McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Shares Sold by James Investment Research Inc.

James Investment Research Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 7.0% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 31,171 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 2,363 shares during the period. McDonald’s accounts for about 1.1% of James Investment Research Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. James Investment Research Inc.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $9,688,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in McDonald’s by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 72,351,127 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $22,112,675,000 after acquiring an additional 703,458 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 35,983,997 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $10,997,789,000 after purchasing an additional 959,140 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 17,038,519 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $5,195,965,000 after purchasing an additional 76,090 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 9,474,749 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $2,895,768,000 after purchasing an additional 277,617 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at about $2,890,438,000. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at McDonald’s

In other McDonald’s news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total transaction of $769,108.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,744,760.48. This trade represents a 30.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the sale, the insider owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. This trade represents a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 11,307 shares of company stock valued at $3,262,622. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Trending Headlines about McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is nearing Dividend King status, and its dividend yield has risen to nearly 2.8%, which may attract income-focused investors looking to accumulate shares at lower levels. This Wannabe Dividend King Had a Tough H1. Expect Some Relief in H2.
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street brokerage sentiment remains constructive, with the average recommendation on McDonald’s still effectively a Buy, reinforcing the view that analysts see upside from current levels. Brokers Suggest Investing in McDonald’s (MCD): Read This Before Placing a Bet
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s hired Bryan Brown as U.S. chief development officer, a move that could support domestic expansion and long-term growth. McDonald’s names Bryan Brown U.S. chief development officer
• Positive Sentiment: Articles highlighting McDonald’s stock as potentially having “hit bottom” may be encouraging bargain-hunting after the recent weakness. McDonald’s Corp Stock May Have Hit Bottom – Ways to Play MCD Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Promotions such as discounted Big Macs, FIFA collectibles, and menu nostalgia pieces may help brand engagement, but they are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own.
• Negative Sentiment: One article says McDonald’s remains close to 52-week lows because of margin pressure from franchises and weakening foot traffic, which is the main bearish narrative weighing on the shares. Should You Buy McDonald’s (MCD) At 52-Week Lows
• Negative Sentiment: Customer complaints about hidden upcharges and dissatisfaction with new menu items could add to concerns about pricing backlash and weaker consumer sentiment. McDonald’s customers furious to discover new hidden upcharge on classic menu item: ‘That’s really shady’

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. KeyCorp reduced their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $330.00 to $315.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Evercore set a $350.00 price target on McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on McDonald’s from $355.00 to $320.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed a “sector perform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $335.70.

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of McDonald’s stock opened at $269.78 on Thursday. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1 year low of $264.53 and a 1 year high of $341.75. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $281.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $303.64. The company has a market capitalization of $191.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.41.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 company had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.67 earnings per share. McDonald’s’s revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 2nd were given a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 2nd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 61.34%.

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.