McDonald's Corp vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? McDonald's Corp trades at $273.78 (market cap $193.70B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $252.15 (market cap $81.74B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 2.4× Ross Stores, Inc.'s market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays the higher dividend (2.72%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MCD | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $193.70B | $81.74B |
Volume | 2,230,036 | — |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $341.06 | $255.23 |
52-Week Low | $262.80 | $144.67 |
Enterprise Value | $247.47B | $82.34B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | 0.7% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $255.23, up 0.36% on the day, near its consensus price target of $259. The stock shows strong momentum with a bullish technical signal and consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.02 versus $1.73 expected. Revenue growth accelerated to $21.13B in 2025, with net income margin improving to 9.74%. Recent expansion includes 47 new stores opened in June-July 2026, supporting future growth.
Outlook remains positive given robust fundamentals and analyst optimism, but valuation multiples like P/E of 35.65 suggest premium pricing. Key risks include consumer spending sensitivity and competitive pressures in discount retail. The stock offers growth potential with disciplined execution, though investors should weigh high valuation against earnings sustainability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →