Charter Communications Inc vs McDonald's Corp — how do they compare? Charter Communications Inc trades at $157.5 (market cap $18.28B), while McDonald's Corp trades at $273.9 (market cap $193.70B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 10.6× Charter Communications Inc's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays a 2.72% dividend while Charter Communications Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CHTR | MCD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.28B | $193.70B |
Sector | Media | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $282.74 | $341.06 |
52-Week Low | $123.31 | $262.80 |
Enterprise Value | $114.49B | $247.47B |
Volume | — | 2,230,036 |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.72% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Charter Communications (CHTR) trades at $152.57, down 3.09% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but mixed oscillators. The stock shows low valuation multiples with a P/E of 3.97 and P/S of 0.36, supported by a 9.05% net income margin and strong operating cash flow of $16.08B in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $10.66 versus $9.98 estimated, though revenue declined 1.7% year-over-year. News highlights debt refinancing activities and competitive pressures in broadband.
The outlook remains cautious due to subscriber losses and fiber competition, but the extreme valuation discount and aggressive buybacks offer potential upside. Risks include high debt leverage at $93.21B long-term and persistent industry headwinds. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $166.18 price target, suggesting 9% upside from current levels.
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
Charter is the product of the 2016 merger of three cable companies, each with a decades-long history in the business: Legacy Charter, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks. The firm now holds networks capable of providing television, internet access, and phone services to roughly 54 million U.S. homes and businesses, around 40% of the country. Across this footprint, Charter serves 29 million residential and 2 million commercial customer accounts under the Spectrum brand, making it the second-largest U.S. cable company behind Comcast. The firm also owns, in whole or in part, sports and news networks, including Spectrum SportsNet (long-term local rights to Los Angeles Lakers games), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles Dodgers), SportsNet New York (New York Mets), and Spectrum News NY1.
Read more on CHTR →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 →