Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on McDonald's.
Looking at options history for McDonald's MCD we detected 15 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 40% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 46% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 9 are puts, for a total amount of $737,785 and 6, calls, for a total amount of $303,266.
Expected Price Movements
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 $350.0 for McDonald's over the last 3 months.
Volume & Open Interest Trends
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for McDonald's options trades today is 891.62 with a total volume of 3,535.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for McDonald's's big money trades within a strike price range of $295.0 to $350.0 over the last 30 days.
McDonald's Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days
Biggest Options Spotted:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 05/16/25 | $15.1 | $13.85 | $15.1 | $310.00 | $116.2K | 221 | 206 |
| MCD | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/16/26 | $30.65 | $30.05 | $30.3 | $295.00 | $112.1K | 235 | 37 |
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 05/16/25 | $14.35 | $13.8 | $14.35 | $310.00 | $110.4K | 221 | 206 |
| MCD | PUT | TRADE | BULLISH | 05/16/25 | $14.4 | $14.1 | $14.1 | $310.00 | $108.5K | 221 | 129 |
| MCD | PUT | TRADE | BULLISH | 05/16/25 | $14.95 | $13.8 | $14.02 | $310.00 | $107.9K | 221 | 501 |
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.
Current Position of McDonald's
- Currently trading with a volume of 2,747,733, the MCD's price is up by 1.38%, now at $303.97.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 43 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About McDonald's
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $335.0.
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. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Morgan Stanley continues to hold a Overweight rating for McDonald's, targeting a price of $335.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for McDonald's with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
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