Joseph Erlinger Sells 2,626 Shares of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Stock

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) insider Joseph Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $325.25, for a total transaction of $854,106.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 5,398 shares in the company, valued at $1,755,699.50. This represents a 32.73% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

MCD stock opened at $331.78 on Friday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $312.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $308.07. The company has a market capitalization of $236.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.52. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $283.47 and a 52-week high of $333.38.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.81 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 313.07% and a net margin of 31.85%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.83 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be given a $1.86 dividend. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is presently 63.48%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MCD has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley set a $335.00 target price on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $340.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted 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. Finally, KeyCorp increased their price target on McDonald’s from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $335.63.

Key McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — McDonald’s reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results (revenue up ~9.7% YoY; EPS topped consensus), a primary bullish catalyst for the stock. McDonald’s Q4 Earnings & Revenues Beat Estimates, Rise Y/Y
• Positive Sentiment: Value-driven traffic recovery — Management says Extra Value Meals, $5 meal bundles and promotions lifted U.S. traffic and drove the fastest comparable-sales growth in over two years, while loyalty engagement climbed strongly. McDONALD’S REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades/targets rising — Multiple firms have raised price targets and reiterated Buy/Overweight ratings after the beat, supporting upside momentum. MCD Price Target Raised at Truist (example)
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing/pop-culture buzz — Stunts like free McNugget “caviar” kits and the seasonal Shamrock Shake generated headlines and short-term traffic spikes; good for brand momentum but limited long-term earnings impact. McDonald’s launches McNugget caviar kits
• Negative Sentiment: Franchisee tensions — Some franchisees are resisting centralized pricing/value directives; uneven local execution or disputes could limit consistent margin or traffic benefits. Value is the key to McDonald’s growth plans, but it’s creating tensions with some franchisees
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — A senior U.S. executive disclosed a ~2,626-share sale (~$854k), which some investors view as profit-taking after the earnings pop. SEC Form 4: Joseph M. Erlinger sale

Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald’s

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Hamilton Point Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in McDonald’s by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Hamilton Point Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,750 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $535,000 after buying an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Encompass More Asset Management increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Encompass More Asset Management now owns 2,120 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $648,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC raised its stake in McDonald’s by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC now owns 2,278 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $696,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the period. WD Rutherford LLC lifted its holdings in McDonald’s by 1.0% during the third quarter. WD Rutherford LLC now owns 3,261 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $991,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its position in McDonald’s by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,102 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $642,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

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.