McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Shares Sold by Royal London Asset Management Ltd.

Royal London Asset Management Ltd. lessened its position in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 0.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 332,102 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 2,838 shares during the period. Royal London Asset Management Ltd.’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $89,770,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MCD. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. acquired a new position in shares of McDonald’s during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Abound Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s during the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of McDonald’s in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 70.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 7,734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,198,930.88. The trade was a 40.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.26% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Investors purchased 34,703 MCD call options, approximately 34% above typical volume. The activity may indicate increased bullish speculation, though options flow alone does not confirm a sustained rally.
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s benefited from a modest rebound in burger stocks as traders considered whether elevated short interest could contribute to a short squeeze. Wendy’s Climbs 4%, McDonald’s Ticks Up: Is Short Interest Setting Up a Squeeze in the Burger Trade?
• Positive Sentiment: The company is bringing back Spicy McNuggets on September 1 after a two-year absence, alongside other limited-time menu items and seasonal coffee promotions. These launches could support traffic and customer engagement, although their financial impact is likely modest. McDonald’s to Bring Back Spicy McNuggets
• Positive Sentiment: A consumer survey again ranked McDonald’s fries ahead of major competitors, reinforcing the brand’s strong customer recognition. A Hello Kitty and Godzilla Happy Meal promotion may provide additional promotional appeal.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst comparisons with Domino’s highlight McDonald’s global expansion, digital initiatives and customer-engagement efforts, but do not represent a new company-specific catalyst. McDonald’s vs. Domino’s: Which Stock Has Better Growth Prospects?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports about a fake McDonald’s support bot promising free premium AI tools appear to be a scam warning rather than an operating or earnings development.
• Negative Sentiment: Argus lowered its McDonald’s price target to $310, signaling more limited near-term upside despite the target remaining above the current market level. Argus Lowers McDonald’s Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s slipped with other burger stocks after takeover speculation surrounding Wendy’s faded, removing a sector-wide catalyst. Separately, commentary pointing to weakening consumer conditions raises concerns about pressure on traffic and value-focused spending, though the claim is not a formal company forecast.

McDonald’s Price Performance

Shares of MCD stock opened at $265.05 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $270.67 and a two-hundred day moving average of $291.72. The firm has a market cap of $187.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1-year low of $259.85 and a 1-year high of $341.75.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 572.06%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.19 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.87 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is 60.44%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on MCD. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $322.00 to $319.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Argus lowered their price target on McDonald’s from $320.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Freedom Capital upgraded McDonald’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Guggenheim reduced their price objective on McDonald’s from $320.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $322.96.

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.