McDonald's long-term EPS growth forecast is almost nine percent, and the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is less than the industry average. The operating margin is greater than the industry average, and the return on equity is a healthy 40 percent, while the return on investment is about 19 percent. The number of shares sold short, as of the end of December, represents a little more than one percent of the float. That is the lowest short interest since mid-October. The consensus recommendation of the 27 analysts surveyed by Thomson/First Call who follow the stock is to buy shares, and it has been for at least three months. But their mean price target, or where analysts expect the stock to go, is only about five percent higher than the current share price. Price targets could be raised if McDonald's offers a positive surprise in this report. A Wells Fargo analyst predicted last week that fourth-quarter results would be better than expected. The share price has risen more than nine percent since hitting a 52-week low in mid-November on news about the October sales. However, shares are still trading more than nine percent lower than a year ago. The share price is above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. But over the past six months, the stock has underperformed Burger King, Panera Bread and Wendy's, as well as the Dow and the S&P 500.