McDonaldsMCDTOP PICKApr 21, 2016Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 05, 2026. Market Open.
Half its business is NA, half international. Not a huge amount of growth, perhaps 5-6%. EPS growth of 7-8%. Opens a few new stores a year. More of a landlord, with over 90% franchised. Very high ROIC.
Only 20x PE today, down from historically high 20s. In his world, it's a staple not discretionary :) Yield is 2.65%.
Was downgraded last Friday and today over fears they won't meet expectations this quarter, including disappointment over MCD's new chicken strips dish, that it won't turn things around. Rather, customer prefer heavily breaded chicken and the find these strips ugly. However, history says it has never paid to downgrade MCD. It's the king, offering good value and is highly well-run. The CEO will figure it out.
He did well when it was a top pick a year ago. It is good if you have a balanced portfolio. They have turned things around with the new menu, delivery and the apps. The beta is 0.6 so it is half as volatile as the entire market. You can live with it in the bad times. This allows you to be in the market, but not lose sleep at night.