News about restaurant chains

McDonald's (MCD) is set to join fewer than 60 U.S. public companies designated Dividend Kings, which have paid and raised dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. Its latest quarterly payout is $1.93 per share, up 4%, and at $7.72 per share the forward dividend yield is 3.2%; shareholders who own the stock by Dec. 1 will receive the $1.93 payment on Dec. 15. The article notes that 96% of its 45,356 stores are franchised, and that the stock is down 20.5% year-to-date and 28.9% below its all-time high of $341.75 on March 2, with a forward P/E of 18.9. Weak U.S. same-store sales (up 0.8% in Q2 2026) and an $8.5 billion, 10-year investment plan, which adds $5 billion in costs through 2030, are cited as key factors.

Chipotle (CMG) shares rose during four days in October on reports that Starbucks (SBUX) had worked on a takeover proposal, but Starbucks flatly denied it on Oct. 12. Chipotle is down roughly 30% over the past year and sits near its 52-week low, with no buyer in sight. The author argues the deal made little sense because Starbucks is still mid-turnaround, and that a sale at a depressed price would mainly help holders who want out. On recovery, comparable sales rose 0.5% in Q1 and 2.2% in Q2, but restaurant-level operating margin fell 220 basis points to 25.2%, so the author wants two or three more quarters of rising sales with stable margins. The Q3 results on Oct. 28 are seen as the key test.