On August 5th, 2026, analyst firm Citigroup shows confidence in McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) by raising its price target to $345.00 from $335.00. The firm keeps its "Buy" rating on the stock, which was trading at $268.34 at the time. This new target suggests a potential upside for the company's shares.
McDonald's is a global fast-food company that operates and franchises restaurants worldwide. Its business performance is closely watched through metrics like systemwide sales, which include total sales from all company-owned and franchised locations. This gives a broad view of the brand's overall financial health and reach.
The positive analyst view follows McDonald's recent second-quarter results, which show a global comparable sales growth of 1.3%. Systemwide sales also see a 4% increase in constant currency. This metric removes the impact of changing foreign exchange rates, providing a clearer picture of the company's core operational growth.
The company reports an adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.38, which is a 6% increase from the prior year. EPS shows how much profit the company makes for each share of its stock. This figure beats the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.32, driven by strong performance in its franchised restaurants.
However, performance in the U.S. is weaker than expected. As highlighted by Fox Business, comparable sales in this key market grew by only 0.8%, falling short of the 1.06% estimate. The CEO states this is due to poor promotion of value deals and fewer digital offers, not a flawed strategy.
