McDonald's Corporation $MCD Shares Sold by GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC

Key Points

• GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC slashed its McDonald’s position by 75.9% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 1,241 shares worth about $379,000.
• McDonald’s reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $2.83 beating estimates and revenue of $6.52 billion rising 9.4% year over year.
• The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share, while analysts currently rate the stock a consensus “Moderate Buy” with an average target price of $334.45.

GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC cut its position in McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 75.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,241 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after selling 3,916 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC's holdings in McDonald's were worth $379,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV boosted its stake in McDonald's by 18.8% during the fourth quarter. Planning Alternatives Ltd. ADV now owns 785 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $240,000 after buying an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in McDonald's by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,512 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $1,379,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the period. Americana Partners LLC raised its position in McDonald's by 5.3% in the fourth quarter. Americana Partners LLC now owns 76,912 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $23,507,000 after purchasing an additional 3,852 shares during the period. Legato Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in McDonald's in the fourth quarter valued at $2,139,000. Finally, RD Lewis Holdings Inc. raised its position in McDonald's by 4.9% in the fourth quarter. RD Lewis Holdings Inc. now owns 10,818 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $3,456,000 after purchasing an additional 510 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald's

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald's declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.86 per share, reinforcing its appeal as a dependable income stock and signaling ongoing confidence in cash generation. McDONALD'S ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighted McDonald's efforts to refresh its menu and customer experience, including new beverage additions, AI-driven drive-thru concepts, and other innovation-focused changes that could support traffic and sales. McDonald’s CEO shares major beverage menu additions
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald's confirmed plans for a restaurant in historic Castlemaine, a small expansion item that is unlikely to materially move the stock on its own. McDonald's confirms plan for restaurant in historic Castlemaine
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary suggested McDonald's investment story is shifting as growth and valuation expectations are reset, which reflects changing sentiment rather than a clear operational surprise. Why The McDonald's (MCD) Investment Story Is Shifting As Analysts Reset Growth And Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Articles about “shrinkflation” and smaller McNuggets could pressure sentiment if consumers view McDonald's as offering less value, potentially weighing on brand perception. Shrinkflation hits McDonald's as customers say McNuggets are half the size they used to be
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noting that customers are divided on McDonald's specialty drinks suggests product experimentation may not be universally resonating yet. Why McDonald's Customers Are Divided On Its Specialty Drinks

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on MCD shares. Sanford C. Bernstein restated a "market perform" rating and issued a $340.00 target price on shares of McDonald's in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $305.00 price objective on McDonald's in a report on Thursday, May 7th. TD Cowen cut their price objective on McDonald's from $330.00 to $300.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on McDonald's from $355.00 to $320.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on McDonald's from $300.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, McDonald's has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $334.45.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Jonathan Banner sold 6,201 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.29, for a total transaction of $2,066,731.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,291 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $763,567.39. This represents a 73.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.00, for a total value of $806,182.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 8,400 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,578,800. This represents a 23.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 12,119 shares of company stock valued at $3,945,973. Insiders own 0.26% of the company's stock.

McDonald's Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $282.48 on Friday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $299.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $309.25. McDonald's Corporation has a 1-year low of $271.98 and a 1-year high of $341.75. The company has a market cap of $200.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.43.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.09. McDonald's had a negative return on equity of 442.10% and a net margin of 31.62%.The company had revenue of $6.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.67 EPS. McDonald's's revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald's Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 2nd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio is 61.34%.

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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