Denali Advisors LLC Reduces Holdings in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Denali Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 51.1% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 3,041 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 3,184 shares during the quarter. Denali Advisors LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $822,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s during the 4th quarter worth $2,890,438,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the 2nd quarter worth $1,359,276,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 30,979.0% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,596,340 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $806,917,000 after purchasing an additional 2,587,986 shares in the last quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 9,867.5% in the 4th quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 2,541,008 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $776,608,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515,515 shares during the period. Finally, Viking Global Investors LP raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 171.7% in the 2nd 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 during the period. 70.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of MCD stock opened at $269.53 on Friday. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $260.96 and a 52-week high of $341.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $190.73 billion, a PE ratio of 21.90, a PEG ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $272.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $293.83.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 572.06% and a net margin of 31.72%.The business’s revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.19 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 60.44%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on MCD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. Citigroup raised their price objective on McDonald’s from $335.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Mizuho lowered their price objective on McDonald’s from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Barclays cut their price objective on McDonald’s from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Freedom Capital raised shares of McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $325.44.

McDonald’s News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s value reset in the U.S.—including sharper pricing, digital offers and improved franchise execution—could help reverse traffic weakness and drive sales growth. International growth and the broader recovery plan provide additional potential upside. Can MCD’s Value Reset Turn U.S. Traffic Weakness Into Sales Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: A beverage platform that has reportedly performed at or above plan in every market where it has launched is viewed as McDonald’s clearest potential catalyst for a future stock rally. New fall drinks, even without the traditional Pumpkin Spice Latte, could support seasonal beverage sales. What Could Power the Next Rally in McDonald’s Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The Hello Kitty–Godzilla Happy Meal and a new Xbox partnership offering digital rewards tied to popular games could increase customer engagement, particularly among families and younger consumers. The collectible toys are reportedly selling quickly. Xbox and McDonald’s Partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: Seasonal menu changes, the return of a popular breakfast item, new dinner offerings and a regionally tailored Shravan menu may support customer interest, but the articles provide no quantified impact on revenue or earnings. McDonald’s Brings Back Breakfast Item
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s has underperformed some restaurant peers in 2026, reinforcing the market’s focus on whether its turnaround initiatives can produce measurable traffic and sales gains. Restaurant Stock Comparison
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered its EPS forecasts across 2026–2028, including FY2026 to $12.84 from $12.95, FY2027 to $13.77 from $14.14 and FY2028 to $14.96 from $15.40. The revisions reflect ongoing concern about U.S. traffic and execution, creating a near-term valuation headwind. McDonald’s Earnings Estimates

Insider Buying and Selling

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

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.