Legacy Private Trust Co. Raises Stock Position in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Legacy Private Trust Co. lifted its holdings in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 19.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 11,637 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,885 shares during the quarter. Legacy Private Trust Co.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $3,557,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of McDonald’s by 162.5% during the third quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the period. Painted Porch Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 735.7% in the third quarter. Painted Porch Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the period. Davis Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Saranac Partners Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the third quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Miller Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in McDonald’s in the third quarter worth approximately $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

McDonald’s Stock Down 0.1%

McDonald’s stock opened at $309.42 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $219.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.51. The business has a fifty day moving average of $321.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $311.66. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $283.47 and a twelve month high of $341.75.

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

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd were issued a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 62.26%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on MCD shares. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on McDonald’s from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Erste Group Bank upgraded McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on McDonald’s from $305.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $320.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $339.69.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $328.34, for a total transaction of $862,220.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 8,733 shares in the company, valued at $2,867,393.22. The trade was a 23.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 26,276 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $333.54, for a total transaction of $8,764,097.04. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,638,066. This trade represents a 53.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 71,657 shares of company stock valued at $23,722,204. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

More McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s rolled out deeper value pricing and is reportedly launching $3 menu items aimed at retaining lower-income customers — actions that can boost traffic and same-store sales if widely adopted. McDonald’s Value Menu Just Got Even Cheaper McDonald’s reportedly launching $3 menu items
• Positive Sentiment: Marketing tie-ins returning (Super Mario Galaxy Happy Meal toys) provide a low-cost way to drive family traffic and frequency, supporting March/holiday comps. Super Mario Galaxy Movie Toys Arrive In McDonald’s Next Week Mario Returns To McDonald’s Happy Meals
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-facing notes on McDonald’s soft-serve/ice-cream mechanics and safety: useful for operations/brand perception but unlikely to move fundamentals unless problems escalate. What You Should Know Before Eating McDonald’s Ice Cream Again
• Neutral Sentiment: Price of the new Big Arch burger varies significantly by location — shows pricing power is uneven and customers see mixed value; informational for revenue mix but not an immediate catalyst. Price of McDonald’s new Big Arch burger varies across the US
• Negative Sentiment: A federal judge allowed two former Black vice presidents’ harassment and retaliation claims to proceed — a potential reputational and legal overhang that could bring costs or reforms. McDonald’s must face Black ex-executives’ harassment, retaliation claims
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and press highlight a pricing challenge: franchisees set local prices, producing uneven inflation pass-through and promotional participation — a structural constraint on company-wide pricing and margin execution. McDonald’s faces a burger pricing challenge
• Negative Sentiment: Market coverage notes MCD shares have dipped more than the broader market recently, reflecting investor concern about near-term comps, pricing variability and legal headlines. McDonald’s (MCD) Dips More Than Broader Market

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.