McDonald's Corp vs Boston Beer Company Inc — how do they compare? McDonald's Corp trades at $264.85 (market cap $190.16B), while Boston Beer Company Inc trades at $175.67 (market cap $1.88B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 101.1× Boston Beer Company Inc's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays a 2.78% dividend while Boston Beer Company Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MCD | SAM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $190.16B | $1.88B |
Volume | 2,230,036 | — |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $341.06 | $260.05 |
52-Week Low | $264.54 | $161.08 |
Enterprise Value | $243.87B | $1.75B |
Dividend Yield | 2.78% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
McDonald's (MCD) trades at $267.71, down 2.1% on the day, with a bearish technical signal driven by moving averages. The company reported steady revenue growth to $26.89 billion in 2025 and a net income margin of 31.62%, though Q2 2026 earnings are pending. Recent news highlights a new 'McDonald's NEXT' strategy focusing on automation and menu improvements to boost competitiveness.
The stock presents a buying opportunity with a consensus price target of $329, implying 23% upside, supported by strong analyst sentiment (58% buy ratings). Risks include inflationary pressures on franchisee margins and high long-term debt of $38.42 billion. Earnings execution and strategy rollout will be key for near-term performance.
Boston Beer Company (SAM) trades at $180.59, up 1.0% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 22.66 and P/S of 0.99, but negative net income margin and ROE. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q3 and Q4 2025 but missed in Q1 2026. Analyst consensus is mixed with 74% hold ratings and a $204.33 price target, suggesting modest upside potential from current levels.
SAM faces near-term challenges including volume declines and competitive pressures in the hard seltzer segment, offset by strong cash flow generation and innovation in Beyond Beer categories. The company's improved gross margins and cost-saving initiatives provide some stability, but investor sentiment remains cautious ahead of Q2 earnings. The stock presents a balanced risk-reward profile with potential upside to analyst targets but requires monitoring of execution against guidance.
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 →Boston Beer is a leader in U.S. high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories, with strong positions in craft beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The firm sells an array of flavor variants and package sizes, predominantly centered around four priority brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer. Its drinks are produced in both company-owned breweries as well as through third-party contract arrangements, and while the company primarily goes to market through independent wholesalers (as mandated by law), it operates a fairly large salesforce to induce demand across the value chain (distributors, retailers, and drinkers). The preponderance of revenue is generated domestically.
Read more on SAM →