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AbbVie vs McDonald's: Revenue, Profit and Business Model

AbbVie reported $61.2B of revenue in FY2025 and $4.2B of net income. McDonald's reported $26.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $8.6B of net income.

Latest financial snapshot

AbbVie

Latest revenue
$61.2B (FY2025)
Net income
$4.2B
Net margin
6.9%
Revenue growth
+10.1% a year, FY2016–FY2025

McDonald's

Latest revenue
$26.9B (FY2025)
Net income
$8.6B
Net margin
31.9%
Revenue growth
+1.0% a year, FY2016–FY2025

Financial summary

AbbVie

AbbVie reported $61.160 billion of FY2025 net revenue and $4.226 billion of net income. Skyrizi and Rinvoq generated $25.866 billion combined, while Humira declined to $4.540 billion after U.S. biosimilar entry. The 2020 Allergan acquisition added neuroscience and aesthetics revenue, and the 2024 ImmunoGen and Cerevel acquisitions added oncology and neuroscience assets.

McDonald's

McDonald's corporate revenue ($26.885 billion in 2025, up 3.7%) is a fraction of the roughly $139 billion that customers spend across the system, because franchised restaurant sales are not booked as company revenue. What the company does book is mostly franchise rent and royalties, which explains net income of $8.563 billion in 2025 and operating margins well above typical restaurant operators. In Q2 2026, revenue rose 4% (2% in constant currency) to about $7.1 billion, diluted EPS was $3.32 ($3.38 adjusted), and systemwide sales grew 5% to $37 billion. The company returns most free cash flow through dividends, which it has raised every year since 1976, and share buybacks.

Revenue and profit by year

AbbVie

AbbVie revenue, net income, margin and growth by fiscal year
YearRevenueNet incomeMarginGrowthSource
FY2025$61.2B$4.2B6.9%+8.6%Source
FY2024$56.3B$4.3B7.6%+3.7%Source
FY2023$54.3B$4.9B9.0%-6.4%Source
FY2022$58.1B$11.8B20.4%+3.3%Source
FY2021$56.2B$11.5B20.5%+22.7%Source
FY2020$45.8B$4.6B10.1%+37.7%Source
FY2019$33.3B$7.9B23.7%+1.6%Source
FY2018$32.8B$5.7B17.4%+16.1%Source
FY2017$28.2B$5.3B18.8%+10.1%Source
FY2016$25.6B$6B23.2%—Source
Full AbbVie financials

McDonald's

McDonald's revenue, net income, margin and growth by fiscal year
YearRevenueNet incomeMarginGrowthSource
FY2025$26.9B$8.6B31.9%+3.7%Source
FY2024$25.9B$8.2B31.7%+1.7%Source
FY2023$25.5B$8.5B33.2%+10.0%Source
FY2022$23.2B$6.2B26.6%-0.2%Source
FY2021$23.2B$7.5B32.5%+20.9%Source
FY2020$19.2B$4.7B24.6%-10.1%Source
FY2019$21.4B$6B28.2%+0.5%Source
FY2018$21.3B$5.9B27.9%-6.8%Source
FY2017$22.8B$5.2B22.8%-7.3%Source
FY2016$24.6B$4.7B19.0%—Source
Full McDonald's financials

Where the revenue comes from

AbbVie

  • Immunology Portfolio49.7%

    FY2025 revenue was $30.406 billion, led by Skyrizi, Rinvoq, and Humira.

  • Neuroscience Portfolio17.6%

    FY2025 revenue was $10.767 billion, including Vraylar, Botox Therapeutic, Ubrelvy, and Qulipta.

  • Oncology Portfolio10.9%

    FY2025 revenue was $6.655 billion, including Imbruvica, Venclexta, and Elahere.

  • Aesthetics Portfolio7.9%

    FY2025 revenue was $4.860 billion, including Botox Cosmetic and Juvederm.

  • Other Products and Revenue13.9%

    The remaining FY2025 revenue came from eye care, other specialty products, and other revenue.

McDonald's

  • Franchise rent and royalties~45%

    Franchise rent and royalties

  • Company-operated restaurants~25%

    Company-operated restaurants

  • Licensing and delivery economics~15%

    Licensing and delivery economics

Business model and strategy

AbbVie

How it makes money

AbbVie earns revenue from global sales of prescription medicines and Allergan Aesthetics products. Its FY2025 portfolios were led by immunology at $30.406 billion, neuroscience at $10.767 billion, oncology at $6.655 billion, and aesthetics at $4.860 billion. The company funds internal research and supplements its pipeline through licensing and acquisitions.

Growth strategy

AbbVie is expanding approved uses and commercial reach for Skyrizi and Rinvoq while investing in oncology and neuroscience. ImmunoGen added Elahere and antibody-drug conjugate programs, Cerevel added clinical-stage neuroscience programs, and Allergan added Botox, Vraylar, migraine products, eye care, and aesthetics.

Competitive advantage

AbbVie's scale rests on its immunology portfolio, specialist commercial infrastructure, approved products across several therapeutic areas, and acquired oncology, neuroscience, and aesthetics assets. Those strengths are offset by patent-expiration, clinical-development, safety, reimbursement, and pricing risks described in its Form 10-K.

AbbVie business model in full

McDonald's

How it makes money

About 95% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees or developmental licensees. The corporation makes money in three main ways: (1) rent, because it owns or leases the land and buildings at many franchised sites and charges franchisees rent, often tied to a percentage of sales; (2) royalties, a percentage of each restaurant's monthly sales;

Growth strategy

McDonald's growth plan, branded Accelerating the Arches, rests on marketing, core menu (burgers, chicken, coffee), and the 3 D's: digital, delivery, and drive-thru. The company targets roughly 50,000 restaurants worldwide by the end of 2027, with China, other developmental licensed markets, and the U.S. contributing the largest number of openings.

Competitive advantage

McDonald's advantage is scale that rivals cannot easily copy: more than 45,000 restaurants, control of prime real estate at many franchised sites, a long-tenured franchisee base that funds most store capital, and a supply chain that buys beef, potatoes, chicken, and packaging at volumes few chains match.

McDonald's business model in full

Questions about AbbVie vs McDonald's

Which company has higher revenue — AbbVie Inc. or McDonald's Corporation?

AbbVie Inc. reported $61.2B (FY2025), while McDonald's Corporation reported $26.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, AbbVie Inc. is the larger business, with McDonald's Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.

What is the market cap of AbbVie Inc. vs McDonald's Corporation?

AbbVie Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $465.8B, while McDonald's Corporation's is $175.7B. AbbVie Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to McDonald's Corporation.

Which is more financially efficient — AbbVie Inc. or McDonald's Corporation?

AbbVie Inc. generates $1.07M / employee in revenue per employee, while McDonald's Corporation generates $179k / employee. AbbVie Inc. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.

How do AbbVie Inc. and McDonald's Corporation make money?

AbbVie Inc. and McDonald's Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. AbbVie Inc.: AbbVie earns revenue from global sales of prescription medicines and Allergan Aesthetics products. McDonald's Corporation: About 95% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees or developmental licensees.

Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — AbbVie Inc. or McDonald's Corporation?

On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, AbbVie Inc. trades at 7.6x P/S and McDonald's Corporation at 6.5x P/S. AbbVie Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to McDonald's Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.

Is AbbVie Inc. bigger than McDonald's Corporation?

By last reported revenue, AbbVie Inc. ($61.2B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to McDonald's Corporation ($26.9B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.

Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the AbbVie vs McDonald's overview

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.