McDonald’s Corporation $MCD Stake Trimmed by Townsend & Associates Inc

Townsend & Associates Inc cut its position in shares of McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) by 47.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 2,250 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock after selling 2,014 shares during the quarter. Townsend & Associates Inc’s holdings in McDonald’s were worth $547,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Aries Wealth Management increased its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Aries Wealth Management now owns 5,890 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,360,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC bought a new position in McDonald’s in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $721,000. Nadler Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in McDonald’s by 98.4% in the 3rd quarter. Nadler Financial Group Inc. now owns 6,773 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,564,000 after buying an additional 3,360 shares during the period. Kingswood Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in McDonald’s by 24.4% in the 3rd quarter. Kingswood Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 16,241 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $3,751,000 after buying an additional 3,182 shares during the period. Finally, Paladin Wealth LLC raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 33.8% during the 3rd quarter. Paladin Wealth LLC now owns 3,350 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $774,000 after acquiring an additional 846 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MCD shares. Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $285.00 to $250.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 24th. TD Cowen lowered their price target on McDonald’s from $282.00 to $270.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on McDonald’s from $325.00 to $300.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Piper Sandler set a $286.00 price objective on McDonald’s in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price objective on McDonald’s from $305.00 to $295.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $295.64.

Trending Headlines about McDonald’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: McDonald’s is bringing back popular limited-time offerings, including the McRib and a cult-favorite BBQ sandwich. The promotions could help improve traffic and comparable sales, although their impact is likely temporary. McDonald’s Is Bringing Back a Hugely Popular Menu Item Next Week
• Positive Sentiment: The stock’s sell-off has lifted its dividend yield to roughly 3%–3.2%, while McDonald’s has continued raising its payout and has earned “Dividend King” status. The higher yield may attract income-focused investors and provide valuation support. McDonald’s Is Crowned a Dividend King
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect a single-digit increase in third-quarter earnings, and management is relying on chicken launches and limited-time menu items to counter weaker U.S. traffic. McDonald’s Q3 2026 Earnings: What to Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: McDonald’s is challenging tokenized trading of its shares on the OKX-ICE venue, citing investor-protection and regulatory-oversight concerns. The dispute is unlikely to materially affect restaurant operations or near-term earnings. Why Is McDonald’s Challenging Tokenized Trading of Its Shares?
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pricing is a concern as Taco Bell promotes a $2 item while McDonald’s works to balance affordability with margins. Slower traffic and economic pressure could weigh on comparable-store sales. Taco Bell Rolls Out $2 Item as McDonald’s Wrestles With Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: A federal lawsuit accuses McDonald’s of AI-fueled price fixing; the company says the allegations contain inaccuracies. Even if ultimately dismissed, the litigation creates reputational and regulatory overhang. McDonald’s Accused of AI-Fueled Price Fixing
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group trimmed its FY2027 EPS forecast slightly to $13.78 from $13.80. Although the reduction is minor, it reinforces concerns that growth may remain subdued. McDonald’s Analyst Estimates

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of McDonald’s stock opened at $248.49 on Monday. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $229.20 and a 52-week high of $341.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $175.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a fifty day moving average of $249.43 and a 200-day moving average of $269.68.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The fast-food giant reported $3.38 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.32 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $7.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.13 billion. McDonald’s had a net margin of 31.72% and a negative return on equity of 572.06%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.19 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

McDonald’s Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $1.93 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. This is a positive change from McDonald’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.86. This represents a $7.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.44%.

McDonald’s Profile

McDonald’s Corporation is a global quick-service restaurant company that operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald’s brand. Its restaurants serve a menu that includes hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, breakfast items, desserts, salads, beverages and coffee. Offerings vary by market, and many locations provide drive-thru service, delivery and digital ordering through the McDonald’s mobile app.

The company operates through a heavily franchised business model, with restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees, affiliates and the company itself.