Renaissance Technologies LLC Grows Position in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 493.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 542,764 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 451,327 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned approximately 0.08% of McDonald’s worth $168,686,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hamilton Point Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 1.8% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Encompass More Asset Management increased its holdings in shares of 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 buying an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC raised its position in shares of McDonald’s by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC now owns 2,278 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $696,000 after buying an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management inc. lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management inc. now owns 8,809 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $2,692,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised 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 valued at $642,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s announced a quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share, reinforcing its reputation as a steady income stock and highlighting continued cash generation. McDONALD’S ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
• Positive Sentiment: BTIG Research kept a buy rating on McDonald’s and said the stock still offers meaningful upside, even after cutting its price target to $350 from $370. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Recent consumer-focused coverage around McValue packs, online availability, and a new dipping sauce suggests McDonald’s is still leaning on value-driven promotions and menu innovation to drive traffic. Here’s what’s new at McDonald’s this week
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage highlighting McDonald’s new McValue packs and online ordering is more promotional than financial, so it may help awareness but does not yet prove a material sales lift. McDonald’s McValue packs now available online. Here’s how to score one
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and media continue to frame McDonald’s as a defensive dividend name, but that alone is not enough to offset broader concerns about consumer spending. These 4 Dividend Stocks Are Money-Printing Machines
• Negative Sentiment: New research indicates restaurant customers remain highly price sensitive despite lower gas prices, which is a warning sign for traffic and margins at McDonald’s. McDonald’s (MCD) Faces Stubborn Price Sensitive Traffic Despite Lower Gas Prices
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s recently hit a new 52-week low, and commentary around the stock suggests investors are waiting for the August 4 earnings report before buying the dip. McDonald’s Just Hit a New 52-Week Low. Don’t Buy the Dip Until After August 4.
• Negative Sentiment: StockTwits-style coverage also points to McDonald’s trading near 52-week lows amid broader concerns about weakening consumer demand. Why Did PEGA, ISRG, MCD Stocks Plunge To 52-Week Lows Today?

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total value of $769,108.68. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,744,760.48. This trade represents a 30.59% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total value of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. The trade was a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 8,348 shares of company stock valued at $2,355,634 in the last three months. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of MCD opened at $264.46 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $187.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.41. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $275.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $298.87. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12-month low of $260.96 and a 12-month high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.09. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The business had revenue of $6.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.47 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 61.34%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MCD has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. KeyCorp restated an “overweight” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upgraded shares of McDonald’s from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $260.00 to $306.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, Evercore set a $320.00 target price on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $334.32.

McDonald’s 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.