collaborations and limited-edition items with Drake/OVO (including a specialty Sprite and promoted combo meals) boost brand relevance and can drive short-term visits and social buzz. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Product innovation for shifting diets: McDonald’s is testing high‑protein menu options aimed at consumers on GLP‑1 drugs — a proactive move to defend traffic as dietary preferences shift. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Seasonal and nostalgia items returning (Shamrock Shake, Changeables Happy Meal toys) — these typically boost short-term foot traffic but are not structural catalysts. Read More. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer interest pieces (e.g., Filet‑O‑Fish customization trick) drive PR and footfall curiosity but are unlikely to move fundamentals. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Christopher Kempczinski and CMO Edith Morgan Flatley disclosed multi‑million dollar sales in mid‑February (large reductions in holdings), which can be interpreted as a near‑term negative signal for sentiment. Read More.

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.