GAM Holding AG Makes New Investment in McDonald’s Corporation $MCD

GAM Holding AG purchased a new stake in McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm purchased 6,109 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock, valued at approximately $1,856,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in McDonald’s by 21.6% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 9,286 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $2,692,000 after purchasing an additional 1,649 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in McDonald’s by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,942 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $563,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming grew its holdings in McDonald’s by 2,600.0% during the first quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 243 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $76,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the period. Hancock Whitney Corp raised its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 5,110 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $1,596,000 after purchasing an additional 389 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the first quarter valued at $3,511,000. Institutional investors own 70.29% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on MCD shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $322.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $340.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Mizuho upgraded McDonald’s to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $360.00 to $350.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $324.57.

Insider Activity at McDonald’s

In other McDonald’s news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 3,195 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $305.82, for a total transaction of $977,094.90. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 6,088 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,861,832.16. The trade was a 34.42% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Manuel Jm Steijaert sold 6,567 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $305.50, for a total transaction of $2,006,218.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,606 shares in the company, valued at $1,407,133. This represents a 58.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 42,516 shares of company stock worth $13,036,090. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MCD opened at $303.26 on Friday. McDonald’s Corporation has a 52-week low of $276.53 and a 52-week high of $326.32. The stock has a market cap of $215.97 billion, a PE ratio of 25.88, a PEG ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.53. The business has a fifty day moving average of $307.87 and a two-hundred day moving average of $304.34.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The fast-food giant reported $3.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.33 by ($0.11). The firm had revenue of $7.08 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.10 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 280.89% and a net margin of 32.04%.McDonald’s’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $3.23 earnings per share. Analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 earnings per share for the current year.

McDonald’s Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 1st were issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. This is an increase from McDonald’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. McDonald’s’s payout ratio is currently 63.48%.

McDonald’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Product test: McDonald’s is trialing hand-breaded chicken strips that social media says resemble Popeyes’ offering — could help drive traffic and competitive share in chicken, supporting same-store sales if widely rolled out. McDonald’s is testing new hand-breaded chicken strips and fans say they look just like Popeyes
• Positive Sentiment: Market/valuation note: An investing piece highlights oversold restaurant stocks with strong dividends — reinforcing MCD’s appeal to income-focused investors and possibly supporting buy-side interest on dips. 2 Oversold Restaurant Stocks Offering Strong Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing initiative: McDonald’s is launching a “secret menu” based on popular customer hacks — a low-cost engagement play that could boost visits but is unlikely to move fundamentals immediately. McDonald’s is launching a secret menu based on customer hacks
• Neutral Sentiment: High-profile customer mentions: Several pieces recount former President Trump’s reported McDonald’s orders and diet — generates media attention but minimal direct commercial or financial impact. Donald Trump’s McDonald’s Diet Hasn’t Changed, He Says, amid Questions About His Health. Here’s What He Eats Here’s What Donald Trump Reportedly Orders From McDonald’s Donald Trump’s Reported Excessive McDonald’s Order Resurfaces
• Negative Sentiment: Customer-employee violence: Video surfaced of a customer launching a flying kick at an employee during a brawl — negative for brand reputation, store safety perception, and could raise short-term franchise traffic concerns. McDonald’s customer caught on camera launching flying kick at employee during heated brawl
• Negative Sentiment: Employee injury: A worker was hospitalized after reaching into a hot fryer for an earbud — raises occupational-safety and potential liability/insurance concerns for franchisees and the brand, and could prompt renewed focus on in-store safety protocols. McDonald’s worker hospitalized after reaching into hot fryer for earbud

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.