Company Dossier · Consumer Discretionary
McDonald's Corp.
- S&P 500
- S&P 100
- Dow 30
- Russell 1000
What McDonald's Corp. is doing, read from its filings, its own words and the news, with every figure dated and sourced. Not investment advice: no ratings, no price targets.
Open the full company record in Palanor: guidance, KPIs, ownership, calls, prices →
The latest read
Computed from the data on Oct 22, 2026. Every figure links back to its source in the sections below.
- Revenue over the four quarters to June 30, 2026: $27.7 billion, up 6.3% from a year earlier.SEC EDGAR filings (XBRL)
- Free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capital expenditure) over the four quarters to June 30, 2026: $7.76 billion, up 12% from a year earlier.SEC EDGAR filings (XBRL)
- Capital expenditure over the four quarters to June 30, 2026: $3.59 billion, up 24% from a year earlier.SEC EDGAR filings (XBRL)
- Share buybacks in the fiscal year to December 31, 2025: $2.06 billion.SEC EDGAR filings (10-K)
- Long-term debt issued in the fiscal year to December 31, 2025: $4.72 billion.SEC EDGAR filings (10-K)
- Latest earnings call or results release (August 4, 2026): sentiment -0.30 on a −1 to +1 scale (negative), confidence 0.60 of 1.Palanor Discourse
- Latest annual report (filed February 24, 2026): 0 risk factors added, 0 removed.Risk Factor Changes (10-K Item 1A)
- Insiders were net sellers in Q2 2026: $3.3 million on the open market.SEC Form 4
- 3,486 institutional managers reported a position at June 30, 2026 (−119 on the quarter before).SEC Form 13F
- H-1B filings certified in Q2 2026: 28 (14 a year earlier).U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC)
- Headlines in the last 30 days: 22, of which 5 read positive and 4 negative.Palanor headline tone
Risk events (12 months): 7 — latest OSHA inspection, Aug 21, 2026 →
Company Posture
How Company Posture is measured →What McDonald's Corp. is doing, on three axes, from its filings and its own words, as of 2026-10-22. A description, not a rating: Company Posture never says whether to buy.
Expanding · Hedging
Expanding ↔ Retrenching
Expanding
- Capital spending70th pct
- Debt raised—
- Buybacks vs capex75th pct
- Hiring filings54th pct
- Deals and private raises48th pct
- Patent publications52nd pct
Confident ↔ Hedging
Hedging
- Call sentiment10th pct
- Call confidence23rd pct
- Guidance changes—
- Risk factors added70th pct
- Insider open-market trades38th pct
- − Call sentiment
- − Call confidence
- + Risk factors added
Pressure
Components only: Not yet shown as a score: in the back-test it did not add to a naive reader's forecast of impairment, debt acceleration or bankruptcy filings (8-K 2.06, 2.04, 1.03) (not enough events (17 in half 1; needs 20)).
- Fails-to-deliver26th pct
- Stress filings50th pct
Credit
How these are built →McDonald's Corp.'s borrowing from its SEC filings: the bonds it priced and the debt on its latest balance sheet. A description, not a rating.
Debt on the balance sheet
$39.9B
- Due within a year $0.0B
- Longer term $39.9B
- Default point $19.9B (short + ½ long)
Finance leases included · Jun 30, 2026 filing
Bonds priced, last 12 months
None
U.S. dollar tranches with a term sheet on EDGAR. Deals sold under Rule 144A file none and are not counted.
| Priced | Amount | Coupon | Matures | Spread | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2025 | $550M | 4.400% | 2031 (5y) | +55bp | 4.402% |
| Aug 18, 2025 | $750M | 5.000% | 2036 (10y) | +72bp | 5.059% |
| Feb 26, 2025 | $600M | 4.600% | 2030 (5y) | +55bp | 4.630% |
| Feb 26, 2025 | $900M | 4.950% | 2035 (10y) | +72bp | 4.969% |
| May 14, 2024 | $500M | 5.000% | 2029 (5y) | +63bp | 5.086% |
| May 14, 2024 | $500M | 5.200% | 2034 (10y) | +80bp | 5.243% |
From the pricing term sheets McDonald's Corp. filed with the SEC. Spread is to the benchmark Treasury (or Bund, Gilt) at pricing.
Charts
Live charts: each one redraws from today’s data and has an image link to paste into a document or slide.
Cash flow
Capital returned and raised
What the company says
Hiring and ownership
News
McDonald's Corp.: headline tone
Net share of positive headlines, trailing 28 days, −1 to +1
In the news
Headlines that name McDonald's Corp., with the publisher and a link. The tone is read from each headline’s own words, never from a summary of the article.
- NeutralHold the bot: Chick-fil-A bucks the restaurant AI ordering push (MCD:NYSE)
seekingalpha.com · via Marketaux · Oct 8, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald's: Same-Store Sales Are An Overrated Metric (NYSE:MCD)
seekingalpha.com · via Marketaux · Oct 8, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald’s: The Chip Trade I Can Stomach (NYSE:MCD)
seekingalpha.com · via Marketaux · Oct 7, 2026
- PositiveMcDonald’s franchisees balk at costly bill to upgrade stores
financialpost.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- PositiveMcDonald's (MCD) Commits $8.5B to Franchise Upgrades Amid Franchisee Concerns
gurufocus.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- NegativeMcDonald's sued over AI pricing coordination
Palanor Wire · Oct 6, 2026
- NegativeMcDonald's (MCD) Faces Federal Class-Action Over AI Pricing Coordination
gurufocus.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- NegativeMcDonald's hit with lawsuit alleging AI pricing system violates antitrust laws (MCD:NYSE)
seekingalpha.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald's supplier HyFun plans $208 million India IPO
economictimes.indiatimes.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- NegativeMcDonald’s Franchisee Model Is Under Pressure. Here’s Why Investors Should Stay Away
insidermonkey.com · via Marketaux · Oct 6, 2026
- PositiveMcDonald's (MCD) Launches Pickle Boost at Chicago Marathon, Engaging Athletic Community
gurufocus.com · via Marketaux · Oct 5, 2026
- NeutralI ranked the signature burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. My favorite surprised me.
businessinsider.com · via Marketaux · Oct 4, 2026
- NeutralJim Cramer Says McDonald’s (MCD) is a Buy Opportunity After 24% Drop But There’s a Catch
insidermonkey.com · via Marketaux · Oct 3, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald's: Newest Dividend King, At Fast Food Prices (NYSE:MCD)
seekingalpha.com · via Marketaux · Oct 3, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald's 30% Slide Has Made It Cheaper, but Traffic Is Still the Problem
gurufocus.com · via Marketaux · Oct 2, 2026
- PositiveMcDonald’s (MCD) Launches a Media Network and Starts Selling Drive-Thru Ads
insidermonkey.com · via Marketaux · Oct 1, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald's Stock Is Doing Something It Hasn't Done in 20 Years
gurufocus.com · via Marketaux · Oct 1, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald’s UK & Ireland appoints Danielle Harris as chief people officer
retailtimes.co.uk · via Marketaux · Oct 1, 2026
- NeutralMcDonald’s sinister pricing scheme is sizing up your wallet – with California customers forking over a premium
nypost.com · via Marketaux · Oct 1, 2026
- PositiveMcDonald's Unveils $8.5B Plan To Accelerate Restaurant Improvements
Bisnow · Sep 23, 2026
Filings and records
The last two years of notable 8-Ks, offerings, annual reports, federal awards, lobbying reports, patents and other public records, newest first.
- Oct 21, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (MCDONALD'S CORPORATION)third_quarter 2026 · $0.5 million
- Oct 20, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (MICHAEL BEST STRATEGIES LLC)third_quarter 2026 · $0.1 million
- Oct 20, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (INVARIANT LLC)third_quarter 2026 · $0.1 million
- Oct 19, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP)third_quarter 2026 · $0.1 million
- Oct 16, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (MILLER & CHEVALIER CHARTERED)third_quarter 2026 · $0.0 million
- Sep 22, 2026Trademark
- Aug 21, 2026Risk event
- Aug 4, 20268-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Jul 30, 2026Risk event
- Jul 20, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (MICHAEL BEST STRATEGIES LLC)second_quarter 2026 · $0.1 million
- Jul 7, 2026Risk event
- May 22, 20268-KShareholder vote resultsItem 5.07
- May 13, 2026Risk event
- May 12, 2026Trademark
- May 12, 2026Trademark
- May 12, 2026Trademark
- May 12, 2026Trademark
- Apr 20, 2026LobbyingLobbying report (MICHAEL BEST STRATEGIES LLC)second_quarter 2026
- Apr 2, 20268-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Mar 12, 2026Risk event
- Mar 5, 2026Risk event
- Feb 24, 202610-KAnnual report (10-K)0 risk factors added, 0 removed
- Feb 10, 20268-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Feb 6, 2026Risk event
- Sep 23, 2025Risk event
- Jul 16, 2025Risk event
- Jun 11, 2025Risk event
- May 23, 20258-KShareholder vote resultsItem 5.07
- Mar 11, 20258-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Feb 25, 202510-KAnnual report (10-K)0 risk factors added, 0 removed
- Feb 14, 20258-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Jan 17, 20258-KDirector or officer changeItem 5.02
- Feb 22, 202410-KAnnual report (10-K)1 risk factors added, 0 removed
Peers
Companies in the same industry in the S&P 500, Russell 1000 or MidCap 400, closest in revenue first. Trailing twelve months, from SEC filings.
| Company | Revenue | Free cash flow | Through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks Corp. SBUX | $38.3B | $3.6B | Jun 28, 2026 |
| Darden Restaurants DRI | $13.4B | $1.1B | Aug 30, 2026 |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill CMG | $12.4B | $1.6B | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Restaurant Brands International QSR | $9.7B | $1.6B | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Yum! Brands YUM | $8.7B | $1.7B | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Dutch Bros Inc. BROS | $1.9B | $0.1B | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Cava Group CAVA | — | — | — |
| Domino's DPZ | — | — | — |