WealthPlan Investment Management LLC raised its stake in McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD - Free Report) by 163.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 11,450 shares of the fast-food giant's stock after buying an additional 7,096 shares during the period. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC's holdings in McDonald's were worth $3,500,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 20,648 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $6,311,000 after buying an additional 177 shares during the last quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. increased its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Center for Financial Planning Inc. now owns 5,377 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $1,643,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Lawood & Co. bought a new position in shares of McDonald's in the 4th quarter worth $268,000. Stephens Inc. AR increased its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 70,595 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $21,576,000 after buying an additional 1,025 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AlphaCore Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of McDonald's by 37.4% in the 4th quarter. AlphaCore Capital LLC now owns 16,169 shares of the fast-food giant's stock worth $4,942,000 after buying an additional 4,397 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company's stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities analysts have recently commented on MCD shares. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of McDonald's from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of McDonald's from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $370.00 price target on shares of McDonald's in a report on Thursday, May 7th. KeyCorp decreased their price target on shares of McDonald's from $345.00 to $330.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $331.00 price objective on shares of McDonald's in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, McDonald's currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $334.45.
Get Our Latest Report on MCD
Insider Transactions at McDonald's
In other news, EVP Jonathan Banner sold 6,201 shares of the firm'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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,291 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $763,567.39. This trade represents a 73.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 10th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at $2,578,800. This trade 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. Insiders have sold 12,119 shares of company stock worth $3,945,973 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.26% of the company's stock.
McDonald's Trading Up 0.5%
Shares of NYSE:MCD opened at $276.42 on Friday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $304.30 and its 200-day moving average price is $310.02. McDonald's Corporation has a 12-month low of $271.98 and a 12-month high of $341.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $196.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.43.
McDonald's (NYSE:MCD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 firm had revenue of $6.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.47 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.67 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that McDonald's Corporation will post 12.94 EPS for the current year.
McDonald's News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting McDonald's this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentators argue that McDonald’s looks oversold and inexpensive relative to its historical valuation, with strong fundamentals and long-term growth prospects potentially supporting a rebound. McDonald's Is the Cheapest It’s Been in Years—Does That Make It a Buy?
- Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s landed a major naming-rights deal for the Chicago Fire stadium, which adds brand visibility and reinforces the company’s deep marketing reach. McDonald's Lands Naming Rights Deal for $750 Million Chicago Fire Stadium
- Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s remains a widely watched dividend stalwart, with its long record of shareholder payouts keeping it on income investors’ radar. Don’t Look Now, But 4 Blue-Chip Giants Could Be the Newest Dividend Kings
- Neutral Sentiment: News coverage also highlights that McDonald’s is a trending stock and a subject of debate among investors, but this mostly reflects attention rather than a clear new catalyst. McDonald's Corporation (MCD) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
- Negative Sentiment: Attention is centered on weaker U.S. company-run restaurant margins, with investors worried about pricing pressure, cost inflation, and the ownership mix affecting profitability. McDonald's Company-Run Margins Draw Focus: Can Ownership Mix Help?
- Negative Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer and others points to the stock’s recent weakness, with concerns that McDonald’s has been “breaking down” despite being a defensive name. Jim Cramer on McDonald’s: “QSR I Think Is the Better”
- Negative Sentiment: Broader consumer cost pressures, including rising restaurant prices and higher gas prices, may weigh on traffic and spending at quick-service restaurants like McDonald’s. Grocery and Restaurant Prices Post Biggest Jump Since 2022
About McDonald's
(
Free Report)
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.
Further Reading

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.
Before you consider McDonald's, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and McDonald's wasn't on the list.
While McDonald's currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Wondering what the next stocks will be that hit it big, with solid fundamentals? Click the link to see which stocks MarketBeat analysts could become the next blockbuster growth stocks.
Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.
Link copied to clipboard.