Willis Investment Counsel Buys 10,994 Shares of McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

Willis Investment Counsel increased its stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 14.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 84,785 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after acquiring an additional 10,994 shares during the quarter. McDonald’s comprises 1.4% of Willis Investment Counsel’s holdings, making the stock its 27th largest holding. Willis Investment Counsel’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $25,765,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in MCD. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its position in shares of McDonald’s by 84.1% during the 2nd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 141,775 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $41,422,000 after purchasing an additional 64,757 shares in the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in McDonald’s by 236.7% in the third quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 6,502 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $1,976,000 after buying an additional 4,571 shares during the period. Welch Group LLC grew its position in shares of McDonald’s by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Welch Group LLC now owns 206,004 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $60,188,000 after buying an additional 2,180 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 143,492 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $43,606,000 after acquiring an additional 3,774 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Choreo LLC boosted its stake in McDonald’s by 1.7% during the second quarter. Choreo LLC now owns 58,515 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $17,096,000 after acquiring an additional 954 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved quarterly dividend of $1.86 per share (annualized yield ~2.3%), payable Mar. 17 — supports income investors and signals cash‑flow strength. PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish analyst moves (recent BTIG and UBS price target raises to $360/$350) and MarketBeat commentary highlight MCD’s defensive appeal and upward momentum into earnings, supporting buying interest. MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: Leadership update: Loek Beckers named CFO of McDonald’s USA — management continuity may reassure investors on execution and U.S. operations. NRN
• Neutral Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target to $325 but kept a “neutral” rating (small implied upside vs. current levels), signaling limited near‑term upside from that shop. TickerReport
• Neutral Sentiment: Consensus analyst stance remains mixed — MarketBeat/MarketRank shows an average “Hold” from ~31 firms, indicating balanced expectations ahead of earnings. DefenseWorld
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing buzz: Valentine’s Day “McNugget caviar kit” promotion is driving headlines and social engagement — good for short‑term foot traffic and brand visibility but uncertain sales impact. Yahoo
• Neutral Sentiment: Local openings continue (24‑hour Tinley Park drive‑thru approved), incremental sales potential but occasional community pushback. Chicago Tribune
• Negative Sentiment: Brand/experience headwinds: consumer articles reporting perceived declines in some menu quality and mixed reviews of gimmick items — could weigh on repeat traffic if widespread. MSN
• Negative Sentiment: Strategic exposure: McDonald’s opted out of selling food/drink at official World Cup Fan Fests (NYT Athletic) — reduced on‑site visibility at a major global event could be viewed as a missed marketing/revenue opportunity. NYT Athletic

McDonald’s Trading Up 0.3%

NYSE MCD opened at $324.49 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $231.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.66, a PEG ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.52. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $310.65 and a 200 day simple moving average of $307.03. McDonald’s Corporation has a 12 month low of $283.47 and a 12 month high of $328.06.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.33 by ($0.11). McDonald’s had a net margin of 32.04% and a negative return on equity of 280.89%. The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.23 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be issued a $1.86 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 3rd. This represents a $7.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 63.48%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Desiree Ralls-Morrison sold 2,486 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $320.00, for a total transaction of $795,520.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,005,760. This trade represents a 28.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Ian Frederick Borden sold 17,134 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $310.00, for a total value of $5,311,540.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 26,353 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,169,430. This represents a 39.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 32,008 shares of company stock valued at $9,895,452. Insiders own 0.25% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MCD. KeyCorp upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on McDonald’s from $340.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Guggenheim upped their target price on McDonald’s from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on McDonald’s from $381.00 to $375.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $332.30.

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.