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MCDMcDonald's CorporationSell5.5·$277.76-0.74%
MCD · Why this verdict

Why McDonald's (MCD) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score5.5/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroRISK_OFF

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

5.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E5.6
P/S5.3
EV/EBITDA1.8
Fwd P/E6.5
PEG4.0
Analyst target6.0
  • Forward P/E: 19.7x
  • PEG: 2.56

Quality

7.7/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROA9.0
Gross margin7.5
Op margin10.0
Net margin10.0
Current ratio4.4
FCF quality5.2
Moat6.4
Piotroski F8.9
  • Strong margins: 32%
  • Earnings quality warning: 69% FCF/NI
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 8/9
  • High-quality business

Growth

4.1/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth4.8
EPS growth3.4

Momentum

4.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI4.5
MACD10.0
OBV1.0
MA position4.5
Volume0.0
  • Volume distribution (falling OBV)
  • Below 200-MA, MA slope flat

Sentiment

6.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment4.1
Analyst rating7.5
Price target7.6

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • Negligible insider selling — $2,930,241 (0.001% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

5.8/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank2.6
quality rank9.5
growth rank6.0
  • Best-in-class margins

Technical

4.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger4.0
support resistance4.3
52w position6.5

Risk (lower is worse)

6.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest9.2
days to cover8.2
volatility8.3
put call0.0
implied vol7.8
max pain risk3.0
beta10.0
  • Elevated put/call: 2.24
  • Above max pain $200

Catalyst

5.1/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history3.3
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg2.6
dividend safety6.5
news activity8.0
  • Earnings concerns: 2B/2M
  • Dividend: 266.0%

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL
Passed (6)
  • ASYMMETRY:1.9>=1.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:59d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (2)
  • MOMENTUM:4.0<4.5
  • DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK
Warning (1)
  • 8K_CSUITE_CHANGE:5.02 (officer departure/appointment)
Reward-to-Risk
1.95
Upside
+9.7%
Downside
5.0%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupRECOVERY Death cross but MACD improving, RSI 46

EdgeNO_EDGE No clear edge identified

SuitabilityCONSERVATIVE Beta 0.41<0.8, Div 266.0%, Q=7.7

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 4.2 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Quality at 7.7) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( MOMENTUM:4.0<4.5, DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is 1.95 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Quality at 7.7, Risk (lower is worse) at 6.6, and Sentiment at 6.4; the weakest are Momentum at 4.0, Growth at 4.1, and Technical at 4.9. The V9 engine flagged 2 failed gates with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 1.95 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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