Applied Digital Corporation vs McDonald's Corp — how do they compare? Applied Digital Corporation trades at $30.59 (market cap $8.37B), while McDonald's Corp trades at $274.15 (market cap $193.70B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 23.1× Applied Digital Corporation's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays a 2.72% dividend while Applied Digital Corporation pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| APLD | MCD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.37B | $193.70B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $49.65 | $341.06 |
52-Week Low | $13.89 | $262.80 |
Enterprise Value | $11.87B | $247.47B |
Volume | — | 2,230,036 |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.72% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Digital (APLD) trades at $29.22, up 1.25% with bearish technical signals despite unanimous analyst buy ratings. The company shows explosive revenue growth with Q4 2026 revenue surging 407% to $258.7M but continues posting significant losses with negative profit margins. Recent news highlights $36 billion in contracted AI infrastructure revenue and insider selling activity.
While analyst consensus targets $72.36 (147% upside), the stock faces execution risks from massive capital expenditures, negative cash flow, and challenging profitability metrics. The AI infrastructure build-out offers substantial growth potential but requires careful monitoring of financing needs and construction timelines.
McDonald's (MCD) trades at $274.15, down slightly by 0.12% on the day, with technical indicators showing a neutral overall signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamentals with consistent revenue growth, reaching $26.89 billion in 2025, and robust profitability with a 31.72% net income margin. Recent earnings have consistently beaten expectations, and the company has announced a new global growth strategy focused on automation and menu innovation to drive future performance.
The outlook for MCD is positive, supported by strong analyst consensus with a $322.45 price target implying significant upside. Key opportunities include the successful execution of its new growth plan and its defensive qualities in a challenging economy. Primary risks involve inflationary pressures on franchisee margins and intense competition in the quick-service restaurant sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Digital provides high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and cloud services. It designs and operates data centers tailored for AI, machine learning, and other intensive digital workloads across North America.
Read more on APLD →McDonald's Corporation franchises and operates fast-food restaurants in the global restaurant industry. The Company's restaurants serves a variety of value-priced menu products in countries around the world.
Read more on MCD →