McDonald's shares have fallen 11% in 2026 to $274.31, but a proprietary model from 24/7 Wall St. projects a year-end price target of $317.25, implying 15.65% upside with a buy recommendation and 90% confidence. The company reported second-quarter earnings per share of $3.38 on revenue of $7.10 billion, missing revenue estimates by 0.39%, while global comparable sales slowed to 1.3% and U.S. comps reached just 0.8%. CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged execution failures in the quarter, and the appointment of Skye Anderson as U.S. President is part of the response. The bull case hinges on beverage platform launches and loyalty program scale, with an analyst consensus target of $323.58 and 19 buy ratings against one sell, while the bear case notes negative U.S. comps in July and recessionary consumer sentiment, setting a floor at $292.53. Compared to peers, Yum! Brands posted 12.3% revenue growth and Taco Bell same-store sales of 7%, while Chipotle Mexican Grill grew revenue 9.3% but saw restaurant-level margin compression, making McDonald's 46.10% operating margin and 2.68% dividend yield the defensive choice.
McDonald’s CorporationAnalyst model projects 15.65% upside to $317.25 with buy rating, despite recent earnings miss.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc
Yum! Brands Inc