Who owns McDonald's?

McDonald's Corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol MCD, confirmed on the company's own investor relations page.

McDonald's stock is actively trading on the NYSE as of September 25, 2026 at $237.02 USD, confirming active public listing.

Approximately 93% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are franchised and operated by independent local business owners, with the company owning the remaining ~7%.

McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is owned by its public shareholders and no person, family, or parent company controls it; the three largest holders are index managers Vanguard (10.03%), BlackRock (7.3%), and State Street (5.1%), per the proxy statement filed April 7, 2026.

No private equity firm is identified as a current owner or stakeholder of McDonald's Corporation in any public source; the company went public in 1965 and has remained publicly traded since.

Institutional investors collectively own approximately 72–74% of McDonald's shares, with no single controlling entity.

Company insiders, including executives and board members, collectively hold less than 1% of outstanding shares, consistent with a widely held public corporation.