WallStSmart

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

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Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Tesla Inc generates 274% more annual revenue ($103.57B vs $27.70B). MCD leads profitability with a 31.7% profit margin vs 3.1%. MCD appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.73. MCD earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 53/100 (C-).

MCD

Buy

53

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 5.3Profit: 8.0Value: 3.3Quality: 6.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.79

TSLA

Avoid

24

out of 100

Grade: F

Growth: 3.3Profit: 4.5Value: 2.0Quality: 7.0
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.45
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

MCDSignificantly Overvalued (-65.0%)

Margin of Safety

-65.0%

Fair Value

$156.42

Current Price

$278.04

$121.62 premium

UndervaluedFair: $156.42Overvalued
TSLASignificantly Overvalued (-53.0%)

Margin of Safety

-53.0%

Fair Value

$261.23

Current Price

$343.69

$82.46 premium

UndervaluedFair: $261.23Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

MCD5 strengths · Avg: 9.4/10
Profit MarginProfitability
31.7%10/10

Keeps 32 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
46.5%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 46.5%

Debt/EquityHealth
-53.3610/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Market CapQuality
$182.66B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.98B8/10

Generating 2.0B in free cash flow

TSLA3 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Market CapQuality
$1.58T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Debt/EquityHealth
0.189/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.53B8/10

Generating 1.5B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

MCD4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
3.7%4/10

3.7% revenue growth

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
2.732/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

TSLA4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Price/BookValuation
15.2x4/10

Trading at 15.2x book value

Return on EquityProfitability
3.6%3/10

ROE of 3.6% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
3.1%3/10

3.1% margin — thin

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

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 31.7% and operating margin at 46.5%.

Bull Case : TSLA

The strongest argument for TSLA centers on Market Cap, Debt/Equity, Free Cash Flow.

Bear Case : MCD

The primary concerns for MCD are Revenue Growth, Return on Equity, Piotroski F-Score.

Bear Case : TSLA

The primary concerns for TSLA are Price/Book, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. A P/E of 439.4x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.1% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

TSLA carries more volatility with a beta of 1.92 — expect wider price swings.

MCD is growing revenue faster at 3.7% — sustainability is the question.

MCD generates stronger free cash flow (2.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Monitor RESTAURANTS industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.

Bottom Line

MCD scores higher overall (53/100 vs 24/100), backed by strong 31.7% 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.

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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.

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