McDonald’s vs Yum! Brands: Fair Value & Quality
Both stocks run through our valuation models. Here is how McDonald’s (MCD) and Yum! Brands (YUM) compare, as of Sep 5, 2026.
Head-to-head numbers
Green value = the better side for that row (for valuation multiples: lower = cheaper).
McDonald’s leads: 8 to 5 metric wins.
Dash = not meaningfully computable, for example with negative equity.
Quality in detail
The quality score, broken down into the same factor families as on the stock page, 0 to 100 per family.
What the models say
How far the median fair value (base case) per model family sits from the current price, in percent. The amount in the currency of the trading venue is shown underneath.
▲above the price, more than 15% above ●close to the price, 85% to 115% of the price ▼below the price, more than 15% below
| Model family | McDonald’sPrice $260 | Yum! BrandsPrice $153 |
|---|---|---|
| DCF Models | ▼-55%below the price$117 | ▼-70%below the price$46.36 |
| Earnings-Based | ▼-61%below the price$102 | ▼-66%below the price$51.72 |
| Dividend Discount | ▼-62%below the price$98.39 | n/a |
| Multiples | ●-13%close to the price$225 | ▼-33%below the price$102 |
| Growth DCF | ▼-77%below the price$58.72 | ▼-83%below the price$25.54 |
| Economic Profit | ▼-56%below the price$113 | ▼-72%below the price$42.38 |
| Growth Earnings | ▼-19%below the price$209 | ▼-38%below the price$93.99 |
| Minimum | ▼-77%below the price$58.72 | ▼-83%below the price$25.54 |
| Maximum | ●-13%close to the price$225 | ▼-33%below the price$102 |
| Median | ▼-56%below the price$113 | ▼-68%below the price$49.04 |
| Geometric mean | ▼-54%below the price$121 | ▼-65%below the price$53.99 |
Minimum, maximum, median and geometric mean refer to the family values in this table. Geometric because deviations are ratios: half the price and twice the price average to 100%, not 125%.
McDonald’s: 20 of 21 models see the stock below the current price.
Yum! Brands: 18 of 18 models see the stock below the current price.
Scenario ranges
From our cautious bear case to the optimistic bull case. The white tick is the current price: left of fair value means room to run.
Compare two other stocks
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Ranked within their sector
Where each stock sits within its sector peer group. Band = middle 50% of peers, tick = median, dot = this stock.
McDonald’s · Consumer Discretionary
Yum! Brands · Consumer Discretionary
Bottom line
As of Sep 5, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees McDonald’s as the less overvalued of the two: McDonald’s trades at $260 versus a fair value of $149 (-43%), while Yum! Brands trades at $153 versus $58.17 (-62%).
Yum! Brands has the higher quality score (70/100).
See the full analysis →More comparisons
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A model-based valuation snapshot from 26 models. Values change with price and fundamentals; the date shown above applies.