SeekingAlpha · Oct 12, 2026
NASDAQ · MCD
McDonald's Corporation
Consumer Cyclical · Restaurants
$235.23
Down-$0.03 (-0.01%)
Updated Oct 12, 2026, 6:12 PM
SID Score
5.6/10
Composite research score
Smart Money
55/100
Neutral
- Market cap
- 221.32B
- P/E ratio
- 26.37
- Dividend yield
- 3.05%
- 52-week range
- $229.20 – $341.75
- Volume
- 5.98M
- Avg. volume
- 3.13M
Price performance · MCD
MCD price history
1M range · 20 trading sessions · Daily adjusted prices
Prices through Oct 9, 2026
MCD closed at $235.23 after 20 trading sessions, down 8.64% for the selected period.
- Last close
- $235.23
- Period change
- -8.64%
- Period low
- $230.88
- Period high
- $257.49
Daily close
View OHLC price history
| Date | Open | High | Low | Close | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 | $235.97 | $237.50 | $234.14 | $235.23 | 5.98M |
| Oct 8, 2026 | $231.21 | $237.50 | $230.20 | $236.90 | 11.37M |
| Oct 7, 2026 | $231.85 | $233.98 | $230.601 | $230.88 | 4.66M |
| Oct 6, 2026 | $233.345 | $234.30 | $231.70 | $232.45 | 5.64M |
| Oct 5, 2026 | $231.90 | $233.08 | $229.20 | $233.04 | 5.6M |
| Oct 2, 2026 | $232.70 | $233.00 | $230.825 | $231.89 | 6.43M |
| Oct 1, 2026 | $231.54 | $232.84 | $229.61 | $231.83 | 5.94M |
| Sep 30, 2026 | $234.23 | $234.97 | $230.88 | $230.94 | 5.58M |
| Sep 29, 2026 | $232.20 | $236.01 | $232.06 | $233.98 | 5.25M |
| Sep 28, 2026 | $235.735 | $237.48 | $233.23 | $233.60 | 5.37M |
| Sep 25, 2026 | $236.78 | $238.00 | $235.29 | $236.50 | 6.54M |
| Sep 24, 2026 | $239.70 | $242.56 | $237.02 | $237.02 | 7.39M |
| Sep 23, 2026 | $250.29 | $250.32 | $234.03 | $238.32 | 16.61M |
| Sep 22, 2026 | $250.68 | $252.06 | $249.37 | $250.35 | 5.02M |
| Sep 21, 2026 | $249.41 | $250.38 | $246.5209 | $247.88 | 6.33M |
| Sep 18, 2026 | $248.27 | $250.4499 | $247.65 | $248.24 | 9.58M |
| Sep 17, 2026 | $250.30 | $250.5995 | $248.10 | $248.48 | 4.95M |
| Sep 16, 2026 | $252.26 | $253.16 | $247.83 | $248.56 | 7.13M |
| Sep 15, 2026 | $257.78 | $257.78 | $252.70 | $252.78 | 4.79M |
| Sep 14, 2026 | $254.28 | $258.45 | $254.28 | $257.49 | 4.17M |
Latest MCD news
The latest Smart Investors Daily articles mentioning MCD.
Stock researchCompany · Overview
Company
Market Activity
Research & News
MCD research
Overview
Company profile and research snapshot.
Company profile
McDonald's is the world's largest restaurant brand, with nearly $131 billion in systemwide sales across more than 44,000 restaurants and over 100 markets. The quick-service chain built its early reputation on speed, consistency, and affordable hamburgers, and today its global menu spans burgers, chicken, breakfast, and beverages that have helped popularize American fast-food cuisine worldwide. The firm derives the bulk of its revenue from franchise royalties and rent (about 61%), with the remainder stemming from company-operated restaurants across three segments: the United States (41% of systemwide sales), international operated markets (34%), and international developmental/licensed markets (25%).
Visit company websiteAnalyst outlook
Consensus and target data currently published for this company.
- Consensus
- Buy
- Average target
- $325.22
- Implied upside
- —
- Analysts
- 25
| Date | Firm | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | Bernstein | Market Perform | — |
| Oct 6, 2026 | Keybanc | Overweight | — |
| Oct 5, 2026 | Wells Fargo | Overweight | — |
| Oct 5, 2026 | Guggenheim | Neutral | — |
| Sep 29, 2026 | JP Morgan | Overweight | — |
News briefing
Generated Oct 12, 2026, 5:13 PM
Why Is MCD Slightly Up Today?
McDonald's edged higher by 0.14% today as investors digest mixed signals about the fast-food giant's near-term challenges and long-term positioning. While the stock's modest gain suggests cautious optimism, recent headlines reveal a company grappling with both macro headwinds and company-specific issues that are limiting its growth momentum.
Bottom line: McDonald's today reflects a company in transition, where its fortress balance sheet and dividend provide downside support but offer limited upside catalysts. Investors should monitor whether management can articulate credible growth strategies beyond promotional pricing, as the current narrative centers on challenges rather than opportunities.
Benzinga · Oct 12, 2026
Robert Reich Slams Republicans Over ‘Trickle-Down’ Economics, Calls Theory a ‘Hoax’ That Enriched America’s Richest 1%
Robert Reich calls trickle-down economics a hoax, saying wealth accumulated with the richest 1%.
Yahoo · Oct 11, 2026
McDonald’s Has a Powerful Brand and a Growing Dividend. Is That Enough?
McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) brings together a restaurant brand that is world-famous with a business approach relying heavily on franchises and, as a result, produces a large amount of cash flow. While the most recent rise in its dividend represents a significant achievement, investors should also take into account the company’s sales growth, the cash remaining […]
Yahoo · Oct 10, 2026
McDonald’s $3 meal deals aren't winning over enough customers
McDonald’s is serving up new meal deals, but not winning back enough customers. On Fortune Daily, Phil Wahba explains why the chain's barrage of deals and marketing has fallen short.
AI research layers
Interpretive context generated from the platform’s current data sources.
McDonald's Corporation Stock Performance
McDonald's Corporation shares have experienced sustained downward pressure across multiple timeframes, with the stock trading at $235.23 as of the latest session, reflecting a single-day decline of 2.26%, per SID market data. Over the trailing one-month period, MCD has declined 7.04%, while the three-month return stands at negative 13.71%. On an annualized basis, the stock has shed 24.93%, significantly underperforming the broader market. Technically, MCD trades well below both its 50-day moving average of $255.65 and its 200-day moving average of $290.48, indicating a firmly entrenched downtrend, according to Massive/Polygon data. The 14-day relative strength index sits at 31.7, approaching oversold territory below the conventional 30 threshold. The stock's beta of 0.521 classifies it as a low-volatility name relative to the S&P 500. Average daily volume registers at approximately 3.13 million shares, with the current market capitalization at $221.3 billion.
McDonald's Corporation Valuation Analysis
McDonald's Corporation currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.37, per SID market data, which remains elevated relative to the broader Consumer Cyclical sector despite the stock's significant year-over-year decline. The PEG ratio stands at 8.83, according to SEC filings, suggesting the current earnings multiple is not well supported by the company's forward growth rate. McDonald's carries a negative price-to-book ratio of -80.18, a reflection of the company's negative shareholders' equity driven by its aggressive share repurchase programs and franchise-heavy capital structure, which have resulted in accumulated treasury stock exceeding total equity. The dividend yield currently sits at 2.31%, providing income-oriented investors with a meaningful return component amid the stock's price depreciation. The combination of a high PEG ratio and negative book value underscores a valuation profile where traditional metrics require contextual interpretation given McDonald's asset-light, franchise-dominated business model and substantial capital return programs.
Smart Money Activity for MCD
McDonald's Corporation registers a composite smart money score of 55 out of 100, generating a neutral signal overall, per SID market data. The institutional component scores a perfect 25 out of 25, indicating maximum institutional accumulation and strong conviction from large asset managers. The insider trading component scores 16.6 out of 25, supported by 8 insider transactions over the past 90 days, according to SEC Form 4 filings. Notably, insider purchases outnumber sales with 5 buys versus 3 sells during this period, suggesting some degree of insider confidence at current price levels. The dark pool activity score of 8.5 out of 25 points to relatively subdued off-exchange institutional positioning, while the congressional trading component registers at just 4.8 out of 25, indicating minimal recent trading activity among members of Congress. The divergence between maximum institutional conviction and moderate insider activity creates a mixed but lean-positive signal from sophisticated market participants, per 13F institutional filings.
McDonald's Corporation Earnings Outlook
McDonald's Corporation faces a series of upcoming earnings reports with consensus analyst estimates reflecting expectations for stable sequential performance, according to analyst estimates compiled by SID. The nearest reporting date is projected for August 5, 2026, with analysts estimating earnings per share of $3.34. Subsequent quarters carry identical EPS estimates of $3.34 for the August 10 and August 14 report dates, while the November 4, 2026, quarter shows a modest uptick to an estimated $3.38 per share, per company earnings reports. The flat sequential earnings trajectory across three consecutive quarters at $3.34 suggests analysts anticipate limited near-term catalysts for earnings acceleration. The slight increase to $3.38 in the final period implies expectations of modest seasonal or operational improvement. With no actual results yet reported for these forward periods, the estimates serve as the primary benchmark against which McDonald's operational execution will be measured in the coming quarters.
Wall Street Analyst Ratings for MCD
Wall Street analysts maintain a moderately constructive stance on McDonald's Corporation, with the majority of recent coverage actions reiterating existing ratings rather than initiating directional changes, per Wall Street analyst reports. Three of the five most recent ratings carry an Overweight designation: JP Morgan reiterated Overweight on September 29, Wells Fargo maintained Overweight on October 5, and KeyBanc reaffirmed Overweight on October 6, 2026. Guggenheim held its Neutral rating on October 5, while Bernstein reiterated a Market Perform assessment on October 8, according to SID consensus data. The absence of any downgrades despite MCD's 24.93% year-over-year decline is notable, as analysts have chosen to maintain their existing recommendations through the stock's significant price deterioration. No analyst in the most recent coverage cycle issued a Sell or Underweight rating. The clustering of reiterations rather than revisions suggests the Street views the current pullback as within expected parameters for McDonald's fundamental outlook.
