Guardian Capital LLC Purchases New Stake in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Guardian Capital LLC purchased a new stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 2,415 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock, valued at approximately $738,000.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Park Place Capital Corp grew its position in shares of McDonald’s by 95.7% during the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC grew its position in shares of McDonald’s by 1,616.7% during the fourth quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 103 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Painted Porch Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of McDonald’s by 735.7% during the third quarter. Painted Porch Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Saranac Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the third quarter worth approximately $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on MCD shares. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $330.00 to $305.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. KeyCorp decreased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $345.00 to $330.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $355.00 to $320.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, McDonald’s currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $334.45.

McDonald’s Price Performance

McDonald’s stock opened at $276.42 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $196.40 billion, a PE ratio of 22.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $304.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $310.02. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $271.98 and a 12 month high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.47 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.62% and a negative return on equity of 442.10%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.67 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Headlines 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 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.