Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards McDonald's MCD, and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in MCD usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 12 extraordinary options activities for McDonald's. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 16% leaning bullish and 66% bearish. Among these notable options, 7 are puts, totaling $576,297, and 5 are calls, amounting to $254,830.
What's The Price Target?
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $295.0 to $335.0 for McDonald's over the last 3 months.
Analyzing Volume & Open Interest
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for McDonald's's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of McDonald's's whale activity within a strike price range from $295.0 to $335.0 in the last 30 days.
McDonald's Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 09/19/25 | $10.5 | $10.15 | $10.5 | $300.00 | $118.6K | 585 | 129 |
| MCD | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 06/20/25 | $23.1 | $22.55 | $22.8 | $335.00 | $102.6K | 193 | 137 |
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 06/20/25 | $23.25 | $22.75 | $22.5 | $335.00 | $101.5K | 193 | 92 |
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 06/20/25 | $18.85 | $16.95 | $18.85 | $330.00 | $99.9K | 492 | 167 |
| MCD | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 09/19/25 | $19.05 | $19.0 | $19.0 | $315.00 | $95.0K | 286 | 58 |
About McDonald's
McDonald's is the largest restaurant owner-operator in the world, with 2024 system sales of $131 billion across more than 43,000 stores and 115 markets. McDonald's pioneered the franchise model, building its footprint through partnerships with independent restaurant franchisees and master franchise partners around the globe. The firm earns roughly 60% of its revenue from franchise royalty fees and lease payments, with most of the remainder coming from company-operated stores across its three core segments: the United States, internationally operated markets, and international developmental/licensed markets.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding McDonald's, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
Present Market Standing of McDonald's
- Trading volume stands at 1,338,490, with MCD's price up by 0.45%, positioned at $317.65.
- RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.
- Earnings announcement expected in 11 days.
What The Experts Say On McDonald's
A total of 3 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $333.33.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * An analyst from Baird has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on McDonald's, which currently sits at a price target of $300. * An analyst from Barclays persists with their Overweight rating on McDonald's, maintaining a target price of $347. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Citigroup continues to hold a Buy rating for McDonald's, targeting a price of $353.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for McDonald's, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.
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