Investors Buy High Volume of Call Options on Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR)

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (NYSE:QSR) (TSE:QSR) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock traders bought 273,975 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 22,468% compared to the average daily volume of 1,214 call options.

Restaurant Brands International Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:QSR opened at $74.19 on Friday. Restaurant Brands International has a 52 week low of $58.71 and a 52 week high of $75.57. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $69.84 and a 200 day moving average price of $68.38. The company has a market cap of $25.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.43, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.62.

Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) (TSE:QSR) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The restaurant operator reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.93 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $2.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.41 billion. Restaurant Brands International had a return on equity of 32.51% and a net margin of 8.23%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.81 EPS. Research analysts predict that Restaurant Brands International will post 3.72 earnings per share for the current year.

Restaurant Brands International Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 19th will be given a $0.65 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 19th. This is a positive change from Restaurant Brands International’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. Restaurant Brands International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 105.08%.

More Restaurant Brands International News

Here are the key news stories impacting Restaurant Brands International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call buying — Traders purchased roughly 273,975 call options (a ~22,468% jump vs. typical volume), signaling strong speculative bets or institutional hedging that can drive short‑term upside and liquidity. Options Activity
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/target bump — Oppenheimer raised its price target to $85 and rated QSR “outperform,” adding fresh sell‑side conviction and potential upward re‑rating pressure. Oppenheimer Note
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increase — RBI raised the quarterly payout to $0.65 (annualized $2.60, ~3.5% yield) with an ex‑dividend date of March 19; higher yield and income appeal can attract dividend investors. Dividend Announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst picture — Consensus remains a “Moderate Buy” with an average target near $79 and a range of ratings; constructive but not uniformly bullish, implying modest upside vs. current levels. Analyst Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: High institutional ownership (~82%) — Big fund ownership can mute day‑to‑day volatility but also amplify moves when large rebalances occur. Institutional Holdings
• Negative Sentiment: Significant insider selling — Multiple executives sold large blocks this week (CEO Joshua Kobza sold ~200,000 shares; CFO Sami Siddiqui and other senior officers also executed sizable sales), totaling roughly several hundred thousand shares. Concentrated insider exits can create near‑term selling pressure and raise governance or timing questions for some investors. SEC Filing (CEO Form 4)

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have commented on QSR shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Restaurant Brands International from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Barclays lowered their target price on Restaurant Brands International from $86.00 to $82.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Stifel Nicolaus raised Restaurant Brands International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $68.00 to $90.00 in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Restaurant Brands International from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Restaurant Brands International from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Restaurant Brands International currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $79.19.

Insider Transactions at Restaurant Brands International

In related news, insider Thiago T. Santelmo sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.41, for a total transaction of $754,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 78,560 shares in the company, valued at $5,924,209.60. This represents a 11.29% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Sami A. Siddiqui sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $74.51, for a total transaction of $2,980,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 35,766 shares in the company, valued at $2,664,924.66. The trade was a 52.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 435,191 shares of company stock worth $31,829,606 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.25% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Restaurant Brands International

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Restaurant Brands International during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Restaurant Brands International by 1,922.2% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 364 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 346 shares during the period. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Restaurant Brands International in the third quarter valued at about $29,000. Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA purchased a new stake in Restaurant Brands International during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in Restaurant Brands International during the second quarter worth about $35,000. 82.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Restaurant Brands International Company Profile

Restaurant Brands International Inc (NYSE: QSR) is a global quick-service restaurant company formed through the combination of established brands. The company’s principal holdings include Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, each of which operates under its own brand identity and menu. Restaurant Brands International’s business is centered on developing and expanding these franchised restaurant systems, supporting franchisees with brand management, supply chain coordination, and marketing programs.

RBI’s restaurants offer a range of quick-service food and beverage products: Burger King is known for its flame-grilled hamburgers and sandwiches, Tim Hortons for coffee, baked goods and breakfast items, and Popeyes for Louisiana-style fried chicken and seafood.