vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of McDonald's (MCD) and Principal Financial Group (PFG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

McDonald's is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.0B vs $4.6B, roughly 1.5× Principal Financial Group). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs 11.3%, a 19.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, McDonald's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.7% vs -3.7%). Over the past eight quarters, McDonald's's revenue compounded faster (6.6% CAGR vs 6.3%).

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.

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

MCD vs PFG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MCD
MCD
1.5× larger
MCD
$7.0B
$4.6B
PFG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MCD
MCD
+13.4% gap
MCD
9.7%
-3.7%
PFG
Higher net margin
MCD
MCD
19.6% more per $
MCD
30.9%
11.3%
PFG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MCD
MCD
Annualised
MCD
6.6%
6.3%
PFG

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Revenue
$7.0B
$4.6B
Net Profit
$2.2B
$517.0M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
45.0%
Net Margin
30.9%
11.3%
Revenue YoY
9.7%
-3.7%
Net Profit YoY
7.3%
-42.9%
EPS (diluted)
$3.03
$2.30

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
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$7.0B
$4.6B
Q3 25
$7.1B
$3.7B
Q2 25
$6.8B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$6.0B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$6.4B
$4.8B
Q3 24
$6.9B
$3.0B
Q2 24
$6.5B
$4.3B
Q1 24
$6.2B
$4.1B
Net Profit
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$2.2B
$517.0M
Q3 25
$2.3B
$213.8M
Q2 25
$2.3B
$406.2M
Q1 25
$1.9B
$48.1M
Q4 24
$2.0B
$905.4M
Q3 24
$2.3B
$-220.0M
Q2 24
$2.0B
$353.1M
Q1 24
$1.9B
$532.5M
Gross Margin
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
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
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
45.0%
Q3 25
47.4%
Q2 25
47.2%
Q1 25
44.5%
Q4 24
44.9%
Q3 24
46.4%
Q2 24
45.0%
Q1 24
44.4%
Net Margin
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
30.9%
11.3%
Q3 25
32.2%
5.8%
Q2 25
32.9%
11.1%
Q1 25
31.4%
1.3%
Q4 24
31.6%
19.1%
Q3 24
32.8%
-7.3%
Q2 24
31.2%
8.2%
Q1 24
31.3%
13.1%
EPS (diluted)
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$3.03
$2.30
Q3 25
$3.18
$0.95
Q2 25
$3.14
$1.79
Q1 25
$2.60
$0.21
Q4 24
$2.80
$3.92
Q3 24
$3.13
$-0.95
Q2 24
$2.80
$1.49
Q1 24
$2.66
$2.22

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$774.0M
$4.4B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$40.0B
$3.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-1.8B
$11.9B
Total Assets
$59.5B
$341.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.33×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$774.0M
$4.4B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$5.1B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$3.9B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$4.2B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$6.2B
Q2 24
$792.0M
$4.8B
Q1 24
$838.0M
$4.2B
Total Debt
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$40.0B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$3.9B
Q2 25
$3.9B
Q1 25
$4.3B
Q4 24
$38.4B
$4.0B
Q3 24
$3.9B
Q2 24
$3.9B
Q1 24
$3.9B
Stockholders' Equity
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$-1.8B
$11.9B
Q3 25
$-2.2B
$11.7B
Q2 25
$-2.8B
$11.4B
Q1 25
$-3.5B
$11.2B
Q4 24
$-3.8B
$11.1B
Q3 24
$-5.2B
$11.2B
Q2 24
$-4.8B
$11.0B
Q1 24
$-4.8B
$11.2B
Total Assets
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$59.5B
$341.4B
Q3 25
$60.6B
$334.5B
Q2 25
$59.6B
$323.1B
Q1 25
$56.3B
$313.0B
Q4 24
$55.2B
$313.7B
Q3 24
$56.2B
$322.9B
Q2 24
$53.8B
$308.8B
Q1 24
$53.5B
$308.7B
Debt / Equity
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
0.33×
Q3 25
0.34×
Q2 25
0.34×
Q1 25
0.39×
Q4 24
0.36×
Q3 24
0.35×
Q2 24
0.36×
Q1 24
0.35×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$2.7B
$1.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
23.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
15.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.25×
3.37×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$7.2B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$2.7B
$1.7B
Q3 25
$3.4B
$1.0B
Q2 25
$2.0B
$811.9M
Q1 25
$2.4B
$977.3M
Q4 24
$2.6B
$1.5B
Q3 24
$2.7B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$1.4B
Q1 24
$2.4B
$584.2M
Free Cash Flow
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
$1.6B
Q3 25
$2.4B
Q2 25
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.9B
Q2 24
$1.1B
Q1 24
$1.8B
FCF Margin
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
23.4%
Q3 25
34.1%
Q2 25
18.3%
Q1 25
31.5%
Q4 24
28.6%
Q3 24
28.3%
Q2 24
16.3%
Q1 24
29.9%
Capex Intensity
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
15.1%
Q3 25
14.3%
Q2 25
10.9%
Q1 25
9.3%
Q4 24
12.6%
Q3 24
11.6%
Q2 24
9.7%
Q1 24
8.9%
Cash Conversion
MCD
MCD
PFG
PFG
Q4 25
1.25×
3.37×
Q3 25
1.50×
4.70×
Q2 25
0.89×
2.00×
Q1 25
1.30×
20.32×
Q4 24
1.30×
1.61×
Q3 24
1.21×
Q2 24
0.84×
4.05×
Q1 24
1.24×
1.10×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MCD
MCD

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

PFG
PFG

Segment Retirement And Income Solutions$1.6B36%
Segment Benefits And Protection$1.1B23%
Other$582.8M13%
Segment Principal Asset Management$465.6M10%
Subsegment Investment Management$449.4M10%
Administrative Service$152.2M3%
Subsegment International Pension$91.2M2%
Segment Corporate$73.0M2%
Subsegment Life Insurance$26.1M1%
Financial Service Other$25.1M1%
Residential Mortgage$7.4M0%
Subsegment Specialty Benefits$3.7M0%
Deposit Account$3.4M0%
Commission Income$1.8M0%

Related Comparisons