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McDonald's (MCD) Stock Forecast & Price Target

McDonald's logo
$265.05 +4.99 (+1.92%)
As of 08/28/2026 03:58 PM Eastern

McDonald's - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
11
Buy
16

Based on 27 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for McDonald's in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 27 analysts, 11 have given a hold rating, 15 have given a buy rating, and 1 has given a strong buy rating for MCD.

Consensus Price Target

$322.96
21.85% Upside
According to the 27 analysts' twelve-month price targets for McDonald's, the average price target is $322.96. The highest price target for MCD is $390.00, while the lowest price target for MCD is $285.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 21.85% from the current price of $265.05.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
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MCD Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
8/29/25 to 8/29/26
1 Month Ago
7/30/25 to 7/30/26
3 Months Ago
5/31/25 to 5/31/26
1 Year Ago
8/29/24 to 8/29/25
Strong Buy
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
15 Buy rating(s)
15 Buy rating(s)
16 Buy rating(s)
13 Buy rating(s)
Hold
11 Hold rating(s)
12 Hold rating(s)
15 Hold rating(s)
13 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
2 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$322.96$333.32$334.45$326.38
Forecasted Upside21.85% Upside24.06% Upside19.70% Upside4.05% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyHoldHold

MCD Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
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MCD Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

McDonald's Stock vs. The Competition

TypeMcDonald'sConsumer Discretionary CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.63
2.21
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside21.85% Upside184.21% Upside13.05% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Neutral News

See Recent MCD News
Positive News
Positive News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
8/26/2026
Argus logo
Argus
3 of 5 stars
John Staszak
John Staszak
2 of 5 stars
Lower TargetBuy$320.00 ➝ $310.00+15.91%
8/24/2026
Robert W. Baird logo
Robert W. Baird
3 of 5 stars
 UpgradeHold
8/5/2026
Guggenheim logo
Guggenheim
5 of 5 stars
Gregory Francfort
Gregory Francfort
1 of 5 stars
Lower TargetNeutral$320.00 ➝ $290.00+6.71%
8/5/2026 Reiterated RatingMarket Perform$295.00+7.30%
8/5/2026Set Target$305.00+11.35%
8/5/2026Boost TargetBuy$335.00 ➝ $345.00+27.58%
8/5/2026 Boost TargetBuy$335.00 ➝ $345.00+28.57%
8/5/2026Lower TargetOverweight$315.00 ➝ $305.00+13.66%
8/5/2026 UpgradeHoldStrong-Buy
8/5/2026Lower TargetSector Perform$305.00 ➝ $295.00+9.93%
8/5/2026Lower TargetEqual Weight$322.00 ➝ $319.00+18.88%
8/5/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$350.00+30.43%
8/4/2026Reiterated RatingHold
8/4/2026 Set Target$286.00+7.09%
7/31/2026Lower TargetNeutral$300.00 ➝ $290.00+7.33%
7/23/2026 Set Target$320.00+21.46%
7/17/2026Boost TargetBuy$385.00 ➝ $390.00+45.67%
7/16/2026Lower TargetOverweight$320.00 ➝ $300.00+13.26%
6/23/2026 DowngradeHold (C+)Hold (C)
5/11/2026Lower TargetOverweight$325.00 ➝ $305.00+11.39%
5/8/2026 UpgradeBuy
5/8/2026Lower TargetOverweight$380.00 ➝ $350.00+24.82%
4/27/2026 DowngradeBuyHold
4/23/2026UpgradeSellNeutral$260.00 ➝ $306.00+1.94%
2/12/2026Boost TargetBuy$360.00 ➝ $375.00+15.98%
2/12/2026Boost TargetBuy$356.00 ➝ $370.00+14.81%
1/6/2026UpgradeMarket PerformOutperform$355.00+17.30%
11/6/2025Reiterated RatingOutperform
8/22/2025Boost TargetHold$300.00 ➝ $315.00+0.59%
7/18/2025Lower TargetNeutral$327.00 ➝ $322.00+7.46%
7/14/2025 Initiated CoverageSell$250.00-16.61%
7/10/2025UpgradeNeutralBuy$345.00+17.61%
6/6/2025DowngradeBuyHold$346.00 ➝ $315.00+2.02%
6/5/2025Reiterated RatingHold$305.00-2.15%
5/6/2025DowngradeBuyNeutral
2/11/2025Boost TargetOutperform$320.00 ➝ $330.00+7.07%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Saturday at 05:19 AM ET.


Should I Buy McDonald's Stock? MCD Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these McDonald's pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

McDonald's
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in McDonald's Co.:

  • The current stock price is around $345, reflecting strong market confidence and potential for growth.
  • McDonald's Co. reported earnings per share of $3.38, exceeding expectations, which indicates robust financial performance and effective management strategies.
  • The company has a solid dividend yield of 2.8%, providing a steady income stream for investors, which is appealing in a volatile market.
  • Recent menu innovations, including limited-time offerings and collaborations, are expected to drive customer engagement and increase foot traffic, enhancing sales potential.
  • Analysts have a favorable outlook, with a majority rating the stock as a "Buy" or "Strong Buy," suggesting confidence in the company's future performance.

McDonald's
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in McDonald's Co. for these reasons:

  • The company experienced a slight revenue miss in the last quarter, reporting $7.10 billion against expectations of $7.13 billion, which may raise concerns about growth sustainability.
  • McDonald's Co. has a negative return on equity, indicating that the company is not generating profit effectively from its equity, which could deter some investors.
  • Increased competition in the fast-food sector may pressure margins and market share, potentially impacting future profitability.
  • Economic factors, such as inflation and changing consumer preferences, could affect sales and profitability, making the investment riskier.
  • The company's dividend payout ratio is relatively high at 60.44%, which may limit its ability to reinvest in growth opportunities or weather economic downturns.

MCD Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 27 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for McDonald's is $322.96, with a high forecast of $390.00 and a low forecast of $285.00.

27 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for McDonald's in the last year. There are currently 11 hold ratings, 15 buy ratings and 1 strong buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MCD shares.

According to analysts, McDonald's's stock has a predicted upside of 21.85% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, McDonald's's stock had 2 upgrades and 1 downgrade by analysts.

Analysts like McDonald's more than other "consumer discretionary" companies. The consensus rating for McDonald's is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "consumer discretionary" companies is Hold. Learn more on how MCD compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for McDonald's analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 8/26/2026.
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