McDonald’s Stock (NYSE: MCD) on Dec. 16, 2025: Dividend Tailwinds, New Franchise Value Rules, and What Analysts Forecast Next
McDonald’s Corporation stock (NYSE: MCD) was under modest pressure in Tuesday’s session, even as investors digested fresh reporting on stricter “value” expectations for franchisees and the company’s latest dividend payout milestone. As of 19:02 UTC on Dec. 16, MCD traded around $315.20, down about 1.1% on the day, after opening near $319.11 and touching an intraday high of $320.31. For long-term shareholders, the story around McDonald’s stock right now is less about a single headline and more about a familiar set of drivers: traffic vs. pricing power, franchise alignment, value positioning in a stretched consumer backdrop, and capital returns—with analysts