DHR vs MCD: Which Is the Better Buy?

Side-by-side comparison of Danaher Corporation and McDonald's Corporation โ€” fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals. Updated 2026-06-20.
Danaher Corporation ยท Healthcare
$177.17
+8.9% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
VS
McDonald's Corporation ยท Consumer Cyclical
$278.61
+18.7% upside to fair value
Grade B High Quality
QuantHub Verdict
MCD has more upside to fair value (+18.7%). MCD trades at a lower forward P/E (22.9x). These are model outputs โ€” not personalized investment advice. See all research โ†’
Valuation & Fundamentals
Metric DHR MCD
Current Price $177.17 $278.61
Fair Value Estimate $192.90 $330.66
Upside to Fair Value +8.9% +18.7%
Market Cap $125.4B $197.9B
Forward P/E 34.1x 22.9x
EV / EBITDA 20.8x 16.9x
Price / Sales 5.1x 7.2x
Price / FCF 23.7x 28.1x
Revenue Growth YoY +3.7% +9.4%
Gross Margin 60.7% 57.4%
Operating Margin 21.0% 46.0%
Return on Equity 7.1% -433.9%
Dividend Yield 0% 0%
FCF Yield 4.22% 3.56%
Analyst Consensus Strong Buy Buy
Investment Thesis
DHR โ€” Danaher Corporation
Danaher Corporation operates in the healthcare sector, specializing in medical diagnostics and research tools through three balanced platforms: Biotechnology, Life Sciences, and Diagnostics. The company benefits from a durable competitive moat supported by the Danaher Business System, disciplined capital allocation, and a platform-centric organizational structure. Despite modest revenue growth ofโ€ฆ
MCD โ€” McDonald's Corporation
McDonald's Corporation operates a high-margin, asset-light global quick-service restaurant business with a durable competitive moat supported by strong brand recognition and a wide global footprint. The company benefits from consistent mid-single-digit systemwide sales growth and high free cash flow conversion, enabling substantial dividends and share buybacks. Despite a premium valuation with a โ€ฆ
Accumulation Zones
Metric DHR MCD
Zone Low $144.68 $248.00
Zone High $163.97 $281.06
In Buy Zone? No Yes
โ† DHR Research    MCD Research โ†’    All Research