12 Best Consumer Cyclical Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now

6. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67

An American fast food chain, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) ranks sixth on our list of the best dividend stocks. The company posted a weak quarterly performance, falling short of investor expectations. One contributing factor was an E. Coli outbreak that affected certain menu items, including the popular Quarter Pounder. However, while this incident played a role in the downturn, the company’s challenges extended beyond just the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) reported revenue of $6.4 billion, reflecting a slight year-over-year decline of 0.2%. This figure also missed analysts’ estimates by over $88 million. Global same-store sales, which track the performance of locations open for at least a year, edged up by 0.4%. However, the company’s core U.S. market experienced a 1.4% drop in same-store sales, signaling a slowdown in growth and difficulty in maintaining strong sales momentum. Despite these setbacks, the stock has climbed nearly 6% since the beginning of 2025.

That said, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) remains appealing to investors due to its strong dividend track record and financial stability. It currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.77 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.31%, as of March 4. By the end of fiscal 2024, the company had over $1 billion in cash and cash equivalents, with total assets approaching $12 billion. In addition, the company has raised its dividend for 48 consecutive years, which makes it one of the best dividend stocks in the consumer cyclical sector.