McDonald's Could Reach a Milestone Next Year That Barely 1 in 1,000 Companies Achieve: Are Shares a Buy?

Core Insights - McDonald's has demonstrated significant dividend growth since 1976, with a current payout of $1.86 per share, representing a 310,000% increase from its initial dividend of $0.0006 per share [2][8] - The company has consistently raised its dividends, with a 5% increase announced for 2025, marking its 49th consecutive annual dividend increase, positioning it to achieve "Dividend King" status next year [4][8] - McDonald's dividend growth has outpaced inflation in recent years, with increases ranging from 2.9% to 8% from 2020 to 2024 [3][4] Dividend Growth Analysis - The dividend increases for McDonald's from 2020 to 2024 are as follows: 1.2% in 2020, 4.7% in 2021, 8% in 2022, 4.1% in 2023, and 2.9% in 2024 [4] - The payout ratio has trended lower over the past five years, indicating a strong capacity for future dividend increases, as net income has nearly doubled from $4.7 billion in 2020 to $8.2 billion in 2024 [6][7] Dividend King Status - McDonald's is on track to become one of the rare "Dividend Kings," with only 56 out of 53,800 publicly traded companies achieving this status last year [5] - The company's ability to maintain and grow dividends is supported by its lower payout ratio, which allows for more flexibility in increasing shareholder returns [6]