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

General Dynamics is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($13.5B vs $7.0B, roughly 1.9× McDonald's). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs 8.3%, a 22.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, General Dynamics posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.3% vs 9.7%). General Dynamics produced more free cash flow last quarter ($2.0B vs $1.6B). Over the past eight quarters, McDonald's's revenue compounded faster (6.6% CAGR vs 6.1%).

General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American industrial and technology company based in Reston, Virginia. It is primarily a developer and producer of advanced military equipment of a wide variety, such as nuclear submarines, main battle tanks, and armoured fighting vehicles. It is also the manufacturer of the civilian aviation Gulfstream business jets and a provider of information technology services. The company is the 3rd largest of the top 100 contractors of the U.S.

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.

GD vs MCD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
GD
GD
1.9× larger
GD
$13.5B
$7.0B
MCD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
GD
GD
+0.6% gap
GD
10.3%
9.7%
MCD
Higher net margin
MCD
MCD
22.5% more per $
MCD
30.9%
8.3%
GD
More free cash flow
GD
GD
$314.0M more FCF
GD
$2.0B
$1.6B
MCD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MCD
MCD
Annualised
MCD
6.6%
6.1%
GD

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Revenue
$13.5B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$1.1B
$2.2B
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
10.5%
45.0%
Net Margin
8.3%
30.9%
Revenue YoY
10.3%
9.7%
Net Profit YoY
758.8%
7.3%
EPS (diluted)
$4.10
$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
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$13.5B
Q4 25
$14.4B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$12.9B
$7.1B
Q2 25
$13.0B
$6.8B
Q1 25
$12.2B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$13.3B
$6.4B
Q3 24
$11.7B
$6.9B
Q2 24
$12.0B
$6.5B
Net Profit
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$1.1B
Q4 25
$1.1B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$1.0B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$994.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$2.0B
Q3 24
$930.0M
$2.3B
Q2 24
$905.0M
$2.0B
Gross Margin
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
90.6%
Q2 25
90.4%
Q1 25
89.6%
Q4 24
Q3 24
90.6%
Q2 24
90.3%
Operating Margin
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
10.5%
Q4 25
10.1%
45.0%
Q3 25
10.3%
47.4%
Q2 25
10.0%
47.2%
Q1 25
10.4%
44.5%
Q4 24
10.7%
44.9%
Q3 24
10.1%
46.4%
Q2 24
9.7%
45.0%
Net Margin
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
8.3%
Q4 25
7.9%
30.9%
Q3 25
8.2%
32.2%
Q2 25
7.8%
32.9%
Q1 25
8.1%
31.4%
Q4 24
8.6%
31.6%
Q3 24
8.0%
32.8%
Q2 24
7.6%
31.2%
EPS (diluted)
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$4.10
Q4 25
$3.03
Q3 25
$3.18
Q2 25
$3.14
Q1 25
$2.60
Q4 24
$2.80
Q3 24
$3.13
Q2 24
$2.80

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$3.7B
$774.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$6.3B
$40.0B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$26.1B
$-1.8B
Total Assets
$59.0B
$59.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.24×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$2.3B
$774.0M
Q3 25
$2.5B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.9B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$2.1B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.4B
$792.0M
Total Debt
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$6.3B
Q4 25
$8.1B
$40.0B
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$8.8B
$38.4B
Q3 24
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$26.1B
Q4 25
$25.6B
$-1.8B
Q3 25
$24.4B
$-2.2B
Q2 25
$23.6B
$-2.8B
Q1 25
$22.2B
$-3.5B
Q4 24
$22.1B
$-3.8B
Q3 24
$23.0B
$-5.2B
Q2 24
$22.0B
$-4.8B
Total Assets
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$59.0B
Q4 25
$57.2B
$59.5B
Q3 25
$57.6B
$60.6B
Q2 25
$56.9B
$59.6B
Q1 25
$56.6B
$56.3B
Q4 24
$55.9B
$55.2B
Q3 24
$57.3B
$56.2B
Q2 24
$55.4B
$53.8B
Debt / Equity
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
0.24×
Q4 25
0.32×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.40×
Q3 24
Q2 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$2.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$2.0B
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.5%
23.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
15.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$6.2B
$7.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.6B
$2.7B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$3.4B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$2.0B
Q1 25
$-148.0M
$2.4B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$2.6B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$814.0M
$1.7B
Free Cash Flow
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$952.0M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$2.4B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$-290.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.8B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$1.9B
Q2 24
$613.0M
$1.1B
FCF Margin
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
14.5%
Q4 25
6.6%
23.4%
Q3 25
14.7%
34.1%
Q2 25
10.7%
18.3%
Q1 25
-2.4%
31.5%
Q4 24
13.5%
28.6%
Q3 24
10.4%
28.3%
Q2 24
5.1%
16.3%
Capex Intensity
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
1.5%
Q4 25
4.2%
15.1%
Q3 25
1.6%
14.3%
Q2 25
1.5%
10.9%
Q1 25
1.2%
9.3%
Q4 24
2.7%
12.6%
Q3 24
1.7%
11.6%
Q2 24
1.7%
9.7%
Cash Conversion
GD
GD
MCD
MCD
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.37×
1.25×
Q3 25
1.99×
1.50×
Q2 25
1.58×
0.89×
Q1 25
-0.15×
1.30×
Q4 24
1.88×
1.30×
Q3 24
1.52×
1.21×
Q2 24
0.90×
0.84×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

GD
GD

Segment breakdown not available.

MCD
MCD

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

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