McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Upgraded by Robert W. Baird to “Hold” Rating

Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) to a hold rating in a research note published on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on MCD. Piper Sandler set a $286.00 target price on McDonald’s in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. KeyCorp dropped their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $315.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Freedom Capital upgraded shares of McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $325.88.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of MCD stock opened at $268.05 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $271.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $292.78. The company has a market cap of $189.68 billion, a PE ratio of 21.77, a P/E/G ratio of 3.05 and a beta of 0.41. McDonald’s has a fifty-two week low of $260.96 and a fifty-two week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 572.06% and a net margin of 31.72%.The company had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.19 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that McDonald’s will post 12.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be issued a $1.86 dividend. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 60.44%.

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

In other McDonald’s news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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. The trade was a 30.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the transaction, 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. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald’s

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP acquired a new stake in McDonald’s during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. acquired a new position in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in McDonald’s during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Purpose Unlimited Inc. acquired a new stake in McDonald’s during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s franchises in South Florida plan to add more than 1,000 workers, signaling continued local operating activity and potential demand growth in the region. McDonald’s franchises to add more than 1,000 workers in South Florida
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is bringing back Spicy Chicken McNuggets for a limited time. The promotion could support traffic and customer engagement, though its short duration limits the likely financial impact. McDonald’s bringing back popular spicy snack
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted McDonald’s unified digital platform, which is nearing completion across major markets. Better integration could improve personalization, loyalty engagement, order frequency and restaurant productivity over time. Can MCD’s Unified Digital Platform Unlock More Growth & Productivity?
• Positive Sentiment: New and returning menu items—including limited-edition chicken nuggets, seasonal offerings and expanded cold-drink initiatives—could help McDonald’s compete for beverage and value-oriented spending. McDonald’s cold-drink competition

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.