Markowski Investments Acquires New Position in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Markowski Investments acquired a new stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 4,193 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock, valued at approximately $1,133,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MCD. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 4,008.8% in the 2nd quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 84,230 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $22,768,000 after acquiring an additional 82,180 shares during the period. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 16.9% in the 2nd quarter. Borer Denton & Associates Inc. now owns 13,859 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $3,746,000 after purchasing an additional 2,000 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Wealth Services increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 3,294.5% in the 4th quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 11,779 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $3,600,000 after purchasing an additional 11,432 shares during the last quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. raised its position in McDonald’s by 84.4% in the fourth quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 35,510 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $10,853,000 after purchasing an additional 16,252 shares during the period. Finally, Capital International Sarl raised its position in McDonald’s by 10.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital International Sarl now owns 64,256 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $19,639,000 after purchasing an additional 6,079 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $255.69 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $180.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.41. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $269.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $289.39. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1-year low of $255.49 and a 1-year high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 business had revenue of $7.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.19 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.87 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 60.44%.

McDonald’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Valuation may attract contrarian buyers: McDonald’s is trading at roughly 19.15 times earnings, below the restaurant industry’s average multiple. Analysts point to global expansion, digital initiatives and new product efforts as possible catalysts for a recovery. McDonald’s Trades at 19.15X P/E: Is This a Discounted Opportunity?
• Positive Sentiment: Promotional activity could support traffic: McDonald’s is bringing back popular menu items, launching a Texas-themed meal with collectible cups and promoting limited-time products. These campaigns may encourage visits and improve near-term sales, though their financial impact is unproven. McDonald’s launches exclusive state-themed meal
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand visibility remains high: Coverage of McDonald’s breakfast offerings, Grimace appearances, collectible merchandise and Warren Buffett’s long-standing affinity for the brand reinforces consumer awareness but is unlikely to materially change earnings expectations. The best McDonald’s breakfast sandwich isn’t on the menu
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. consumer weakness is the main concern: Reports describe consumer-focused stocks, including McDonald’s, as signaling softer spending in middle America. Articles also highlight customers shifting to competing fast-food chains, increasing pressure on traffic and comparable sales. Wall Street worried about consumer stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Value positioning remains problematic: Coverage says McDonald’s $3 value offering has not fully delivered for customers or the company, raising concerns about affordability, franchisee economics and the effectiveness of discounting. Why you can’t find McDonald’s $3 value menu

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on MCD. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price target on McDonald’s from $305.00 to $295.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Guggenheim dropped their target price on McDonald’s from $320.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Piper Sandler set a $286.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Evercore set a $320.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Cfra raised shares of McDonald’s to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. One equities 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $321.35.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the business’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 in the company, valued at $2,198,930.88. The trade was a 40.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.26% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

McDonald’s Company Profile

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.