DNB Asset Management AS Cuts Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

DNB Asset Management AS lowered its position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 13.9% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 146,795 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 23,777 shares during the period. DNB Asset Management AS’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $44,865,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of MCD. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 21.9% in the 4th quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. now owns 21,487 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $6,567,000 after purchasing an additional 3,866 shares in the last quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 1,029,572 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $312,877,000 after purchasing an additional 51,039 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 1,533,015 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $465,868,000 after purchasing an additional 37,744 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,697,000. Finally, Machina Capital S.A.S. increased its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 12.3% in the 3rd quarter. Machina Capital S.A.S. now owns 15,956 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $4,849,000 after purchasing an additional 1,748 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 2,626 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $307.00, for a total transaction of $806,182.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 8,400 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,578,800. This trade represents a 23.82% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Jonathan Banner sold 6,201 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $333.29, for a total transaction of $2,066,731.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,291 shares in the company, valued at $763,567.39. This represents a 73.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 12,119 shares of company stock valued at $3,945,973 over the last 90 days. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “market perform” rating and issued a $340.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Evercore set a $350.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Friday, May 8th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $370.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, May 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $305.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $334.45.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentators argue that McDonald’s looks oversold and inexpensive relative to its historical valuation, with strong fundamentals and long-term growth prospects potentially supporting a rebound. McDonald’s Is the Cheapest It’s Been in Years—Does That Make It a Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s landed a major naming-rights deal for the Chicago Fire stadium, which adds brand visibility and reinforces the company’s deep marketing reach. McDonald’s Lands Naming Rights Deal for $750 Million Chicago Fire Stadium
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s remains a widely watched dividend stalwart, with its long record of shareholder payouts keeping it on income investors’ radar. Don’t Look Now, But 4 Blue-Chip Giants Could Be the Newest Dividend Kings
• Neutral Sentiment: News coverage also highlights that McDonald’s is a trending stock and a subject of debate among investors, but this mostly reflects attention rather than a clear new catalyst. McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Negative Sentiment: Attention is centered on weaker U.S. company-run restaurant margins, with investors worried about pricing pressure, cost inflation, and the ownership mix affecting profitability. McDonald’s Company-Run Margins Draw Focus: Can Ownership Mix Help?
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer and others points to the stock’s recent weakness, with concerns that McDonald’s has been “breaking down” despite being a defensive name. Jim Cramer on McDonald’s: “QSR I Think Is the Better”
• Negative Sentiment: Broader consumer cost pressures, including rising restaurant prices and higher gas prices, may weigh on traffic and spending at quick-service restaurants like McDonald’s. Grocery and Restaurant Prices Post Biggest Jump Since 2022

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.5%

NYSE:MCD opened at $276.42 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $304.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $310.02. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $271.98 and a twelve month high of $341.75. The company has a market capitalization of $196.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.43.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.74 by $0.09. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The firm had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.67 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.96 earnings per share for the current year.

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.