Qualtix Stock Brief
McDonald's Corporation (MCD) stock analysis: business quality, valuation, and entry timing
McDonald's is the largest restaurant brand worldwide, with most locations run by franchisees who pay rent and royalties. That franchise model produces high, stable margins, set against a balance sheet that carries significant debt. Public Qualtix model snapshot from 2026-10-26 for MCD: business quality 73/100, above the model's stronger-company threshold and valuation Very Cheap. Today's verdict and Entry Timing are shown after a free sign-in.
Qualtix evaluates MCD with a rules-based model that separates business quality, valuation, entry timing, red flags, and data confidence. The model scores first; AI explanations and the full Clean Brief help explain the result afterward.
Coverage note: Qualtix can analyze supported US stocks when SEC/FMP filing data is available. The 1,000+ stock universe refers to the daily screener used for discovery, not the full analysis limit.
MCD public evidence metrics from the latest validated Qualtix snapshot
| Metric | Value | Why it matters | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 4.6% | 3-year revenue CAGR | FMP, computed |
| FCF margin | 28.0% | Free cash flow divided by revenue | FMP, computed |
| Operating margin | 46.2% | Profitability margin | FMP, computed |
| Gross margin | 57.4% | Revenue retained after direct costs | FMP, computed |
| Return on capital (pre-tax) | 23.9% | Operating profit before tax, divided by equity plus debt | FMP, computed |
| Cash and debt | Cash $822.0M / Debt $54.6B | Balance-sheet context | FMP, reported |
| TTM P/E | 20.3x | Price to trailing earnings | FMP, computed |
| Market cap | $177.5B | Company size context | FMP, reported |
Qualtix view
- Business quality: 73/100, above the model's stronger-company threshold.
- Valuation is currently labeled Very Cheap, so price is a supporting part of the model view.
Today's verdict
- Today's model verdict and Entry Timing for MCD update every market day and are shown after a free sign-in.
Data and snapshot dates
- Model snapshot date: 2026-10-26.
- Financial data through: 2026-06-30.
- Scored by the current Qualtix model.
- Data-confidence status: high.
What supports the current view
- Business quality clears the model's stronger-company threshold (73/100).
- Valuation is labeled Very Cheap by the current model view.
- Beta of 0.45 suggests lower market sensitivity than higher-beta alternatives.
What weakens the current view
- A public snapshot is a research starting point, not a prediction or recommendation.
What changed
- Business Quality was unchanged from the previous snapshot.
What to research next
- Check whether the Very Cheap valuation label reflects a real mismatch or a business concern that deserves more research.
- Compare MCD with SBUX and CMG to see whether the model edge is company-specific or sector-wide.
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Qualtix is for research and education only. It is not financial advice.