ProShare Advisors LLC Purchases 86,979 Shares of McDonald's Corporation $MCD

Key Points

• ProShare Advisors increased its McDonald’s position by 11.8%, purchasing 86,979 shares to own 825,799 shares valued at approximately $190.7 million. Institutional investors collectively own 70.29% of the company.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with McDonald’s holding a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $294.73, although several firms recently lowered their targets and assigned neutral ratings.
• McDonald’s reported quarterly EPS of $3.38, exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 3.7% year over year to $7.10 billion. The company also increased its quarterly dividend to $1.93, representing a 3.0% annualized yield.

ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 11.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 825,799 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after buying an additional 86,979 shares during the quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.12% of McDonald's worth $190,710,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of MCD. Sound Income Strategies LLC grew its position in shares of McDonald's by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 5,590 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $1,718,000 after buying an additional 35 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID raised its position in McDonald's by 11.0% during the 1st quarter. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID now owns 372 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $116,000 after buying an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC boosted its holdings in McDonald's by 2.5% in the first quarter. Millstone Evans Group LLC now owns 1,532 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $476,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Signature Equity Partners LLC raised its position in McDonald's by 3.6% during the first quarter. Signature Equity Partners LLC now owns 1,087 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $338,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Investment Advisory LLC boosted its stake in shares of McDonald's by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 4,019 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $1,086,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on MCD shares. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of McDonald's in a report on Monday, September 21st. Weiss Ratings downgraded McDonald's from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Friday, October 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their price objective on shares of McDonald's from $295.00 to $250.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Mizuho cut their price target on McDonald's from $290.00 to $260.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group reduced their price target on shares of McDonald's from $309.00 to $293.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $294.73.

McDonald's Stock Up 0.3%

MCD opened at $258.15 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $182.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.44. McDonald's Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $229.20 and a fifty-two week high of $341.75. The company's 50-day moving average price is $248.26 and its 200 day moving average price is $283.44.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. McDonald's had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 572.06%. The company had revenue of $7.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $3.19 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald's Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be paid a $1.93 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. This represents a $7.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. This is a boost from McDonald's's previous quarterly dividend of $1.86. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio is presently 60.44%.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald's

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

• Positive Sentiment: Technical commentary suggests McDonald’s stock, which has fallen sharply this year amid weakness in consumer-discretionary shares, may be positioned for a rebound. The recent recovery could attract value-oriented investors if the company delivers resilient sales and cash flow. Mapping the Market: Beaten-down McDonald’s stock may be ripe for a rally
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is bringing back Pokémon Happy Meals in November, featuring collectible toys and trading cards. The promotion could support customer traffic, family visits and near-term sales, although its impact is likely temporary. McDonald’s is bringing back Pokémon Happy Meals
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street is focusing on estimates for McDonald’s third-quarter 2026 revenue, earnings and operating metrics. The reports provide expectations rather than new company results, so the stock’s next major catalyst will be whether actual performance exceeds or falls short of those forecasts. Unveiling McDonald’s Q3 Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: New holiday beverages and an $8 Quarter Pounder meal are scheduled for November. These value and seasonal offerings may help affordability perceptions and traffic, but investors will need evidence that promotions can improve demand without pressuring restaurant-level margins. McDonald’s adds new holiday drinks
• Negative Sentiment: Mizuho cut its McDonald’s price target from $290 to $260 and assigned a neutral rating, indicating limited expected upside from recent levels. The revision reinforces concerns about valuation and the durability of cash-flow growth. Mizuho McDonald’s rating
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage also questions whether McDonald’s current valuation already reflects its expected cash generation, while the stock remains materially below its level at the start of the year. A planned multibillion-dollar modernization and AI drive-through initiative could improve efficiency over time, but it also introduces execution and investment risks.

McDonald's Company 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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