Quantitative Investment Management LLC Invests $4.97 Million in McDonald's Corporation $MCD

Key Points

• Quantitative Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake of 16,371 McDonald's shares valued at about $4.97 million in the third quarter, as institutional investors now own roughly 70.29% of the company.
• McDonald's beat quarterly expectations with EPS $3.12 (vs. $3.05 est.) and revenue of $7.01 billion (up 9.7% y/y), and announced a quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share (yield ~2.3%; ex‑dividend March 3, payable March 17).
• Analyst views are mixed—several firms raised targets (e.g., Barclays $380, Jefferies $375, Truist $370, Tigress $385) but MarketBeat's consensus remains a Hold with a $339.69 target, while insiders have sold shares (about 74,143 shares, ~$24.5M, over the last quarter).

Quantitative Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 16,371 shares of the fast-food giant's stock, valued at approximately $4,974,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MCD. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC raised its holdings in McDonald's by 162.5% in the third quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. acquired a new position in McDonald's during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Traub Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in McDonald's during the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Davis Capital Management purchased a new stake in McDonald's during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Miller Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald's in the third quarter worth $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MCD has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays raised their target price on shares of McDonald's from $372.00 to $380.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $335.00 price target on McDonald's in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Guggenheim cut their price objective on McDonald's from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on McDonald's from $356.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on McDonald's from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, McDonald's has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $339.69.

McDonald's Price Performance

Shares of MCD stock opened at $324.09 on Friday. The company's fifty day moving average price is $319.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $311.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $230.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.12, a P/E/G ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.51. McDonald's Corporation has a 12 month low of $283.47 and a 12 month high of $341.75.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. McDonald's had a negative return on equity of 343.90% and a net margin of 31.85%.The company had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.81 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.83 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current year.

McDonald's Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be paid a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.26%.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $328.34, for a total transaction of $862,220.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 8,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,867,393.22. This represents a 23.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total transaction of $1,553,052.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 6,200 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,052,200. The trade was a 43.08% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 74,143 shares of company stock worth $24,517,724 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the company's stock.

Key McDonald's News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Value strategy could increase traffic and win back price‑sensitive customers — McDonald’s plans $3 items and $4 breakfast deals starting in April, which investors view as a demand stimulus. McDonald's to launch new $3 value items in US starting April, WSJ reports
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Tigress Financial raised its price target to $385 and reiterated a Buy, citing McDonald’s multi‑year growth strategy and brand strength — a direct positive for investor sentiment. Tigress Financial Upgrades McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Digital & loyalty tailwinds: McDonald’s loyalty ecosystem (near ~210M active users) can lift visit frequency and enable targeted promotions that amplify the value push. Can MCD's Digital Ecosystem Turn Loyalty Into Higher Visit Frequency?
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing & product chatter (Big Arch review, menu renames, viral CEO burger video) raise brand visibility but are unlikely to change near‑term fundamentals by themselves. McDonald's Big Arch review
• Neutral Sentiment: PR/branding note: CEO’s viral burger video and meme-driven engagement have monetization and awareness upside but are incremental to core sales drivers. How McDonald's CEO's viral burger video turned memes into money
• Negative Sentiment: Margin/public‑reaction risk: Some online voices flag concerns the deeper discounting could pressure margins or signal desperation, a potential risk if traffic lift and upsells don’t offset lower price points. McDonald's planning value menu, internet has one major concern
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Executive Joseph Erlinger sold ~2,626 shares (~$862k), which can be interpreted as a mild negative signal even though such sales may be routine. Insider sale filing

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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