Barclays has increased its price target for McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) to $380.00 from $372.00 while retaining an Overweight rating on the shares. At the time of the update, McDonald’s was trading at $323.21, roughly 1% below its 52-week high of $328.06, and had a market capitalization of $230.2 billion.
The boost to Barclays’ target followed McDonald’s fourth-quarter 2025 performance, where comparable sales outperformed Street expectations across all geographic segments and helped produce earnings-per-share upside. Barclays highlighted that U.S. comparable sales gained momentum through the fourth quarter of 2025 and that this positive trend has carried into the first quarter of 2026.
The firm pointed to McDonald’s strong top-line showing, attributing it to value-oriented product offerings and accelerating unit growth as central drivers behind the upward revision to the price objective. In its commentary, Barclays suggested that, amid uncertain global macroeconomic conditions, McDonald’s merits consideration as a defensive consumer staple play.
Market analysts broadly adjusted their forecasts following the quarter. According to available analyst revisions, 15 analysts raised their earnings estimates for the upcoming period, with target figures ranging between $260 and $380.
McDonald’s reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of $3.12, topping the consensus estimate of $3.04. Revenue for the quarter reached $7.01 billion, exceeding the anticipated $6.81 billion. The company’s revenue and earnings outperformance was driven by robust global comparable sales, with the U.S. notably contributing through positive guest counts.
Despite the stronger-than-expected results and analyst upward revisions, McDonald’s shares fell in after-hours trading as investors weighed concerns about the company’s trajectory for future growth.
Other broker activity included BMO Capital, which reiterated an Outperform rating on McDonald’s and maintained a price target of $360.00, reflecting continued confidence in the company’s earnings and revenue strength.
These developments give investors additional data points on McDonald’s recent financial performance, sell-side sentiment and the market reaction to reported results and forward-looking commentary.