Brown Advisory Inc. Sells 4,674 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Brown Advisory Inc. reduced its position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 3.3% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 137,730 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 4,674 shares during the quarter. Brown Advisory Inc.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $42,094,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP bought a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Park Place Capital Corp lifted its position in shares of McDonald’s by 95.7% during the 4th quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. purchased a new position in McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. DecisionPoint Financial LLC lifted its holdings in McDonald’s by 1,616.7% in the 4th quarter. DecisionPoint Financial LLC now owns 103 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in McDonald’s in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently commented on MCD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Erste Group Bank downgraded McDonald’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Barclays reduced their price objective on McDonald’s from $380.00 to $350.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $305.00 price objective on McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Evercore set a $350.00 price objective on McDonald’s in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $336.26.

Trending Headlines about McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is testing a broader beverage lineup, including custom sodas, refreshers, and Red Bull energy drinks, which could boost check sizes and attract younger or more beverage-focused customers. McDonald’s 70-Year Coke Alliance Enters New Beverage Test
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street’s average brokerage recommendation on McDonald’s remains a Buy, which supports the stock’s valuation even if analysts’ bullishness is sometimes seen as overly optimistic. Is It Worth Investing in McDonald’s (MCD) Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is also leaning into World Cup-related promotions and collectibles, which could lift traffic and sales if the tournament drives more consumer spending. Walmart and McDonald’s chase $7.5B World Cup boom
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage emphasized that McDonald’s beverage push may help expand its drink platform, but it also raises questions about how the new options fit with the company’s long-running Coca-Cola partnership and brand identity. McDonald’s Red Bull Drinks Test Brand Perception And Valuation Gap
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is also working on menu refreshes such as changes to McCrispy Strips and reintroducing older treats, which may support customer engagement but are not yet clear stock catalysts. McDonald’s to Revamp McCrispy Strips After Customer Criticism
• Negative Sentiment: Some articles highlight friction in the long-standing McDonald’s-Coke relationship and customer criticism of certain menu items, which could create execution risk if new product tests confuse the brand or disappoint consumers. The 70-Year Marriage Between McDonald’s and Coke Has Some Issues

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,763 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.36, for a total transaction of $769,108.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,744,760.48. This trade represents a 30.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total value of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,198,930.88. The trade was a 40.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 11,307 shares of company stock worth $3,262,622. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

McDonald’s Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of McDonald’s stock opened at $286.35 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $288.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $306.59. The company has a market capitalization of $203.45 billion, a PE ratio of 23.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.41. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52 week low of $271.85 and a 52 week high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The fast-food giant reported $2.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.74 by $0.09. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 442.10% and a net margin of 31.62%.The company had revenue of $6.52 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.47 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.67 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 9.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.93 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 2nd will be issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 2nd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 61.34%.

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.