Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on McDonald's (NYSE:MCD).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with MCD, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did?
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 19 uncommon options trades for McDonald's.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 15% bullish and 47%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $132,091, and 16 are calls, for a total amount of $817,062.
Projected Price Targets
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $250.0 to $340.0 for McDonald's over the recent three months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for McDonald's's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across McDonald's's significant trades, within a strike price range of $250.0 to $340.0, over the past month.
McDonald's 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot
Largest Options Trades Observed:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCD | CALL | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 12/18/26 | $42.5 | $41.4 | $41.98 | $285.00 | $134.3K | 91 | 60 |
| MCD | CALL | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 12/18/26 | $42.25 | $41.6 | $42.14 | $285.00 | $96.9K | 91 | 137 |
| MCD | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 12/18/26 | $43.0 | $41.0 | $42.0 | $285.00 | $79.7K | 91 | 19 |
| MCD | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 12/18/26 | $42.1 | $41.65 | $41.88 | $285.00 | $75.3K | 91 | 100 |
| MCD | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 12/20/24 | $2.51 | $2.5 | $2.51 | $290.00 | $66.7K | 1.4K | 310 |
About McDonald's
McDonald's is the largest restaurant owner-operator in the world, with 2023 system sales of $130 billion across nearly than 42,000 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.
Present Market Standing of McDonald's
- Currently trading with a volume of 1,571,874, the MCD's price is down by -0.01%, now at $292.4.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 62 days.
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Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest McDonald's options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.
