The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Acquires 52,309 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 11.7% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 498,537 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 52,309 shares during the period. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned 0.07% of McDonald’s worth $154,940,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth $2,890,438,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in McDonald’s by 30,979.0% during the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,596,340 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $806,917,000 after purchasing an additional 2,587,986 shares in the last quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP grew its stake in McDonald’s by 9,867.5% in the fourth quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 2,541,008 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $776,608,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515,515 shares during the last quarter. Viking Global Investors LP raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 171.7% in 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 purchasing an additional 1,974,998 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 49.9% in the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,104,337 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $948,779,000 after purchasing an additional 1,033,041 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS maintained a Buy rating despite lowering its price target from $365 to $340, implying substantial potential upside from recent levels. The target reduction reflects a more cautious outlook, but the continued Buy rating provides a positive signal. UBS McDonald’s price target report
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s affirmed its quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share, payable September 16. Its long record of annual dividend increases may attract income-oriented investors, particularly with the stock trading well below its 52-week high. McDonald’s dividend and valuation analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street’s average price targets remain materially above the current share price, with some analysts viewing the pullback as a buying opportunity if McDonald’s can stabilize sales and restore growth. McDonald’s near 52-week low analysis

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

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

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $272.82 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $193.84 billion, a PE ratio of 22.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $275.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $298.42. McDonald’s Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $260.96 and a fifty-two week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $6.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The business 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. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 61.34%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MCD has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein restated a “market perform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of McDonald’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. UBS Group decreased their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $365.00 to $340.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday. Tigress Financial raised their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $385.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $333.32.

About McDonald’s

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.