Amphenol vs McDonald's: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Amphenol reported $23.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $4.3B of net income. McDonald's reported $26.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $8.6B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Amphenol
- Latest revenue
- $23.1B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $4.3B
- Net margin
- 18.5%
- Revenue growth
- +15.6% 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
Amphenol
Amphenol compounds through acquisition in a fragmented industry. Net sales rose from $12.55 billion in 2023 to $15.22 billion in 2024 and $23.09 billion in 2025, and net income rose from $1.93 billion to $2.42 billion and then $4.27 billion across the same three years. Fiscal 2025 produced a 25.4% GAAP operating margin, $5.4 billion of operating cash flow and $4.4 billion of free cash flow, and the company returned nearly $1.5 billion to shareholders while completing five acquisitions. The pattern is consistent: buy niche connector, cable and sensor makers, leave their management and brands in place, add purchasing scale, and fund the next deal from cash flow and investment grade debt.
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
Amphenol
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $23.1B | $4.3B | 18.5% | +51.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $15.2B | $2.4B | 15.9% | +21.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $12.6B | $1.9B | 15.4% | -0.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $12.6B | $1.9B | 15.1% | +16.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | $10.9B | $1.6B | 14.6% | +26.5% | Source |
| FY2020 | $8.6B | $1.2B | 14.0% | +4.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $8.2B | $1.2B | 14.0% | +0.3% | Source |
| FY2018 | $8.2B | $1.2B | 14.7% | +17.0% | Source |
| FY2017 | $7B | $650.5M | 9.3% | +11.5% | Source |
| FY2016 | $6.3B | $822.9M | 13.1% | — | Source |
McDonald's
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $26.9B | $8.6B | 31.9% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $25.9B | $8.2B | 31.7% | +1.7% | Source |
| FY2023 | $25.5B | $8.5B | 33.2% | +10.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | $23.2B | $6.2B | 26.6% | -0.2% | Source |
| FY2021 | $23.2B | $7.5B | 32.5% | +20.9% | Source |
| FY2020 | $19.2B | $4.7B | 24.6% | -10.1% | Source |
| FY2019 | $21.4B | $6B | 28.2% | +0.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $21.3B | $5.9B | 27.9% | -6.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $22.8B | $5.2B | 22.8% | -7.3% | Source |
| FY2016 | $24.6B | $4.7B | 19.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Amphenol
- Communications Solutions~52%
High-speed board-to-board and backplane connectors, fiber optic interconnects, RF and microwave connectors, antennas, and cable assemblies for IT datacom, mobile networks, mobile devices, automotive, and broadband communications. FY2025 revenue of $12.1 billion, up 91% YoY, driven by $4.6 billion in incremental AI datacom sales.
- Harsh Environment Solutions~25%
Ruggedized connectors, cable assemblies, and interconnect systems for defense, commercial aerospace, industrial, and automotive applications that must withstand extreme temperatures, vibration, moisture, and electromagnetic interference. FY2025 revenue of $5.9 billion, up 33% YoY, with significant contributions from the Carlisle Interconnect Technologies acquisition.
- Interconnect and Sensor Systems~22%
Sensor technologies, value-added cable assemblies, and specialized interconnect products for automotive, industrial, IT datacom, and medical applications. FY2025 revenue of $5.2 billion, up 15% YoY, with growth in industrial sensors and the August 2025 acquisition of Rochester Sensors.
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
Amphenol
How it makes money
The business model is high volume, highly specialized B2B component manufacturing. Amphenol sells hundreds of thousands of connector, cable, antenna and sensor variants to thousands of customers, and no single end market dominates: in 2025, data centers and information technology accounted for 36% of sales, industrial 19%, automotive 15%, communications networks 10%, defense 9%, mobile devices 6% and commercial aeros…
Growth strategy
Amphenol's growth strategy has two parts: sell into secular demand and buy specialized suppliers. On the first, it builds high speed copper and optical interconnects for AI clusters, including the Celerity mezzanine connector family rated to 224 Gb/s PAM4 and XtremePass co-packaged copper interconnects aimed at 448G class links, plus high voltage connectors and sensors for electric vehicles, which carry more wiring a…
Competitive advantage
Amphenol's competitive advantage rests on switching costs and the cost of failure. A connector may cost a few cents, but if it fails the aircraft, satellite or server rack around it stops working, so buyers qualify suppliers rather than shop on price.
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.
Questions about Amphenol vs McDonald's
Which company has higher revenue — Amphenol Corporation or McDonald's Corporation?
Amphenol Corporation reported $23.1B (FY2025), while McDonald's Corporation reported $26.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, McDonald's Corporation is the larger business, with Amphenol Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Amphenol Corporation vs McDonald's Corporation?
Amphenol Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $208.6B, while McDonald's Corporation's is $175.7B. Amphenol Corporation carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to McDonald's Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — Amphenol Corporation or McDonald's Corporation?
Amphenol Corporation generates $136k / employee in revenue per employee, while McDonald's Corporation generates $179k / employee. McDonald's Corporation 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 Amphenol Corporation and McDonald's Corporation make money?
Amphenol Corporation and McDonald's Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Amphenol Corporation: The business model is high volume, highly specialized B2B component manufacturing. 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 — Amphenol Corporation or McDonald's Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Amphenol Corporation trades at 9.0x P/S and McDonald's Corporation at 6.5x P/S. Amphenol Corporation 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 Amphenol Corporation bigger than McDonald's Corporation?
By last reported revenue, McDonald's Corporation ($26.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Amphenol Corporation ($23.1B (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 Amphenol vs McDonald's overview