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Side-by-side financial comparison of McDonald's (MCD) and Nucor (NUE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Nucor is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($9.5B vs $7.0B, roughly 1.4× McDonald's). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs 7.8%, a 23.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Nucor posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (21.3% vs 9.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Nucor's revenue compounded faster (8.4% CAGR vs 6.6%).
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.
Nucor Corporation is an American company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that produces steel and related products. It is the largest steel producer in the United States and the largest recycler of scrap in North America. Nucor is the 16th-largest steel producer in the world. Along with Commercial Metals Company, it is one of two primary suppliers of rebar used to reinforce concrete in buildings, bridges, roads, and infrastructure in the U.S.
MCD vs NUE — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.0B | $9.5B |
| Net Profit | $2.2B | $743.0M |
| Gross Margin | — | — |
| Operating Margin | 45.0% | — |
| Net Margin | 30.9% | 7.8% |
| Revenue YoY | 9.7% | 21.3% |
| Net Profit YoY | 7.3% | 376.3% |
| EPS (diluted) | $3.03 | $3.23 |
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.
| Q1 26 | — | $9.5B | ||
| Q4 25 | $7.0B | $8.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | $7.1B | $8.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $6.8B | $7.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $6.0B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.4B | $7.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $6.9B | $7.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | $6.5B | $8.1B |
| Q1 26 | — | $743.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.2B | $607.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.3B | $603.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.3B | $156.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.9B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.0B | $287.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.3B | $249.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.0B | $645.2M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 13.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 90.6% | 14.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 90.4% | 7.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | 89.6% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 8.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 90.6% | 10.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 90.3% | 14.8% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 45.0% | 10.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 47.4% | 10.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 47.2% | 3.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 44.5% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 44.9% | 5.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 46.4% | 5.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 45.0% | 11.1% |
| Q1 26 | — | 7.8% | ||
| Q4 25 | 30.9% | 7.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 32.2% | 7.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 32.9% | 2.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 31.4% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 31.6% | 4.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 32.8% | 3.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 31.2% | 8.0% |
| Q1 26 | — | $3.23 | ||
| Q4 25 | $3.03 | $2.63 | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.18 | $2.60 | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.14 | $0.67 | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.60 | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.80 | $1.27 | ||
| Q3 24 | $3.13 | $1.05 | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.80 | $2.68 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $774.0M | $2.5B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $40.0B | $134.0M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $-1.8B | $22.5B |
| Total Assets | $59.5B | $35.6B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | 0.01× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $2.5B | ||
| Q4 25 | $774.0M | $2.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.4B | $2.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.9B | $4.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.1B | $4.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.2B | $4.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $792.0M | $5.4B |
| Q1 26 | — | $134.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | $40.0B | $6.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $6.7B | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $6.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $38.4B | $5.7B | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $5.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $5.6B |
| Q1 26 | — | $22.5B | ||
| Q4 25 | $-1.8B | $20.8B | ||
| Q3 25 | $-2.2B | $20.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $-2.8B | $20.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $-3.5B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-3.8B | $20.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $-5.2B | $20.5B | ||
| Q2 24 | $-4.8B | $20.7B |
| Q1 26 | — | $35.6B | ||
| Q4 25 | $59.5B | $34.8B | ||
| Q3 25 | $60.6B | $34.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $59.6B | $34.7B | ||
| Q1 25 | $56.3B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $55.2B | $33.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $56.2B | $34.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $53.8B | $34.2B |
| Q1 26 | — | 0.01× | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 0.32× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.33× | ||
| Q2 25 | — | 0.33× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 0.28× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.28× | ||
| Q2 24 | — | 0.27× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $2.7B | — |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $1.6B | — |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 23.4% | — |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 15.1% | — |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.25× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $7.2B | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.7B | $1.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.4B | $732.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.0B | $364.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.6B | $733.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.7B | $1.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.7B | $1.5B |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.6B | $532.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.4B | $-222.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.3B | $-495.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.9B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.8B | $-145.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.9B | $478.1M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.1B | $684.4M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 23.4% | 6.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 34.1% | -2.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 18.3% | -6.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 31.5% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 28.6% | -2.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 28.3% | 6.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 16.3% | 8.5% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 15.1% | 9.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.3% | 11.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.9% | 11.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 9.3% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 12.6% | 12.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.6% | 11.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 9.7% | 9.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.25× | 2.21× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.50× | 1.21× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.89× | 2.33× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.30× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.30× | 2.56× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.21× | 5.20× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.84× | 2.30× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
MCD
| International Operated Markets | $3.6B | 51% |
| Other | $2.8B | 40% |
| International Developmental Licensed Marketsand Corporate | $633.0M | 9% |
NUE
Segment breakdown not available.
