Payden & Rygel Purchases 19,500 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Payden & Rygel raised its position in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 88.2% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 41,600 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 19,500 shares during the period. Payden & Rygel’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $12,642,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Federated Hermes Inc. raised its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 84.1% in the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 141,775 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $41,422,000 after buying an additional 64,757 shares during the period. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 236.7% in the 3rd quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 6,502 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,976,000 after acquiring an additional 4,571 shares in the last quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. increased its holdings in McDonald’s by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 143,492 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $43,606,000 after acquiring an additional 3,774 shares in the last quarter. Choreo LLC raised its stake in McDonald’s by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 58,515 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $17,096,000 after acquiring an additional 954 shares during the period. Finally, Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in McDonald’s during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,120,000. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.6%

NYSE:MCD opened at $329.17 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $234.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.92 and a beta of 0.52. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $283.47 and a 12 month high of $335.67. The business’s 50-day moving average is $314.66 and its 200 day moving average is $309.22.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 for the quarter was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.83 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The firm 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 62.26%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MCD has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Erste Group Bank upgraded McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird set a $335.00 target price on McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their price target on McDonald’s from $356.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $337.04.

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

In other news, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total transaction of $1,553,052.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 6,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,052,200. This represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.25, for a total value 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. The trade was a 32.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 71,550 shares of company stock valued at $23,484,957 over the last quarter. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

More McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company is raising 2026 capital expenditures to as much as $3.9 billion to accelerate restaurant openings and hit a 50,000-location target by 2027 — management argues the ROI on these openings supports long‑term growth and same-store sales leverage. McDonald’s CapEx Steps Higher: What’s Supporting the ROI Case?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst momentum: Erste Group Bank raised MCD to a Buy, a vote of confidence that can support further buying interest from institutional investors. McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Raised to Buy at Erste Group Bank
• Positive Sentiment: Menu/product innovation: McDonald’s is testing high‑protein menu options aimed at customers using GLP‑1 drugs — a potential traffic and AUV (average unit volume) driver if it attracts a new, health‑focused customer segment. McDonald’s is considering expanding protein menu for GLP-1 users
• Positive Sentiment: Brand/pop buzz: Collaborations and limited releases (e.g., the Drake OVO meal internationally) keep McDonald’s culturally relevant and can lift short‑term traffic and merchandising revenue. McDonald’s x Drake’s OVO Meal Is Finally Here — But Not in the US
• Positive Sentiment: Menu nostalgia and limited-time items returning (beloved menu items/seasonal promotions) support traffic and repeat visits—helpful for near‑term comps. McDonald’s Brings Back Beloved Menu Item
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention pieces (Zacks/Yahoo) note increased retail/institutional interest and recap recent fundamentals — useful context but not an immediate catalyst by itself. McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Local/menu curiosities (e.g., a rare Canadian breakfast item, regional shake returns) generate PR and incremental sales but limited broader financial impact. McDonald’s New Canadian Breakfast Item Is Out, but It’s a Rare Find
• Neutral Sentiment: Feature/legacy stories (human‑interest or history pieces) create brand conversation but are unlikely to move the stock materially. How One Man Humiliated McDonald’s and Built a $20 Billion Empire
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CEO Christopher Kempczinski sold 26,277 shares recently — a datapoint investors watch for signaling, even though single insider sales often have benign explanations. Christopher Kempczinski Sells 26,277 Shares of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Stock

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.