vs

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

McDonald's is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.0B vs $4.7B, roughly 1.5× International Paper). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs -50.3%, a 81.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, McDonald's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.7% vs 3.6%). McDonald's produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.6B vs $255.0M). Over the past eight quarters, McDonald's's revenue compounded faster (6.6% CAGR vs 1.3%).

The International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 39,000 employees, and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

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.

IP vs MCD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MCD
MCD
1.5× larger
MCD
$7.0B
$4.7B
IP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MCD
MCD
+6.1% gap
MCD
9.7%
3.6%
IP
Higher net margin
MCD
MCD
81.1% more per $
MCD
30.9%
-50.3%
IP
More free cash flow
MCD
MCD
$1.4B more FCF
MCD
$1.6B
$255.0M
IP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MCD
MCD
Annualised
MCD
6.6%
1.3%
IP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Revenue
$4.7B
$7.0B
Net Profit
$-2.4B
$2.2B
Gross Margin
32.2%
Operating Margin
-56.4%
45.0%
Net Margin
-50.3%
30.9%
Revenue YoY
3.6%
9.7%
Net Profit YoY
-1521.8%
7.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-4.76
$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
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$4.7B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$6.2B
$7.1B
Q2 25
$6.8B
$6.8B
Q1 25
$5.9B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$4.6B
$6.4B
Q3 24
$4.7B
$6.9B
Q2 24
$4.7B
$6.5B
Q1 24
$4.6B
$6.2B
Net Profit
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$-2.4B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$-1.1B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$75.0M
$2.3B
Q1 25
$-105.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$-147.0M
$2.0B
Q3 24
$150.0M
$2.3B
Q2 24
$498.0M
$2.0B
Q1 24
$56.0M
$1.9B
Gross Margin
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
32.2%
Q3 25
31.1%
90.6%
Q2 25
27.9%
90.4%
Q1 25
27.8%
89.6%
Q4 24
29.0%
Q3 24
28.7%
90.6%
Q2 24
29.0%
90.3%
Q1 24
25.9%
89.8%
Operating Margin
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
-56.4%
45.0%
Q3 25
-10.8%
47.4%
Q2 25
1.7%
47.2%
Q1 25
-2.3%
44.5%
Q4 24
-4.9%
44.9%
Q3 24
5.1%
46.4%
Q2 24
6.8%
45.0%
Q1 24
3.7%
44.4%
Net Margin
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
-50.3%
30.9%
Q3 25
-17.7%
32.2%
Q2 25
1.1%
32.9%
Q1 25
-1.8%
31.4%
Q4 24
-3.2%
31.6%
Q3 24
3.2%
32.8%
Q2 24
10.5%
31.2%
Q1 24
1.2%
31.3%
EPS (diluted)
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$-4.76
$3.03
Q3 25
$-2.09
$3.18
Q2 25
$0.14
$3.14
Q1 25
$-0.24
$2.60
Q4 24
$-0.42
$2.80
Q3 24
$0.42
$3.13
Q2 24
$1.41
$2.80
Q1 24
$0.16
$2.66

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.1B
$774.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$8.8B
$40.0B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$14.8B
$-1.8B
Total Assets
$38.0B
$59.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.60×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$1.1B
$774.0M
Q3 25
$995.0M
$2.4B
Q2 25
$1.1B
$1.9B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.2B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$792.0M
Q1 24
$1.1B
$838.0M
Total Debt
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$8.8B
$40.0B
Q3 25
$9.0B
Q2 25
$9.7B
Q1 25
$9.2B
Q4 24
$5.4B
$38.4B
Q3 24
$5.3B
Q2 24
$5.3B
Q1 24
$5.5B
Stockholders' Equity
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$14.8B
$-1.8B
Q3 25
$17.3B
$-2.2B
Q2 25
$18.6B
$-2.8B
Q1 25
$18.1B
$-3.5B
Q4 24
$8.2B
$-3.8B
Q3 24
$8.6B
$-5.2B
Q2 24
$8.6B
$-4.8B
Q1 24
$8.3B
$-4.8B
Total Assets
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$38.0B
$59.5B
Q3 25
$40.6B
$60.6B
Q2 25
$42.4B
$59.6B
Q1 25
$41.2B
$56.3B
Q4 24
$22.8B
$55.2B
Q3 24
$23.2B
$56.2B
Q2 24
$23.1B
$53.8B
Q1 24
$23.0B
$53.5B
Debt / Equity
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
0.60×
Q3 25
0.52×
Q2 25
0.52×
Q1 25
0.51×
Q4 24
0.66×
Q3 24
0.62×
Q2 24
0.62×
Q1 24
0.66×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$905.0M
$2.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$255.0M
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
5.4%
23.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
13.7%
15.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-159.0M
$7.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$905.0M
$2.7B
Q3 25
$605.0M
$3.4B
Q2 25
$476.0M
$2.0B
Q1 25
$-288.0M
$2.4B
Q4 24
$397.0M
$2.6B
Q3 24
$521.0M
$2.7B
Q2 24
$365.0M
$1.7B
Q1 24
$395.0M
$2.4B
Free Cash Flow
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
$255.0M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$150.0M
$2.4B
Q2 25
$54.0M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$-618.0M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$137.0M
$1.8B
Q3 24
$309.0M
$1.9B
Q2 24
$167.0M
$1.1B
Q1 24
$144.0M
$1.8B
FCF Margin
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
5.4%
23.4%
Q3 25
2.4%
34.1%
Q2 25
0.8%
18.3%
Q1 25
-10.5%
31.5%
Q4 24
3.0%
28.6%
Q3 24
6.6%
28.3%
Q2 24
3.5%
16.3%
Q1 24
3.1%
29.9%
Capex Intensity
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
13.7%
15.1%
Q3 25
7.3%
14.3%
Q2 25
6.2%
10.9%
Q1 25
5.6%
9.3%
Q4 24
5.7%
12.6%
Q3 24
4.5%
11.6%
Q2 24
4.2%
9.7%
Q1 24
5.4%
8.9%
Cash Conversion
IP
IP
MCD
MCD
Q4 25
1.25×
Q3 25
1.50×
Q2 25
6.35×
0.89×
Q1 25
1.30×
Q4 24
1.30×
Q3 24
3.47×
1.21×
Q2 24
0.73×
0.84×
Q1 24
7.05×
1.24×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

IP
IP

Other$2.4B52%
DS Smith Packaging$2.3B48%

MCD
MCD

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

Related Comparisons