New York, Feb 13, 2026, 17:02 EST — After-hours
- McDonald’s slipped roughly 1.4% to $327.58 late, shares having swung between $326.57 and $335.51 during the session.
- CEO Chris Kempczinski moved to sell 26,277 shares, a securities filing revealed, with the transaction coming via a pre-arranged trading plan.
- McDonald’s quarterly numbers remain in focus, with investors weighing an analyst upgrade linked to the brand’s value strategy.
McDonald’s Corp dropped 1.4% to $327.58 in Friday’s after-hours session. The stock moved between $326.57 and $335.51 during regular trading hours. Roughly 3.6 million shares changed hands.
The drop brings up an old question for fast-food names: can pushing discounts still draw in diners without slicing into margins. McDonald’s is doubling down on value bundles, leaving investors to puzzle over how that plays out for 2026.
The stock has a reputation as a safe harbor when consumer spending gets rocky. Big chains like McDonald’s often see the first hit in customer traffic when budgets tighten, especially among lower-income guests.
According to a Form 144 dated Feb. 12, Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski intended to unload 26,277 shares—roughly $8.49 million worth at market prices. The document stated these shares came from an option exercise and cited a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which lets insiders set up stock sales ahead of time. (SEC)
Argus bumped up its rating on McDonald’s, moving it to “buy” from “hold” and putting a $380 target on the stock, according to Investing.com. Analysts flagged value menus, active promotions, and stepped-up spending on digital and brand as main reasons. (Investing.com)
This week, McDonald’s reported a 5.7% jump in global comparable sales for the fourth quarter, with U.S. same-store sales up 6.8%. Fourth-quarter revenue landed at $7.01 billion. Diluted earnings per share reached $3.03—$3.12 on an adjusted basis, with certain charges excluded. The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 5%, now at $1.86 per share. (SEC)
Wall Street was looking for 3.7% growth in global comparable sales this quarter, LSEG data show, as referenced in another report. On the call, CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts, “We don’t subsidize pricing on a permanent basis,” laying out how support for franchisees’ “extra value” deals is being pulled back. Jim Sanderson of Northcoast Research put it bluntly: McDonald’s “has to continue to grind away with marketing and value promotions” if it wants to maintain traffic. Looking ahead, the company is targeting around 2,600 new restaurants worldwide for 2026, and sees its operating margin sitting in the mid-to-high 40% range. (Reuters)
Other chains have fared better. Wendy’s posted a big decline in U.S. same-restaurant sales for the fourth quarter, and its 2026 earnings forecast missed Wall Street’s mark by a wide margin, according to MarketWatch. (MarketWatch)
The risks aren’t hard to spot. Should customers lose interest in deals or if competitors start undercutting prices, McDonald’s might see foot traffic slacken, even as expenses for ingredients and staffing refuse to budge. And that defensive premium investors pay? It can disappear quickly with shifting rates, or once the appetite for safe bets wanes.
Looking ahead, McDonald’s has locked in March 17 for its $1.86 quarterly dividend payout, going to shareholders on record as of March 3. (PR Newswire)
