Advisors Capital Management LLC Boosts Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Advisors Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 199,618 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 8,260 shares during the quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $60,662,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the second quarter worth about $25,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. boosted its position in McDonald’s by 142.9% in the second quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 85 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 162.5% in the 3rd quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. purchased a new position in McDonald’s during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Traub Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in McDonald’s during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. 70.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of McDonald’s stock opened at $327.56 on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $283.47 and a twelve month high of $335.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $233.27 billion, a PE ratio of 27.41, a P/E/G ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.52. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $313.72 and its 200 day moving average price is $308.70.

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

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

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

McDonald’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 outperformance and a clear value strategy. Recent coverage highlights MCD’s Q4 beat, double-digit active app engagement and a permanent “McValue” push that helped U.S. comps grow ~6.8% — a key reason investors see low downside and continued share gains. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: 2026 menu rollout tied to sales rebound. McDonald’s unveiled its 2026 menu and promotional plan, which management ties directly to the sales rebound and traffic recovery — a near-term revenue catalyst. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal and limited-time items returning. The Shamrock Shake and other beloved seasonal items are back nationwide — recurring LTOs that reliably boost traffic and spend. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: New product and brand engagement initiatives. McDonald’s is debuting new items (Big Arch burger) and launching branded collectibles/trading cards to drive visits and social buzz. These low-cost marketing plays can increase frequency among younger cohorts. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Product innovation to address diet trends. McDonald’s is testing higher‑protein menu options in response to GLP‑1‑driven consumer changes — a proactive product response that could protect traffic if tastes shift. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and history pieces with limited near-term impact. Several features (drive‑thru origin, nostalgia pieces) bolster brand perception but are unlikely to move the stock materially by themselves. Read More.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on MCD. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Oppenheimer upgraded shares of McDonald’s from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $355.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $320.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Guggenheim decreased their price objective on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on McDonald’s from $345.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $337.04.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other McDonald’s news, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total value of $1,553,052.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 6,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,052,200. This represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.25, for a total value of $854,106.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 5,398 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,755,699.50. This trade represents a 32.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 88,684 shares of company stock worth $28,796,497 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

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.