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Side-by-side financial comparison of Duke Energy (DUK) and McDonald's (MCD). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Duke Energy is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.8B vs $7.0B, roughly 1.1× McDonald's). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs 15.2%, a 15.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, McDonald's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.7% vs 7.4%). McDonald's produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.6B vs $-485.0M). Over the past eight quarters, McDonald's's revenue compounded faster (6.6% CAGR vs 1.6%).

Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company serves over 7 million customers in the eastern United States. In 2024 it ranked as the 141st largest company in the United States – its highest-ever placement on the Fortune 500 list.

McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American multinational fast food restaurant chain. As of 2024, it is the second-largest by number of locations in the world, behind the Chinese chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.

DUK vs MCD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
DUK
DUK
1.1× larger
DUK
$7.8B
$7.0B
MCD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MCD
MCD
+2.3% gap
MCD
9.7%
7.4%
DUK
Higher net margin
MCD
MCD
15.6% more per $
MCD
30.9%
15.2%
DUK
More free cash flow
MCD
MCD
$2.1B more FCF
MCD
$1.6B
$-485.0M
DUK
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MCD
MCD
Annualised
MCD
6.6%
1.6%
DUK

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Revenue
$7.8B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$1.2B
$2.2B
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
27.3%
45.0%
Net Margin
15.2%
30.9%
Revenue YoY
7.4%
9.7%
Net Profit YoY
-1.7%
7.3%
EPS (diluted)
$1.49
$3.03

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$7.8B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$8.4B
$7.1B
Q2 25
$7.4B
$6.8B
Q1 25
$8.2B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$7.2B
$6.4B
Q3 24
$8.1B
$6.9B
Q2 24
$7.2B
$6.5B
Q1 24
$7.5B
$6.2B
Net Profit
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$1.2B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$984.0M
$2.3B
Q1 25
$1.4B
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.2B
$2.0B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$900.0M
$2.0B
Q1 24
$1.1B
$1.9B
Gross Margin
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
Q3 25
90.6%
Q2 25
90.4%
Q1 25
89.6%
Q4 24
Q3 24
90.6%
Q2 24
90.3%
Q1 24
89.8%
Operating Margin
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
27.3%
45.0%
Q3 25
27.9%
47.4%
Q2 25
24.8%
47.2%
Q1 25
28.5%
44.5%
Q4 24
29.2%
44.9%
Q3 24
26.4%
46.4%
Q2 24
23.9%
45.0%
Q1 24
26.1%
44.4%
Net Margin
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
15.2%
30.9%
Q3 25
17.0%
32.2%
Q2 25
13.3%
32.9%
Q1 25
16.8%
31.4%
Q4 24
16.6%
31.6%
Q3 24
15.8%
32.8%
Q2 24
12.6%
31.2%
Q1 24
15.1%
31.3%
EPS (diluted)
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$1.49
$3.03
Q3 25
$1.81
$3.18
Q2 25
$1.25
$3.14
Q1 25
$1.76
$2.60
Q4 24
$1.54
$2.80
Q3 24
$1.60
$3.13
Q2 24
$1.13
$2.80
Q1 24
$1.44
$2.66

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$245.0M
$774.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$80.1B
$40.0B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$51.8B
$-1.8B
Total Assets
$195.7B
$59.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.55×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$245.0M
$774.0M
Q3 25
$688.0M
$2.4B
Q2 25
$344.0M
$1.9B
Q1 25
$475.0M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$314.0M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$376.0M
$1.2B
Q2 24
$390.0M
$792.0M
Q1 24
$459.0M
$838.0M
Total Debt
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$80.1B
$40.0B
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$76.3B
$38.4B
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$51.8B
$-1.8B
Q3 25
$51.5B
$-2.2B
Q2 25
$50.9B
$-2.8B
Q1 25
$50.7B
$-3.5B
Q4 24
$50.1B
$-3.8B
Q3 24
$49.1B
$-5.2B
Q2 24
$49.7B
$-4.8B
Q1 24
$49.6B
$-4.8B
Total Assets
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$195.7B
$59.5B
Q3 25
$192.3B
$60.6B
Q2 25
$189.7B
$59.6B
Q1 25
$187.5B
$56.3B
Q4 24
$186.3B
$55.2B
Q3 24
$183.6B
$56.2B
Q2 24
$181.6B
$53.8B
Q1 24
$178.7B
$53.5B
Debt / Equity
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
1.55×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.52×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$3.7B
$2.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-485.0M
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-6.2%
23.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
53.3%
15.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.09×
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-1.7B
$7.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$3.7B
$2.7B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$3.4B
Q2 25
$2.9B
$2.0B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$2.4B
Q4 24
$3.4B
$2.6B
Q3 24
$3.5B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$1.7B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$2.4B
Free Cash Flow
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$-485.0M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$179.0M
$2.4B
Q2 25
$-417.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$-971.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$288.0M
$1.8B
Q3 24
$537.0M
$1.9B
Q2 24
$-43.0M
$1.1B
Q1 24
$-734.0M
$1.8B
FCF Margin
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
-6.2%
23.4%
Q3 25
2.1%
34.1%
Q2 25
-5.7%
18.3%
Q1 25
-11.8%
31.5%
Q4 24
4.0%
28.6%
Q3 24
6.6%
28.3%
Q2 24
-0.6%
16.3%
Q1 24
-9.7%
29.9%
Capex Intensity
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
53.3%
15.1%
Q3 25
41.2%
14.3%
Q2 25
44.5%
10.9%
Q1 25
38.3%
9.3%
Q4 24
42.7%
12.6%
Q3 24
36.8%
11.6%
Q2 24
41.9%
9.7%
Q1 24
42.6%
8.9%
Cash Conversion
DUK
DUK
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
3.09×
1.25×
Q3 25
2.56×
1.50×
Q2 25
2.91×
0.89×
Q1 25
1.58×
1.30×
Q4 24
2.80×
1.30×
Q3 24
2.75×
1.21×
Q2 24
3.28×
0.84×
Q1 24
2.17×
1.24×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

DUK
DUK

Electric Utilitiesand Infrastructure$7.0B90%
Other Revenues$741.0M10%

MCD
MCD

International Operated Markets$3.6B51%
Other$2.8B40%
International Developmental Licensed Marketsand Corporate$633.0M9%

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