INTC vs MCD: Which Is the Better Buy?
Side-by-side comparison of Intel Corporation and McDonald's Corporation β fair value, conviction, valuation metrics, and QuantHub research signals.
Updated 2026-04-16.
Intel Corporation Β· Technology
$68.50
-13.9% upside to fair value
High Conviction
Grade D
VS
McDonald's Corporation Β· Consumer Cyclical
$305.68
+4.7% upside to fair value
Med Conviction
Grade B
QuantHub Verdict
MCD has more upside to fair value
(+4.7%).
These are model outputs β not personalized investment advice.
See all research β
Valuation & Fundamentals
| Metric |
INTC |
MCD |
| Current Price |
$68.50 |
$305.68 |
| Fair Value Estimate |
$59.00 |
$320.00 |
| Upside to Fair Value |
-13.9%
|
+4.7%
|
| Market Cap |
$343.9B |
$218.1B |
| Forward P/E |
-1245.8x
|
24.5x
|
| EV / EBITDA |
β
|
18.6x
|
| Price / Sales |
6.5x
|
8.1x
|
| Price / FCF |
-69.5x
|
30.3x
|
| Revenue Growth YoY |
+0.2%
|
+3.7%
|
| Gross Margin |
34.8%
|
57.4%
|
| Operating Margin |
-4.2%
|
46.1%
|
| Return on Equity |
-0.3%
|
β
|
| Dividend Yield |
β |
2.4% |
| FCF Yield |
β
|
3.3%
|
| Analyst Consensus |
Hold
|
Buy
|
Investment Thesis
Intel is a legacy semiconductor leader attempting an ambitious turnaround under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, pivoting from a pure-play chipmaker to an integrated device manufacturer (IDM 2.0) with foundry ambitions. The business remains structurally challenged: PC market share is eroding, foundry execution is unproven, negative free cash flow persists, and margins are compressed. However, the stock tradesβ¦
McDonald's operates the world's largest quick-service restaurant franchise with over 40,000 locations across 100+ countries, generating $26.9B in FY2025 revenue with roughly 60% from franchised operations. The asset-light franchise model produces 46% operating margins and $7.2B in annual free cash flow. Revenue growth reaccelerated modestly to 3.7% in FY2025 from 1.7% in FY2024, driven by the Intβ¦
Accumulation Zones
| Metric |
INTC |
MCD |
| Zone Low |
$44.00 |
$240.00 |
| Zone High |
$50.00 |
$272.00 |
| In Buy Zone? |
No
|
No
|