McDonald's Corporation $MCD Shares Sold by Candriam S.C.A.

Key Points

• Candriam S.C.A. cut its McDonald’s stake by 23.6% in the third quarter, selling 20,127 shares and ending the period with 65,302 shares valued at about $15.1 million. Institutional ownership overall was reported at 70.29%.
• McDonald’s reported quarterly EPS of $3.57, beating estimates of $3.38, while revenue of $7.16 billion fell short of forecasts. Revenue was up 1.1% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend from $1.86 to $1.93 per share, equivalent to an annualized $7.72 and a 2.7% yield. Analysts’ average rating was “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $297.82.

Candriam S.C.A. lowered its position in McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 23.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 65,302 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after selling 20,127 shares during the quarter. Candriam S.C.A.'s holdings in McDonald's were worth $15,136,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 4,008.8% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 84,230 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $22,768,000 after purchasing an additional 82,180 shares during the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of McDonald's in the third quarter valued at about $1,026,000. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. lifted its stake in shares of McDonald's by 16.9% during the 2nd quarter. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. now owns 13,859 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $3,746,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares during the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of McDonald's by 7.1% during the 2nd quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 1,471,725 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $397,822,000 after buying an additional 97,060 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Viking Fund Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of McDonald's by 60.0% during the 3rd quarter. Viking Fund Management LLC now owns 40,000 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $9,238,000 after buying an additional 15,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company's stock.

McDonald's Stock Performance

Shares of McDonald's stock opened at $281.54 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $249.09 and a 200-day moving average of $282.45. The stock has a market cap of $199.23 billion, a PE ratio of 21.72, a PEG ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.42. McDonald's Corporation has a 52-week low of $229.20 and a 52-week high of $341.75.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.57 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.38 by $0.19. McDonald's had a net margin of 32.38% and a negative return on equity of 671.56%. The business had revenue of $7.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.28 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.22 earnings per share. McDonald's's revenue was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald's Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be issued a $1.93 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 1st. This represents a $7.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. This is an increase from McDonald's's previous quarterly dividend of $1.86. McDonald's's payout ratio is presently 58.86%.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald's

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s Q3 earnings beat expectations, and management pointed to cost discipline, refranchising and targeted digital promotions as drivers of stronger profitability. The earnings response was positive, although revenue fell short of forecasts. The top 5 analyst questions from McDonald's Q3 2026 earnings call
• Positive Sentiment: The company and Uber are expanding their delivery partnership across 14 markets, adding in-app ordering and cross-platform loyalty benefits that could support order volume and customer engagement. McDonald's Expands Uber Partnership in 14 Markets
• Positive Sentiment: A Pokémon Happy Meal promotion could provide a short-term traffic draw, though its financial impact is not yet clear. McDonald's, Pokémon team for Happy Meal
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is testing a low-priced bundle in about 1,900 U.S. restaurants as it adjusts deals for increasingly price-conscious customers. The test may help traffic, but its results will be important to watch. MCD Stock Outlook: Wall Street Eyes a Potential Upside Breakout After Q3 Results
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. guest counts are still falling, and the latest revenue missed expectations. Analysts and commentary warn that higher average checks have not yet demonstrated a sustainable recovery in visits. McDonald’s Is Rethinking Its Deals as Customers Get Pickier About Prices
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary argues the post-earnings rebound may be pricing in a turnaround before traffic and cash-flow improvement are firmly established. McDonald's: The Earnings Bounce Is Pricing In A Turnaround That Hasn't Happened Yet

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently commented on MCD shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of McDonald's from $308.00 to $297.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of McDonald's from $290.00 to $260.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 30th. KeyCorp raised their price objective on shares of McDonald's from $280.00 to $307.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 5th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on McDonald's from $270.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 4th. Finally, BTIG Research upped their target price on McDonald's from $295.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $297.82.

McDonald's Profile

McDonald’s Corporation is a global quick-service restaurant company that operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald’s brand. Its restaurants serve a menu that includes hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, breakfast items, desserts, salads, beverages and coffee. Offerings vary by market, and many locations provide drive-thru service, delivery and digital ordering through the McDonald’s mobile app.

The company operates through a heavily franchised business model, with restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees, affiliates and the company itself.

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