Vest Financial LLC Has $57.37 Million Stake in McDonald's Corporation $MCD

Key Points

• Vest Financial LLC trimmed its stake in McDonald's by 10.1% in Q4, selling 21,070 shares and ending the period with 187,716 shares worth about $57.37 million per its latest 13F filing.
• McDonald's beat quarterly estimates (EPS $3.12 vs $3.05; revenue $7.01B, +9.7% YoY) but the stock slipped ~3% amid mixed analyst sentiment and notable insider selling; the company pays a $1.86 quarterly dividend (annualized $7.44, yield ~2.6%).

Vest Financial LLC lowered its stake in shares of McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 10.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 187,716 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after selling 21,070 shares during the period. Vest Financial LLC's holdings in McDonald's were worth $57,372,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. D.A. Davidson & CO. boosted its stake in McDonald's by 2.7% during the 3rd quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 143,492 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $43,606,000 after purchasing an additional 3,774 shares during the last quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 317.2% in the third quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC now owns 19,079 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $5,691,000 after acquiring an additional 14,506 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service grew its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 2.5% in the third quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,533,015 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $465,868,000 after acquiring an additional 37,744 shares in the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group grew its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 5.2% in the third quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,029,572 shares of the fast-food giant's stock valued at $312,877,000 after acquiring an additional 51,039 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of McDonald's in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,697,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.29% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald's

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

• Positive Sentiment: Major content/brand tie‑ins — McDonald’s is rolling out a high‑profile Stranger Things Happy Meal promotion that should boost traffic, merchandising and limited‑time sales during the campaign window. McDonald's unveils "Stranger Things" Happy Meal
• Positive Sentiment: Beverage push — McDonald’s launched an expanded drinks menu positioned to capture more beverage spend (a category with higher check and margin potential), which could help same‑store sales over time. McDonald's takes aim at Starbucks with new drinks menu
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/folio momentum pieces highlight MCD as a lower‑risk, growth‑oriented name amid its technology/real‑estate transformation — supportive framing for longer‑term holders. McDonald’s Corporation (MCD): One of the Best Low Risk High Growth Stocks to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Street targets are being reworked — some firms bumped targets into the mid‑$300s while others trimmed estimates; the debate is whether recent growth and AI/real‑estate gains are already priced in. This creates mixed signals rather than a clear catalyst. How The McDonald's (MCD) Investment Story Is Shifting As Analysts Rework Growth And Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Viral/PR moments (e.g., CEO comments about a viral tiny‑burger bite) and menu/promotion coverage keep the brand culturally relevant but have limited immediate EPS impact. McDonald's CEO explains viral tiny burger bite moment
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade — Erste Group lowered MCD from Buy to Hold, which likely contributed to selling pressure as investors re‑assess conviction around near‑term upside. Erste Group downgrades McDonald's to Hold (reference)
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction / price action coverage — multiple outlets note the shares moved lower in the latest session, signaling that the downgrade and mixed analyst commentary are weighing on sentiment. McDonald's (MCD) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why

McDonald's Trading Down 3.0%

McDonald's stock opened at $290.45 on Tuesday. McDonald's Corporation has a 12 month low of $283.47 and a 12 month high of $341.75. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $316.41 and its 200 day simple moving average is $312.04. The company has a market cap of $206.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.31, a PEG ratio of 2.71 and a beta of 0.53.

McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 EPS 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 business had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.81 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.83 earnings per share. McDonald's's revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that McDonald's Corporation will post 13.21 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald's Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd were paid a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. McDonald's's dividend payout ratio is presently 62.26%.

Insider Buying and Selling at McDonald's

In other McDonald's news, EVP Jonathan Banner sold 6,201 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.29, for a total transaction of $2,066,731.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,291 shares of the company's stock, valued at $763,567.39. The trade was a 73.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 26,276 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.54, for a total transaction of $8,764,097.04. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 22,900 shares in the company, valued at $7,638,066. The trade was a 53.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 71,990 shares of company stock worth $23,824,113. 0.26% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Piper Sandler upped their target price on McDonald's from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on McDonald's from $335.00 to $334.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on McDonald's from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised McDonald's from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and upped their target price for the company from $260.00 to $306.00 in a report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on McDonald's from $305.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $340.93.

About McDonald's

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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