Global Payments Inc vs McDonald's Corp — how do they compare? Global Payments Inc trades at $80.4 (market cap $21.40B), while McDonald's Corp trades at $271 (market cap $188.25B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 8.8× Global Payments Inc's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays the higher dividend (2.81%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GPN | MCD | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.40B | $188.25B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $90.01 | $341.06 |
52-Week Low | $62.47 | $264.54 |
Enterprise Value | $39.11B | $241.96B |
Dividend Yield | 1.28% | 2.81% |
Volume | — | 2,230,036 |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Global Payments (GPN) trades at $79.67, up 4.98% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company shows robust operating cash flow of $2.66B in 2025 and benefits from strategic initiatives like the Worldpay integration and AI-powered POS expansions. However, net income margin turned negative at -7.97% for 2026, reflecting margin pressures amid rising costs and competitive fintech landscape.
GPN presents a mixed outlook: analyst consensus is bullish with a $81.56 price target (58% buy ratings), but investors face risks from debt growth (debt-to-asset ratio rising to 41.57% in 2025) and profitability challenges. Near-term catalysts include continued execution on commerce technology deals, while volatility may persist from macroeconomic headwinds.
McDonald's (MCD) trades at $268.94, down 1.35% on the day, with a bearish technical signal driven by moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including a 31.62% net income margin and consistent revenue growth, reaching $26.89B in 2025. Recent news highlights the company's 'McDonald's NEXT' strategy focusing on automation and menu innovation to counter competition and inflation pressures.
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $326.36, implying 21% upside, supported by 59.68% analyst buy ratings. Key risks include inflationary cost pressures on franchisee margins and high long-term debt of $38.42B. Earnings momentum is mixed, with a Q2 2026 estimate of $3.33 EPS to watch.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares.
Read more on GPN →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 →