The Options Market Predicting a Spike in McDonald's Stock?

McDonald’s (MCD) is drawing attention from options traders after the Sep. 18, 2026 $145 call showed unusually high implied volatility. Implied volatility reflects how much price movement the market expects in the future; high readings can signal expectations of a major move or a near-term catalyst. The options signal is only one part of the picture, though. On the fundamental side, McDonald’s has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) in the Retail – Restaurants industry, ranking in the bottom 31% of the Zacks Industry Rank. Over the past 30 days, analysts moved the current-quarter earnings estimate from $3.40 to $3.39 per share.