Highland Capital Management LLC Sells 1,932 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Highland Capital Management LLC reduced its stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 25.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 5,797 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 1,932 shares during the quarter. Highland Capital Management LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $1,772,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 820,276 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $250,701,000 after buying an additional 22,742 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 72.8% during the 4th quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 87,920 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $26,871,000 after buying an additional 37,032 shares in the last quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co lifted its position in McDonald’s by 2.2% during the 4th quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 118,366 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $36,176,000 after buying an additional 2,500 shares in the last quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 29.8% during the 4th quarter. Bellecapital International Ltd. now owns 5,906 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,805,000 after buying an additional 1,356 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 633.8% during the 4th quarter. Peregrine Asset Advisers Inc. now owns 14,874 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $4,546,000 after buying an additional 12,847 shares in the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Menu and beverage innovation could boost traffic and average checks — McDonald’s is rolling out six new specialty drinks (craft sodas and “Refreshers”) while phasing out self‑serve soda fountains, part of a broader menu and restaurant refresh that UBS and other outlets say could help the chain rebound. McDonald’s debuts crafted sodas & Refreshers
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighting a potential bounce — UBS/coverage noted that menu, marketing and loyalty momentum could drive a recovery if execution and comps stabilize, giving investors a reason to buy into a post-earnings rebound. McDonald’s likely to bounce as chain overhauls menus, UBS says
• Neutral Sentiment: Franchise-law developments could support long-term stability — commentary on the American Franchise Act stresses bipartisan support for franchise protections that would favor system stability and the franchise model McDonald’s relies on (more of a long-term structural tailwind than an immediate catalyst). This one federal standard is the ‘lynchpin’ of franchising
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term dividend/total-return narrative remains intact — pieces revisiting a decade-long investment case underscore buybacks, steady dividend policy and digital rollout as structural positives, but these are background factors vs. near-term earnings. If you had invested $1,000 in McDonald’s a decade ago
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 downside risk: UBS warns U.S. comparable‑sales could miss consensus due to weather and cost pressure — that raises the odds of an earnings reaction if McDonald’s reports softer U.S. comps or margin compression. McDonald’s could miss first-quarter US comparable sales consensus, UBS says
• Negative Sentiment: Shares already under pressure into earnings — coverage highlights that MCD hit a 52‑week low ahead of the print, reflecting investor caution and making the stock more sensitive to any negative surprise. McDonald’s stock hits 52-week low ahead of earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade increases sell-side cautiousness — Erste Group’s downgrade to Hold cites expected below‑sector profit growth, which can weigh on sentiment if others follow. Erste Group turns cautious on McDonald’s, downgrades to Hold

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

In related news, CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski sold 26,277 shares of the company’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 transaction, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,587,915. This represents a 53.43% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CMO Edith Morgan Flatley sold 4,692 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $331.00, for a total transaction of $1,553,052.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 6,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,052,200. This trade represents a 43.08% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 71,990 shares of company stock worth $23,824,113 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $340.00 price target on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $323.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $340.93.

McDonald’s Price Performance

McDonald’s stock opened at $285.13 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $202.68 billion, a PE ratio of 23.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.43. The company’s 50-day moving average is $313.40 and its 200-day moving average is $311.72. McDonald’s Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $283.02 and a fifty-two week 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 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.05 by $0.07. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.85% and a negative return on equity of 343.90%. The business had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.81 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.83 EPS. McDonald’s’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 13.2 EPS for the current year.

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.