McDonald's Corporation (MCD) Stock Price, News, Analysis

Technical Score (1D)

BUY

News Sentiment

BULLISH

McDonald's is launching a significant push into handcrafted sodas, refreshers, and energy drinks, aiming to enhance its beverage segment and capture more market share. This expansion directly targets a market where competitors like Dutch Bros have a strong presence, particularly among younger consumers. While this move presents a competitive development, the article suggests Dutch Bros' established brand and coffee-centric sales may offer some resilience. Despite this strategic beverage initiative, McDonald's has experienced a recent monthly decline of over 7%, underperforming both the broader market and its sector peers. However, the stock did show a daily gain, outperforming the S&P 500 in the most recent trading session. Upcoming earnings are anticipated to show year-over-year growth in both EPS and revenue, with analysts projecting $2.76 EPS and $6.49 billion in quarterly revenue. Investors will be watching to see if the new beverage strategy can contribute to future growth and help the stock recover from its recent underperformance.

Market Data

MCD Stock Snapshot

McDonald's Corporation · Consumer Cyclical · mcdonalds.com

McDonald's Corporation is a global leader in the quick-service restaurant industry, primarily operating and franchising restaurants under the McDonald's brand. The company's core offering centers on a menu of readily available food and beverages, ranging from iconic items like hamburgers and fries to chicken sandwiches, breakfast options, and desserts. McDonald's caters to a broad consumer base by utilizing a franchise model, operating restaurants through conventional franchises, developmental licenses, and affiliate agreements. Founded in 1940, the company's enduring success stems from its established brand recognition and widespread accessibility, solidifying its position within the competitive fast-food landscape. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

MCD is currently trading at $307.50, giving McDonald's Corporation a market cap of 218.45B and a P/E ratio of 25.5. Today's range spans $306.25–$312.54, with shares opening at $307.31 and moving up $0.16 (0.1%) from the prior close. DailyIQ's technical score sits at 68/100 (BUY) with a news sentiment reading of 73/100.

Over the past year MCD has traded between $283.47 and $341.75 - the current price is +8.5% off the 52-week low and -10.0% from the high. 44 analysts cover the stock with a Hold consensus and a mean 12-month target of $335.62 (range $260.00–$372.00), implying upside of +9.1%.

The earnings revision cycle for McDonald's Corporation (MCD) may be in an upward phase - large-cap Consumer Cyclical names (218.45B market cap) showing bullish technicals (68/100, BUY) alongside bullish sentiment (73/100) often see analyst target increases in the weeks following this kind of dual-signal alignment. Price: $307.50 (in the lower half of its 52-week range). (P/E: 25.5) Range: $283.47–$341.75. The chart frequently leads the fundamental revision, and the chart is bullish.

MCD|EarningsMcDonald's Corporation

Earnings Summary

McDonald's Corporation is a global leader in the quick-service restaurant industry, operating and franchising restaurants worldwide. The company's business model relies on a broad menu of accessible food and beverages, including iconic items like hamburgers and fries, distributed through a franchise network. Operating within the competitive fast-food landscape, McDonald's has established significant brand recognition and accessibility. In its most recent reported quarters, McDonald's demonstrated mixed performance against analyst expectations. For Q4 2025, the company reported an Earnings Per Share (EPS) of $3.12, exceeding the estimate of $2.86594, and revenue of $7.009 billion, surpassing the estimate of $6.402 billion. This followed a Q3 2025 performance where EPS was $3.22 against an estimate of $3.33195, and revenue was $7.078 billion. Looking at the prior two quarters, Q2 2025 saw an EPS beat of $3.19 versus an estimate of $3.14621, with revenue at $6.843 billion. However, Q1 2025 reported an EPS of $2.67, matching the estimate, with revenue at $5.956 billion. Historically, McDonald's has shown a pattern of generally positive revenue trends, though EPS performance against estimates has varied, indicating a beat in Q4 2025 and Q2 2025, a miss in Q3 2025, and a match in Q1 2025. Recent news highlights include Deutsche Bank adjusting its price target to $360 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, suggesting continued analyst confidence despite minor recalibrations. Additionally, the company is strategically expanding its beverage offerings across U.S. locations, phasing out self-serve soda stations to drive higher-margin sales, a move that has already impacted competitors. Investors will be watching for how McDonald's navigates inflationary pressures, the success of its beverage expansion strategy, and customer reception to these changes in the upcoming quarters. Key will be the company's ability to translate cultural engagement and menu innovation into sustained customer traffic and spending.

Earnings | EPS

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q1'26	$2.76	-	-
Q4'25	$2.87	$3.12	+8.9%
Q3'25	$3.33	$3.22	-3.4%
Q2'25	$3.15	$3.19	+1.4%
Q1'25	$2.67	$2.67	-0.0%
Q4'24	$2.86	$2.83	-1.0%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q1'26	$6.5B	-	-
Q4'25	$6.4B	$7.0B	+9.5%
Q3'25	-	$7.1B	-
Q2'25	-	$6.8B	-
Q1'25	-	$6.0B	-
Q4'24	-	$6.4B	-

Technical Score (1D)

BUY

News Sentiment

BULLISH

Market Data

MCD Stock Snapshot

McDonald's Corporation · Consumer Cyclical · mcdonalds.com

News Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment gathered from recent headlines

73/100

Strong NegativeNeutralStrong Positive

BULLISH

Recent News Coverage

Most recent articles, ranked by recency (click to expand).

10+ articles

What did this article say?

This analysis delves into McDonald's (MCD) intrinsic value, employing a discounted cash flow (DCF) model to assess its current market standing. The valuation suggests that the company's shares may be trading at a premium relative to its estimated intrinsic worth. Factors influencing this assessment include projected future cash flows and the company's financial health.

What did this article say?

Analysts at 24/7 Wall St. have issued a buy recommendation for McDonald's (MCD), setting a 12-month price target of $342. This projection suggests a potential upside of approximately 9.7% from current trading levels. The firm cites a strong recovery trajectory through 2025 and rapid scaling of McDonald's loyalty platform as key drivers for their optimistic outlook.

What did this article say?

McDonald's Hong Kong, alongside its agency OMD Hong Kong, secured Grand Winner status at the IAB Hong Kong Digital Awards 2025. The awards ceremony celebrated achievements in the digital marketing sector, highlighting innovation and excellence among industry professionals. This recognition underscores MCD's efforts in navigating the complex digital landscape and engaging consumers effectively.

What did this article say?

McDonald's demonstrates strong fundamental performance, supported by expansion strategies and value pricing which have maintained growth and margins. However, the company faces headwinds from rising inflation and cost pressures, alongside broader macro volatility. While its financial health, including prudent debt management and liquidity, supports dividend payouts, the current stock valuation appears fully priced, limiting significant upside potential and warranting a cautious outlook.

What did this article say?

PepsiCo's recent earnings report highlights a shift in consumer behavior, indicating price sensitivity that also impacts the fast-food industry. The company's decision to lower snack prices led to a return to volume growth in its North American food business. This suggests that elevated pricing, even for items like McDonald's cheeseburgers, can deter consumer purchases.

What did this article say?

McDonald's is launching a significant push into handcrafted sodas, refreshers, and energy drinks, aiming to bolster its beverage offerings. This strategic move is positioned as a competitive development rather than an existential threat to players like Dutch Bros. The expansion signals MCD's intent to capture a larger share of the premium beverage market.

What did this article say?

McDonald's (MCD) shares finished the recent trading session at $306.26, marking a 1% increase that outpaced the S&P 500's 0.8% gain. Despite this daily outperformance, MCD has seen a 7.07% loss over the past month, trailing the Retail-Wholesale sector and the S&P 500. The company's upcoming earnings release is a key focus, with projections for a 3.37% increase in EPS and an 8.97% rise in quarterly revenue compared to the prior year.

What did this article say?

Chili's is launching new menu items to compete with McDonald's recent introduction of value-priced offerings. McDonald's expanded its menu with nearly a dozen items priced at $3 or less, in addition to existing $5 and $6 options. This move by Chili's signals an escalating price war in the fast-casual and fast-food sectors.

What did this article say?

Kaufman Enterprises, an independent McDonald's owner-operator on Long Island, has partnered with Market Force Information. This collaboration aims to deepen insights into the evolving guest experience through a new mystery shopping program. The initiative will observe real customer interactions across the restaurant journey to identify areas for improvement.

What did this article say?

Deutsche Bank has lowered its price target for McDonald's (MCD) to $360 from $364. Despite this adjustment, the firm has maintained its 'Buy' rating on the stock. This move suggests a slight recalibration of expectations by the analyst, though the underlying positive view on MCD remains.

MCD|EarningsMcDonald's Corporation

Earnings Summary

Earnings | EPS

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q1'26	$2.76	-	-
Q4'25	$2.87	$3.12	+8.9%
Q3'25	$3.33	$3.22	-3.4%
Q2'25	$3.15	$3.19	+1.4%
Q1'25	$2.67	$2.67	-0.0%
Q4'24	$2.86	$2.83	-1.0%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss

Qtr	Est	Actual	+/−
Q1'26	$6.5B	-	-
Q4'25	$6.4B	$7.0B	+9.5%
Q3'25	-	$7.1B	-
Q2'25	-	$6.8B	-
Q1'25	-	$6.0B	-
Q4'24	-	$6.4B	-

Recent News Coverage

Most recent articles, ranked by recency (click to expand).

10+ articles

What did this article say?

MCD·McDonald's Corporation

MCD Stock Snapshot

Earnings | EPS

Revenue

MCD·McDonald's Corporation

MCD Stock Snapshot

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Earnings | EPS

Revenue

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

MCD·McDonald's Corporation

MCD Stock Snapshot

Earnings | EPS

Revenue

MCD·McDonald's Corporation

MCD Stock Snapshot

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Earnings | EPS

Revenue

Discover More

News Sentiment Analysis

Recent News Coverage

Discover More