WallStSmart

McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)vsTesla Inc (TSLA)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Tesla Inc generates 257% more annual revenue ($97.88B vs $27.45B). MCD leads profitability with a 31.6% profit margin vs 4.0%. MCD appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.55. MCD earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 55/100 (C-).

MCD

Buy

55

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 6.0Profit: 8.0Value: 3.3Quality: 5.3
Piotroski: 3/9

TSLA

Avoid

33

out of 100

Grade: F

Growth: 6.7Profit: 4.0Value: 2.0Quality: 7.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.45
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

MCDSignificantly Overvalued (-80.4%)

Margin of Safety

-80.4%

Fair Value

$157.30

Current Price

$275.75

$118.45 premium

UndervaluedFair: $157.30Overvalued
TSLASignificantly Overvalued (-57.7%)

Margin of Safety

-57.7%

Fair Value

$261.17

Current Price

$428.35

$167.18 premium

UndervaluedFair: $261.17Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

MCD5 strengths · Avg: 9.4/10
Profit MarginProfitability
31.6%10/10

Keeps 32 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
45.3%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 45.3%

Debt/EquityHealth
-38.1210/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Market CapQuality
$195.92B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.64B8/10

Generating 1.6B in free cash flow

TSLA4 strengths · Avg: 8.8/10
Market CapQuality
$1.55T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Debt/EquityHealth
0.109/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Revenue GrowthGrowth
15.8%8/10

15.8% revenue growth

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.44B8/10

Generating 1.4B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

MCD3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
Return on EquityProfitability
0.0%3/10

ROE of 0.0% — below average capital efficiency

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
2.552/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

TSLA4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Price/BookValuation
19.6x4/10

Trading at 19.6x book value

Return on EquityProfitability
4.9%3/10

ROE of 4.9% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
4.0%3/10

4.0% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
4.2%3/10

Operating margin of 4.2%

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : MCD

The strongest argument for MCD centers on Profit Margin, Operating Margin, Debt/Equity. Profitability is solid with margins at 31.6% and operating margin at 45.3%.

Bull Case : TSLA

The strongest argument for TSLA centers on Market Cap, Debt/Equity, Revenue Growth. Revenue growth of 15.8% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : MCD

The primary concerns for MCD are Return on Equity, Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio.

Bear Case : TSLA

The primary concerns for TSLA are Price/Book, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. A P/E of 384.9x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 4.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

MCD profiles as a mature stock while TSLA is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

TSLA carries more volatility with a beta of 1.79 — expect wider price swings.

TSLA is growing revenue faster at 15.8% — sustainability is the question.

MCD generates stronger free cash flow (1.6B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

MCD scores higher overall (55/100 vs 33/100), backed by strong 31.6% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Avoid" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

McDonald’s Corporation

CONSUMER CYCLICAL · RESTAURANTS · USA

McDonald's Corporation is an American fast food company, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hamburger stand, and later turned the company into a franchise, with the Golden Arches logo being introduced in 1953 at a location in Phoenix, Arizona.

Visit Website →

Tesla Inc

CONSUMER CYCLICAL · AUTO MANUFACTURERS · USA

Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Tesla's current products include electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services. In 2020, Tesla had the highest sales in the plug-in and battery electric passenger car segments, capturing 16% of the plug-in market (which includes plug-in hybrids) and 23% of the battery-electric (purely electric) market. Through its subsidiary Tesla Energy, the company develops and is a major installer of solar photovoltaic energy generation systems in the United States. Tesla Energy is also one of the largest global suppliers of battery energy storage systems, with 3 GWh of battery storage supplied in 2020.

Visit Website →

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?