Mizuho Issues Positive Forecast for McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) Stock Price

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) had its price target boosted by Mizuho from $300.00 to $325.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a neutral rating on the fast-food giant’s stock.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. BTIG Research upgraded shares of McDonald’s from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $360.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Oppenheimer raised shares of McDonald’s from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $355.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, KeyCorp lifted their price target on McDonald’s from $335.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $332.30.

McDonald’s Trading Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $327.29 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $233.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.93, a P/E/G ratio of 3.27 and a beta of 0.52. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $310.96 and its 200-day moving average price is $307.25. McDonald’s has a 1-year low of $283.47 and a 1-year high of $328.06.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.33 by ($0.11). McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.10 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $3.23 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that McDonald’s will post 12.25 EPS for the current 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 paid a $1.86 dividend. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is presently 63.48%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Ian Frederick Borden sold 17,134 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $310.00, for a total transaction of $5,311,540.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 26,353 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,169,430. This trade represents a 39.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, 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 value of $795,520.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,268 shares in the company, valued at $2,005,760. The trade was a 28.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 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.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On McDonald’s

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. lifted its position in McDonald’s by 142.9% during the second quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. now owns 85 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 162.5% during the 3rd quarter. Evergreen Private Wealth LLC now owns 84 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP purchased a new position in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Park Place Capital Corp increased its stake in McDonald’s by 95.7% in the fourth quarter. Park Place Capital Corp now owns 92 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More McDonald’s News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and previews expect Q4 tailwinds from value meals, digital engagement and international growth, which could support comparable-sales gains and cushion margins. Zacks’ Q4 preview highlights these drivers even as it notes cost pressures. McDonald’s to Post Q4 Earnings: What’s in the Cards for the Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat and other previews argue that strong execution, menu innovation and value promotions could reinforce McDonald’s defensive appeal into earnings—analysts have been raising some price targets (BTIG/UBS recently higher), signaling confidence ahead of results. McDonald’s Earnings Could Cement Its Defensive Appeal
• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s declared its quarterly cash dividend of $1.86/share (payable March 17; record/ex-dividend dates announced), supporting income-focused investor demand and reinforcing MCD’s blue‑chip/dividend‑king narrative. McDONALD’S ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
• Positive Sentiment: Consumer marketing and limited-time promotions (Valentine’s McNugget “caviar” kits, return of a popular Happy Meal toy) are boosting engagement and social buzz—small but helpful for traffic and brand momentum. McDonald’s is giving away free caviar kits…
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage consensus remains mixed: Mizuho raised its price target (to $325) but kept a neutral rating; overall analyst coverage averages to a “Hold.” That suggests limited immediate upside from ratings alone but keeps MCD squarely on the radar. McDonald’s Stock: Analyst Estimates & Ratings
• Neutral Sentiment: Deeper analyst note coverage is focused on traffic mix (notably lower‑income consumer trends), pricing power and promotional intensity beyond raw EPS/revenue—useful context but not an immediate catalyst until management guidance. Exploring Analyst Estimates for McDonald’s Q4 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Local expansion news (e.g., approval for a 24‑hour drive‑through in Tinley Park) shows continued unit-level growth potential but is unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. McDonalds OK’d to open 24-hour drive through in Tinley Park
• Negative Sentiment: Brand/operational headwinds: a consumer piece highlighting perceived declines in several menu items and a NYT report that McDonald’s opted out of selling food/drink at some official World Cup Fan Fests could dent incremental sales/opportunity and raise short‑term concern about international event exposure. World Cup 2026 – McDonald’s opts out… 7 McDonald’s Menu Items Fans Say Have Quietly Gone Downhill

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.