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Side-by-side financial comparison of McDonald's (MCD) and Union Pacific Corporation (UNP). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

McDonald's is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($7.0B vs $6.2B, roughly 1.1× Union Pacific Corporation). McDonald's runs the higher net margin — 30.9% vs 27.4%, a 3.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, McDonald's posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.7% vs 3.2%). McDonald's produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.6B vs $631.0M). Over the past eight quarters, McDonald's's revenue compounded faster (6.6% CAGR vs 1.7%).

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.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over 32,200 miles (51,800 km) routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second-largest railroad in the United States after BNSF.

MCD vs UNP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MCD
MCD
1.1× larger
MCD
$7.0B
$6.2B
UNP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MCD
MCD
+6.6% gap
MCD
9.7%
3.2%
UNP
Higher net margin
MCD
MCD
3.5% more per $
MCD
30.9%
27.4%
UNP
More free cash flow
MCD
MCD
$1.0B more FCF
MCD
$1.6B
$631.0M
UNP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MCD
MCD
Annualised
MCD
6.6%
1.7%
UNP

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Revenue
$7.0B
$6.2B
Net Profit
$2.2B
$1.7B
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
45.0%
39.5%
Net Margin
30.9%
27.4%
Revenue YoY
9.7%
3.2%
Net Profit YoY
7.3%
-2.1%
EPS (diluted)
$3.03
$2.87

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
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$6.2B
Q4 25
$7.0B
$6.1B
Q3 25
$7.1B
$6.2B
Q2 25
$6.8B
$6.2B
Q1 25
$6.0B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$6.4B
$6.1B
Q3 24
$6.9B
$6.1B
Q2 24
$6.5B
$6.0B
Net Profit
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$1.7B
Q4 25
$2.2B
$1.8B
Q3 25
$2.3B
$1.8B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$1.9B
Q1 25
$1.9B
$1.6B
Q4 24
$2.0B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$2.3B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$2.0B
$1.7B
Gross Margin
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
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
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
39.5%
Q4 25
45.0%
39.5%
Q3 25
47.4%
40.8%
Q2 25
47.2%
41.0%
Q1 25
44.5%
39.3%
Q4 24
44.9%
41.3%
Q3 24
46.4%
39.7%
Q2 24
45.0%
40.0%
Net Margin
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
27.4%
Q4 25
30.9%
30.4%
Q3 25
32.2%
28.6%
Q2 25
32.9%
30.5%
Q1 25
31.4%
27.0%
Q4 24
31.6%
28.8%
Q3 24
32.8%
27.4%
Q2 24
31.2%
27.9%
EPS (diluted)
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$2.87
Q4 25
$3.03
$3.12
Q3 25
$3.18
$3.01
Q2 25
$3.14
$3.15
Q1 25
$2.60
$2.70
Q4 24
$2.80
$2.91
Q3 24
$3.13
$2.75
Q2 24
$2.80
$2.74

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$774.0M
$735.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$40.0B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-1.8B
Total Assets
$59.5B
$69.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$735.0M
Q4 25
$774.0M
$1.3B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$808.0M
Q2 25
$1.9B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.0B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$947.0M
Q2 24
$792.0M
$1.1B
Total Debt
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$40.0B
$30.3B
Q3 25
$30.3B
Q2 25
$30.3B
Q1 25
$30.6B
Q4 24
$38.4B
$29.8B
Q3 24
$29.8B
Q2 24
$31.2B
Stockholders' Equity
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-1.8B
$18.5B
Q3 25
$-2.2B
$17.3B
Q2 25
$-2.8B
$16.3B
Q1 25
$-3.5B
$16.0B
Q4 24
$-3.8B
$16.9B
Q3 24
$-5.2B
$16.6B
Q2 24
$-4.8B
$16.5B
Total Assets
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$69.6B
Q4 25
$59.5B
$69.7B
Q3 25
$60.6B
$68.6B
Q2 25
$59.6B
$68.6B
Q1 25
$56.3B
$68.5B
Q4 24
$55.2B
$67.7B
Q3 24
$56.2B
$67.6B
Q2 24
$53.8B
$67.8B
Debt / Equity
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.64×
Q3 25
1.75×
Q2 25
1.86×
Q1 25
1.91×
Q4 24
1.76×
Q3 24
1.79×
Q2 24
1.89×

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
UNP
UNP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$2.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.6B
$631.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
23.4%
10.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
15.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.25×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$7.2B
$4.8B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.7B
$2.2B
Q3 25
$3.4B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$2.0B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$2.4B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$2.7B
Q3 24
$2.7B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$1.9B
Free Cash Flow
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
$631.0M
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$2.4B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.9B
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.8B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$1.9B
$1.8B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$1.0B
FCF Margin
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
10.1%
Q4 25
23.4%
20.1%
Q3 25
34.1%
25.2%
Q2 25
18.3%
22.7%
Q1 25
31.5%
21.6%
Q4 24
28.6%
28.4%
Q3 24
28.3%
29.9%
Q2 24
16.3%
16.8%
Capex Intensity
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
15.1%
16.4%
Q3 25
14.3%
15.2%
Q2 25
10.9%
15.2%
Q1 25
9.3%
15.0%
Q4 24
12.6%
15.1%
Q3 24
11.6%
13.6%
Q2 24
9.7%
15.0%
Cash Conversion
MCD
MCD
UNP
UNP
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.25×
1.20×
Q3 25
1.50×
1.41×
Q2 25
0.89×
1.24×
Q1 25
1.30×
1.36×
Q4 24
1.30×
1.51×
Q3 24
1.21×
1.59×
Q2 24
0.84×
1.14×

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%

UNP
UNP

Freight revenues$5.9B95%
Other revenues$324.0M5%

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