Swedbank AB Raises Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Swedbank AB grew its stake in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 1.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,104,511 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,943 shares during the period. Swedbank AB’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $337,572,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Viking Global Investors LP grew its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 1,974,998 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in McDonald’s by 36.6% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,396,837 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,336,155,000 after purchasing an additional 1,179,244 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 111.3% during the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,071,296 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $629,446,000 after purchasing an additional 1,090,849 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in McDonald’s by 927.5% during the third quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 827,547 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $251,483,000 after purchasing an additional 927,547 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. grew its holdings in McDonald’s by 766.5% in the third quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 885,629 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $269,134,000 after purchasing an additional 783,416 shares during the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of MCD opened at $285.13 on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $283.02 and a fifty-two week high of $341.75. The company has a market capitalization of $202.68 billion, a PE ratio of 23.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.43. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $313.40 and a two-hundred day moving average of $311.72.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion for 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 business’s revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.83 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 13.2 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on MCD shares. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $370.00 price objective on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Tuesday, April 28th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Mizuho increased their target price on McDonald’s from $300.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Tigress Financial increased their target price on McDonald’s from $360.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut McDonald’s from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $340.93.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other McDonald’s news, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total value of $1,553,052.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 6,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,052,200. This trade represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 26,277 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $331.35, for a total value of $8,706,883.95. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,587,915. This trade represents a 53.43% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 71,990 shares of company stock valued at $23,824,113. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company rolled out six new specialty drinks (crafted sodas and “Refreshers”) aimed at lifting average check and drive-thru/foot traffic — a strategic product push that could help accelerate sales and digital loyalty engagement. McDonald’s is shaking up your soda run
• Positive Sentiment: UBS and other outlets highlight a broader menu and marketing overhaul that could reignite same-store sales — analysts see these initiatives as a catalyst for a post-earnings rebound if execution and comps hold. McDonald’s likely to bounce as fast-food chain overhauls menus, marketing, UBS says
• Positive Sentiment: Brand/merch tie-ins (new McCafé lineup and branded beaded drink carriers) support marketing momentum and loyalty program activation — small revenue/engagement wins that help the customer experience story. McDonald’s Launches 6 Beaded Drink Carriers
• Neutral Sentiment: Company is phasing out self-serve soda fountains (timeline into the next several years) — this reduces free-refill complexity and enables crafted soda/service upsells but could slow service or annoy some customers during transition. Are Texas McDonald’s getting rid of self-service soda machines? What to know
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer-term franchising policy developments (discussion around the American Franchise Act) could affect regulatory certainty for the franchise model — meaningful over time but unlikely to move this quarter. This One Federal Standard Is the ‘Lynchpin’ of Franchising
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn US same-store sales could miss consensus for Q1 (weather and cost pressure cited) — a miss would likely trigger downside in the stock and increase scrutiny on margin guidance. McDonald’s Could Miss First-Quarter US Comparable Sales Consensus Views, UBS Says
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term sentiment has weakened: shares recently hit a 52?week low and Erste Group downgraded MCD to Hold, citing slower profit growth — analyst caution and the technical weakness increase the risk of further downside if earnings disappoint. McDonald’s Stock Hits 52-Week Low Ahead of Earnings

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.