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I love McDonald's burgers, fries, and shakes. What I don't love is its current stock price.
Don't get me wrong, the stock's been a huge gainer over the past decade. It's risen more than 230% in the past ten years while throwing off decent dividend income.
But what's hard to digest, with the stock 5% from its all-time highs, is where it goes next.
If you own McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) or are thinking about buying it, here's what I suggest: tread carefully and put in a few simple hedges – like put options. There's definitely upside here, but investors have to protect themselves. And I'll tell you how.
Getting the Recipe Right
The first thing I look at when I'm analyzing a food company is the food. Like I said, I love McDonald's, at least the same few items I always get. As far as their other menu items, there may be too many.
Although it's nice to have a lot of options, McDonald's is a fast food joint, so I don't want to be overwhelmed by too many menu items.
In fact, analysts say McDonald's has too many menu items. In order to be more things to more people the company has been adding more and more items for years. But the Wall Street pro consensus is they've diluted their core higher-margin brand items with too many cheaper options.
When the company added "Dollar Menu" items, most of their regular patrons opted for the cheaper offerings and haven't ventured back to higher-margin menu items.
That plan backfired because while they originally planned on a limited Dollar Menu run to get back cost-conscious diners, business fell off every time the company tried to phase out Dollar Menu offerings.
Now company big-wigs are talking about changing the menu again.
The last two menu changes didn't help the company's slipping sales. So an investor in the stock has to wonder if company management has a clue what to offer their customers.
They might go more "wholesome," more "organic," more "socially and calorie conscious," or more "made-to-order." The problem with those changes is, while they may make sense on paper, they'll put Mickey D's into more direct competition with a host of casual-dining and hot-trendy competitors.
That's likely to turn off more traditional customers before it brings in enough new customers to give new items a try, especially if more "organically sourced" ingredients end up costing customers more. As far as revenues, that's a slippery slope.
About the Author
Shah Gilani boasts a financial pedigree unlike any other. He ran his first hedge fund in 1982 from his seat on the floor of the Chicago Board of Options Exchange. When options on the Standard & Poor's 100 began trading on March 11, 1983, Shah worked in "the pit" as a market maker.
He helped develop what has become known as the Volatility Index (VIX) - to this day one of the most widely used indicators worldwide. After leaving Chicago to run the futures and options division of the British banking giant Lloyd's TSB, Shah moved up to Roosevelt & Cross Inc., an old-line New York boutique firm. There he originated and ran a packaged fixed-income trading desk, and established that company's "listed" and OTC trading desks.
Shah founded a second hedge fund in 1999, which he ran until 2003.
Shah's vast network of contacts includes the biggest players on Wall Street and in international finance. These contacts give him the real story - when others only get what the investment banks want them to see.
Today, as editor of 10X Trader, Shah presents his legion of subscribers with the chance to earn ten times their money on trade after trade.
Shah is also the proud founding editor of The Money Zone, where after eight years of development and 11 years of backtesting he has found the edge over stocks, giving his members the opportunity to rake in potential double, triple, or even quadruple-digit profits weekly with just a few quick steps.
Shah is a frequent guest on CNBC, Forbes, and Marketwatch, and you can catch him every week on Fox Business's "Varney & Co."
He also writes our most talked-about publication, Wall Street Insights & Indictments, where he reveals how Wall Street's high-stakes game is really played.
Fast food is generally not intended to be great quality, more of a convenience than anything else. McDonalds is probably the worst of the lot. What they SHOULD be doing, as well as pruning their menu, is improve the quality. Even fast food junkies complain about the food.
R. Chandler
I have not eaten junk garbage food designed for illegal aliens; welfare; medicaid; snaps, and section 8 government-dependent trash in 5 decades or more.
I had Greek Baby organic Goat on Wed; Greek Baby Organic Lamb today and Greek Beef Moussaka tomorrow.
What did Peter Lynch say all those decades ago? Go back and look!
McD's has been getting crushed in China for years. Sure, I've had it in my IRAs since the early 70's (Vanguard Total Market and Fidelity Contrafund and probably others I'm too lazy to view ).
retired expatriate
Thank you for the tip on McDonalds
How 'bout Breakfast All Day? Or at least offer the Egg McMuffin all day? When the Egg McMuffin was first introduced in 1973, it was offered from 9pm til 11pm because at that time McDonald's did not open til 11am and did not have a breakfast program.
Mr Gilani,
Excellent,excellent article offering small investors a risk free strategy supported by logical , easy to understand analysis . Many thanks.
Investigation on the 1 biljon $ Tax escape construction in Europe ?
Silence of the American media lambs ?
As a commercial real estate investor and broker, under the circumstances, I am very doubtful of the wisdom of investing in McDonald's NNN leases with a only a 3-4% cap rate. In my opinion, McDonald's does not deserve that low a cap rate based on its poor performance during recent years. Those investors that bought these NNN leased properties at 3-4% cap rates are going to regret it, because there will be no resale market that will reward these investors.
Can I Multiply
got an ad for a national periodical that touted Mcd's for their good yield. was going to buy but am going to wait and see. thx old chap.