MCD vs CMG
McDonald's vs Chipotle stock: which is the better buy?
Tickerday reads McDonald's as a Hold at 52 and Chipotle as a Buy at 72. Today, Chipotle is the stronger call.
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MCD
McDonald's
Hold52/100
Partly cloudy, with 55% confidence
A year from now: $260 (+10.5%)
CMG
Chipotle
Buy72/100
Sunny, with 75% confidence
A year from now: $45 (+38.5%)
Under the hood
Factor by factor
The six things Tickerday weighs, each scored 0 to 100. The higher of each pair is in its call's color.
McDonald's
Chipotle
Overall score
Valuation
Growth
Profitability
Momentum
Financial Health
Sentiment
Where they're headed
Price targets
Each target is measured from the price on the day its stock was read.
McDonald's
Chipotle
Price when read
MCD$235.23 · Oct 10, 2026
CMG$32.49 · Jun 21, 2026
Next week
MCD$236 (+0.3%)
CMG$33.50 (+3.1%)
Next month
MCD$233 (−0.9%)
CMG$34 (+4.7%)
Next year
MCD$260 (+10.5%)
CMG$45 (+38.5%)
The numbers
Key numbers
McDonald's
Chipotle
Market Cap
MCD$166.5B
CMG$41.7B
P / E Ratio
MCD19.1
CMG28.7
Rev. Growth
MCD+6.3%
CMG+5.7%
Net Margin
MCD+31.7%
CMG+12.0%
Debt / Equity
MCD40.64
CMG0.00
Dividend Yield
MCD3.1%
CMG—
Beta
MCD0.46
CMG0.96
52-Wk Range
MCD$229 – $342
CMG$28 – $58
The argument
The case for and against
Every call has a case against it. Here are both sides, for each stock.
McDonald's MCD
The case for
- Stock is trading near its 52-week low, making its valuation more attractive with a P/E ratio of 19.1.
- Extremely profitable, with a net margin over 31%, which is very high for the restaurant industry.
The case against
- The stock has been in a clear downtrend, falling significantly from its 52-week high.
- Carries a very high level of debt, with a Debt/Equity ratio of over 40.
Chipotle CMG
The case for
- The company maintains exceptional financial health with zero debt, providing a strong foundation.
- Strong profitability is evident through healthy net and gross margins, indicating efficient operations.
The case against
- The stock has experienced a significant decline over the past year, indicating past challenges.
- Despite the recent price drop, its P/E ratio suggests the stock is not outright cheap.
Tickerday's reads are educational analysis, the same for everyone, not financial advice. McDonald's was read on Oct 10, 2026 and Chipotle on Jun 21, 2026; each one's page has the full forecast.
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The receipts
Called it. Then it happened.
Real calls from the Tickerday engine, each one graded against the real price a month later.
Every call is graded
One month after the call, at the closing price.
Palantir Technologies Inc
+52.3%
✓Called it
We said Buy at $122.33 on Jul 30. A month later the price was $186.29.
Graded Aug 28 at the closing price
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