McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Shares Purchased by PYA Waltman Capital LLC

PYA Waltman Capital LLC raised its stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 52.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 6,860 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,346 shares during the period. PYA Waltman Capital LLC’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $1,854,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MCD. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of McDonald’s during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new position in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in McDonald’s in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, GKV Capital Management Co. Inc. acquired a new position in McDonald’s during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: International operated markets delivered 1.5% comparable-sales growth in the second quarter of 2026, led by Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom. Value offers, menu innovation and loyalty programs could help McDonald’s offset softer demand in some regions. Can MCD’s International Markets Drive Growth Amid Consumer Pressure?
• Positive Sentiment: A SpongeBob and One Piece-themed Happy Meal is scheduled to launch September 15. The high-profile collaboration may support traffic, family demand and promotional engagement, although its financial impact is likely limited. McDonald’s Announces SpongeBob/One Piece Collab Happy Meal
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s and Burger King introduced chicken-nugget offerings on the same day, highlighting continued menu competition. The launch could generate traffic but also underscores the crowded quick-service restaurant market. Chicken nuggets land on menus at Burger King, McDonald’s on same day
• Negative Sentiment: McDonald’s has lagged the S&P 500 over the past year, and its shares are near a 12-month low. Analysts remain moderately optimistic, but the relative weakness suggests investors are concerned about growth and valuation amid a challenging consumer environment. Is McDonald’s Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have commented on MCD. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of McDonald’s from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $325.00 to $305.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Guggenheim dropped their target price on McDonald’s from $320.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Mizuho cut their price target on McDonald’s from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 31st. 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, McDonald’s currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $322.96.

McDonald’s Trading Down 0.9%

MCD stock opened at $261.11 on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corporation has a twelve month low of $259.85 and a twelve month high of $341.75. The company’s 50 day moving average is $270.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $290.60. The stock has a market cap of $184.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.21, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.41.

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

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

In other news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 5,252 shares of McDonald’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.32, for a total transaction of $1,493,248.64. Following the sale, the insider 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.26% of the company’s stock.

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.