Trust Co. of Vermont Trims Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Trust Co. of Vermont lowered its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 4.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 46,293 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 2,154 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermont’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $14,149,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Viking Global Investors LP grew its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 171.7% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 3,125,432 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $913,157,000 after buying an additional 1,974,998 shares in the last quarter. Amundi lifted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 96.0% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 4,032,676 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,188,147,000 after buying an additional 1,974,751 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 36.6% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,396,837 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,336,155,000 after buying an additional 1,179,244 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its position in McDonald’s by 111.3% during the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,071,296 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $629,446,000 after acquiring an additional 1,090,849 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in McDonald’s by 927.5% during the third quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 827,547 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $251,483,000 after acquiring an additional 927,547 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

More McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is targeting a large beverage opportunity — aiming at a ~$100 billion beverage market with new McCafé drinks planned for a 2026 U.S. and global rollout, a potential multi-year growth driver and same‑store check boost. Can McDonald’s Tap a $100B Beverage Opportunity in 2026?
• Positive Sentiment: The company is launching a new $3 value menu and $4 meal, a tactical move to drive traffic and affordability that could support sales and offset margin pressure if adoption is strong. McDonald’s to launch new $3 value menu, $4 meal this week
• Positive Sentiment: Lower potato input costs reported for suppliers (Lamb Weston) could indirectly help McDonald’s margins if those savings flow through to the chain, reducing a key commodity pressure. Frozen Out: Lamb Weston Beats Earnings, but the Stock Still Slides
• Positive Sentiment: Operational leadership moves: Skye Anderson returns as U.S. COO and other executive adjustments aim to sharpen U.S. operations and franchising/delivery focus, which could improve execution if transitions go smoothly. McDonald’s creates US COO role
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing/promotions: the global “KPop Demon Hunters” McFlurry and themed meal rollout is generating buzz and likely a short‑term traffic lift, but the impact is promotional and temporary rather than structural. McDonald’s menu has new ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ McFlurry. What’s in it?
• Negative Sentiment: Shares moved lower amid a broader market uptick, signaling some investor caution about near‑term upside despite recent initiatives. McDonald’s (MCD) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Investor questions around the leadership shuffle and ESG focus highlight execution and strategic clarity risks; coupled with reports that some new premium product tests (e.g., a $12 burger) are receiving mixed consumer reaction, these factors could weigh on sentiment if trends persist. McDonald’s Leadership Shuffle And ESG Focus Raise Fresh Investor Questions

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on MCD. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Oppenheimer raised McDonald’s from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $355.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, BTIG Research increased their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $339.69.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other McDonald’s news, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total value of $1,553,052.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 6,200 shares in the company, valued at $2,052,200. This represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.25, for a total transaction of $854,106.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 5,398 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,755,699.50. This trade represents a 32.73% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 71,657 shares of company stock valued at $23,722,204. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s Trading Down 1.1%

Shares of McDonald’s stock opened at $307.27 on Thursday. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $283.47 and a twelve month high of $341.75. The stock has a market cap of $218.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $321.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $311.50.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.81 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 343.90% and a net margin of 31.85%.The firm’s revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.83 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd were issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.26%.

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.