McDonald's Corporation $MCD Shares Purchased by Ascentis Independent Advisors

Key Points

• Ascentis Independent Advisors increased its McDonald's stake by 40.7% in the first quarter, adding 4,089 shares and bringing its total holdings to 14,148 shares worth about $4.4 million.
• Several other institutional investors also adjusted positions in MCD, and hedge funds and institutions now own 70.29% of the company’s stock, highlighting continued broad ownership interest.
• Recent insider activity showed notable selling: insiders sold 11,307 shares over the last 90 days, including major sales by Joseph M. Erlinger and Desiree Ralls-Morrison, while McDonald's also recently paid a $1.86 quarterly dividend yielding about 2.7%.

Ascentis Independent Advisors grew its holdings in McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 40.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,148 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after acquiring an additional 4,089 shares during the period. Ascentis Independent Advisors' holdings in McDonald's were worth $4,398,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in McDonald's in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Park Place Capital Corp lifted its stake in shares of McDonald's by 95.7% during the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. acquired a new position in shares of McDonald's during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Abound Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald's in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, DecisionPoint Financial LLC boosted its position in shares of McDonald's by 1,616.7% in the fourth quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 103 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.29% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This represents a 40.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total value of $769,108.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at $1,744,760.48. This trade represents a 30.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 11,307 shares of company stock worth $3,262,622. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about McDonald's

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald's stock was lifted by a UBS note highlighting it as an attractive defensive dividend name, helping support the shares as investors rotate toward stable cash-generating companies. Why McDonald's (MCD) Stock Is Up Today
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald's continues to appeal to income investors after its latest quarterly dividend, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most reliable dividend payers in the Dow. Despite Franchisees Struggling, McDonald's Dividend Keeps Rising
• Positive Sentiment: New menu and promotional chatter, including Happy Meal tie-ins, free fries offers, and added chicken items, could help drive customer engagement and traffic. BT21 Toys Teases Coming To McDonald's Happy Meals On July 14
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald's is also getting broader media attention around its brand history and restaurant expansion plans, but these items are not likely to move the stock much on their own. The McDonald's Big Mac jingle from the mid '70s that still lives in our heads
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald's hired a new development executive to support its NEXT strategy, which signals execution progress but is still more of a long-term operating update than an immediate stock catalyst. McDonald’s taps Raising Cane’s vet to lead development
• Negative Sentiment: A Trefis report said McDonald's is facing a real risk from trying to win over budget-conscious customers, with franchisee strain from inflation and weak consumer sentiment weighing on the system. The Real Risk Squeezing McDonald's Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Another recent analysis said MCD is near 52-week lows because of margin pressure at franchisees and softer foot traffic, which continues to limit enthusiasm despite the dividend appeal. Should You Buy McDonald’s (MCD) At 52-Week Lows

McDonald's Stock Performance

MCD opened at $280.48 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $199.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.12, a PEG ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a 50-day moving average of $280.25 and a 200-day moving average of $303.11. McDonald's Corporation has a 1-year low of $264.53 and a 1-year high of $341.75.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $6.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.47 billion. McDonald's had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald's Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 2nd were issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 2nd. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 61.34%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. Cfra raised McDonald's to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of McDonald's in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of McDonald's from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 8th. TD Cowen reissued a "hold" rating on shares of McDonald's in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Finally, Erste Group Bank lowered shares of McDonald's from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $335.70.

McDonald's Profile

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.

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