McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Holdings Raised by Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.

Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 3.5% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 70,786 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after buying an additional 2,379 shares during the quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $16,347,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. bought a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Merkkuri Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the first quarter worth $43,000. Financial Life Planners bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the first quarter worth $51,000. POM Investment Strategies LLC increased its position in shares of McDonald’s by 46.2% in the second quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC now owns 174 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $47,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the period. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC raised its stake in McDonald’s by 140.0% in the second quarter. Westfuller Advisors LLC now owns 180 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s Trading Down 1.6%

MCD opened at $248.49 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $249.43 and its 200-day moving average is $269.96. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1-year low of $229.20 and a 1-year high of $341.75. The company has a market cap of $175.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.19, a PEG ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.44.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 572.06%. The firm’s revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.19 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.84 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.93 per share. This represents a $7.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. This is a boost from McDonald’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.86. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.44%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $308.00 to $297.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, September 28th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $335.00 to $310.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $280.00 to $260.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. HC Wainwright set a $250.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Tigress Financial increased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $385.00 to $390.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have issued a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $295.64.

McDonald’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is bringing back popular limited-time offerings, including the McRib and a cult-favorite BBQ sandwich. The promotions could help improve traffic and comparable sales, although their impact is likely temporary. McDonald’s Is Bringing Back a Hugely Popular Menu Item Next Week
• Positive Sentiment: The stock’s sell-off has lifted its dividend yield to roughly 3%–3.2%, while McDonald’s has continued raising its payout and has earned “Dividend King” status. The higher yield may attract income-focused investors and provide valuation support. McDonald’s Is Crowned a Dividend King
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect a single-digit increase in third-quarter earnings, and management is relying on chicken launches and limited-time menu items to counter weaker U.S. traffic. McDonald’s Q3 2026 Earnings: What to Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is challenging tokenized trading of its shares on the OKX-ICE venue, citing investor-protection and regulatory-oversight concerns. The dispute is unlikely to materially affect restaurant operations or near-term earnings. Why Is McDonald’s Challenging Tokenized Trading of Its Shares?
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pricing is a concern as Taco Bell promotes a $2 item while McDonald’s works to balance affordability with margins. Slower traffic and economic pressure could weigh on comparable-store sales. Taco Bell Rolls Out $2 Item as McDonald’s Wrestles With Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: A federal lawsuit accuses McDonald’s of AI-fueled price fixing; the company says the allegations contain inaccuracies. Even if ultimately dismissed, the litigation creates reputational and regulatory overhang. McDonald’s Accused of AI-Fueled Price Fixing
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group trimmed its FY2027 EPS forecast slightly to $13.78 from $13.80. Although the reduction is minor, it reinforces concerns that growth may remain subdued. McDonald’s Analyst Estimates

McDonald’s Profile

McDonald’s Corporation is a global quick-service restaurant company that operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald’s brand. Its restaurants serve a menu that includes hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, breakfast items, desserts, salads, beverages and coffee. Offerings vary by market, and many locations provide drive-thru service, delivery and digital ordering through the McDonald’s mobile app.

The company operates through a heavily franchised business model, with restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees, affiliates and the company itself.