No, you didn't read that headline wrong, and this isn't some elaborate fast-food prank. You can get paid by McDonald's Corp
If you're saying to yourself "I don't eat McDonald's," that's OK. Though, you should know that famed investor Warren Buffett said he eats McDonald's about three times a week.
So if McDonald's chicken nuggets are good enough for one of the greatest investors on Earth, it's probably good enough for you too.
Dividends, But Happy Meals: McDonald's may be known for its crispy golden fries and its affordable food, but for investors, the company is also known for serving up consistent dividends to its shareholders.
As of now, McDonald's has a 2.05% dividend yield, translating to around $6.08 per share annually. So for investors owning one share of McDonald's, the company just paid you around 1.65 happy meals ($3.69 for a Hamburger Happy Meal).
Obviously, that's not enough Happy Meals, so how many shares of the company would you need to own to yield $500 per month, which would be around 136 Happy Meals, or 4.5 per day?
Well, you may not be too happy about this, but you'd need to invest about $292,683 into McDonald's, or 987 shares. While it might sound like a supersized investment, remember that investing isn't about the "now," it's about the long term.
Starting with a smaller investment of $58,537, or 197 shares would yield $100 per month - that's still around 27 happy meals.
Grimace Drives Growth: Further sweetening the deal, McDonald's earnings print issued Thursday topped Street estimates, with strong sales recovery in China and increased U.S. visits driven by Grimace, its mascot.
The fast food giant issued earnings of $3.17 per share, ahead of the $2.79 estimate, on revenues of $6.5 billion, ahead of the $6.27 billion estimate.
McDonald's also reported an $18 million expenditure on corporate restructuring, including layoffs and buyouts.
So while McDonald's won't exactly hand you cash for chowing down their Happy Meals, the company could make you a little bit happier every time you check your portfolio.