Barclays Analyst A Buy Rating On McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)

Core Insights - McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD) is recognized as one of the 12 best-performing stocks in the Dow for 2025 [1] - Barclays analyst Jeff Bernstein maintains a Buy rating on McDonald's with a price target of $358 [2] Pricing Strategy and Franchisee Evaluation - Starting January 1, 2026, McDonald's will assess franchisees globally based on their pricing strategies to ensure value delivery, following revised global franchising guidelines [3] - The revised guidelines aim to enhance accountability for value leadership and ensure consistent customer value across restaurants [3] - Franchisees, who operate approximately 95% of McDonald's restaurants, will continue to set prices with guidance from third-party pricing experts [3] Value Offerings and Consumer Demand - The changes in pricing strategy come after McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger emphasized the importance of maintaining value offerings amid reduced spending from lower-income customers [4] - McDonald's has introduced value menus in the U.S. and key international markets like France and Germany to address this issue [4] - CEO Chris Kempczinski anticipates that consumer demand will remain strong through 2026, supported by tools and resources provided to franchisees for informed pricing decisions [5]