McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) CEO Sells $8,706,883.95 in Stock

by · The Cerbat Gem

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD – Get Free Report) CEO Christopher Kempczinski sold 26,277 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $331.35, for a total transaction of $8,706,883.95. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 22,900 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,587,915. This trade represents a 53.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

McDonald’s Stock Performance

NYSE:MCD traded down $0.02 on Tuesday, hitting $327.56. The stock had a trading volume of 3,367,122 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,291,308. McDonald’s Corporation has a 1 year low of $283.47 and a 1 year high of $335.67. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $313.72 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $308.70. The stock has a market cap of $233.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.32 and a beta of 0.52.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The fast-food giant reported $3.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.81 billion. McDonald’s had a negative return on equity of 343.90% and a net margin of 31.85%.McDonald’s’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.83 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that McDonald’s Corporation will post 12.25 EPS for the current year.

McDonald’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 3rd will be issued a dividend of $1.86 per share. This represents a $7.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 3rd. McDonald’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 62.26%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On McDonald’s

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in McDonald’s by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 72,351,127 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $22,112,675,000 after acquiring an additional 703,458 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its stake in shares of McDonald’s by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 35,983,997 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $10,997,789,000 after purchasing an additional 959,140 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of McDonald’s by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 17,038,519 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock worth $5,195,965,000 after purchasing an additional 76,090 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of McDonald’s in the second quarter worth $2,780,712,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in McDonald’s by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 9,474,749 shares of the fast-food giant’s stock valued at $2,895,768,000 after buying an additional 277,617 shares during the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting McDonald’s

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

  • Positive Sentiment: Q4 outperformance and a clear value strategy. Recent coverage highlights MCD’s Q4 beat, double-digit active app engagement and a permanent “McValue” push that helped U.S. comps grow ~6.8% — a key reason investors see low downside and continued share gains. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: 2026 menu rollout tied to sales rebound. McDonald’s unveiled its 2026 menu and promotional plan, which management ties directly to the sales rebound and traffic recovery — a near-term revenue catalyst. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Seasonal and limited-time items returning. The Shamrock Shake and other beloved seasonal items are back nationwide — recurring LTOs that reliably boost traffic and spend. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: New product and brand engagement initiatives. McDonald’s is debuting new items (Big Arch burger) and launching branded collectibles/trading cards to drive visits and social buzz. These low-cost marketing plays can increase frequency among younger cohorts. Read More. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Product innovation to address diet trends. McDonald’s is testing higher‑protein menu options in response to GLP‑1‑driven consumer changes — a proactive product response that could protect traffic if tastes shift. Read More.
  • Neutral Sentiment: Brand and history pieces with limited near-term impact. Several features (drive‑thru origin, nostalgia pieces) bolster brand perception but are unlikely to move the stock materially by themselves. Read More.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently commented on MCD. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of McDonald’s from $372.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of McDonald’s in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. Citigroup increased their price target on McDonald’s from $371.00 to $375.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on McDonald’s from $360.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of McDonald’s from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $337.04.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on McDonald’s

McDonald’s Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.

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