McDonald's vs Toyota: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
McDonald's reported $26.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $8.6B of net income. Toyota reported ~$339.6B of revenue in FY2026 and ~$25.8B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
McDonald's
- Latest revenue
- $26.9B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $8.6B
- Net margin
- 31.9%
- Revenue growth
- +1.0% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Toyota
- Latest revenue
- ~$339.6B (FY2026)
- Net income
- ~$25.8B
- Net margin
- 7.6%
- Revenue growth
- +6.0% a year, FY2016–FY2026
Financial summary
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.
Toyota
Toyota's fiscal 2026 showed record revenue alongside sharply lower profit. Sales revenues reached ~$340 billion (¥50.68 trillion) while operating margin narrowed to about 7.4% from 10.0% a year earlier, mostly because of roughly $9.25 billion (¥1.38 trillion) in U.S. tariff costs. North America swung to a much weaker profit, Japan remained the largest profit contributor, and financial services kept growing. For fiscal 2027, Toyota's August 2026 forecast calls for ~$362 billion (¥54.0 trillion) in revenue, ~$22.8 billion (¥3.4 trillion) in operating income and ~$21.8 billion (¥3.25 trillion) in net income, assuming 160 yen per dollar.
Revenue and profit by year
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 |
Toyota
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | ~$339.6B | ~$25.8B | 7.6% | +5.5% | Source |
| FY2025 | ~$321.8B | ~$31.9B | 9.9% | +6.5% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$302.1B | ~$33.1B | 11.0% | +21.4% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$248.9B | ~$16.4B | 6.6% | +18.4% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$210.2B | ~$19.1B | 9.1% | +15.3% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$182.3B | ~$15B | 8.3% | -9.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$200.5B | ~$13.9B | 6.9% | -1.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$202.5B | ~$12.6B | 6.2% | +2.9% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$196.8B | ~$16.7B | 8.5% | +6.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$184.9B | ~$12.3B | 6.6% | -2.8% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$190.3B | ~$15.5B | 8.1% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
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
Toyota
- Automotive~89%
Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino vehicles, plus parts and service
- Financial services~9%
Retail loans, leases and dealer financing
- All other~2%
Housing-related, telecommunications and other businesses
Business model and strategy
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.
Toyota
How it makes money
Toyota makes most of its money building and selling vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands (plus Daihatsu and Hino), led by high-volume models such as the RAV4, Corolla, Camry and Hilux. A large financial services arm earns interest and lease income on loans and leases to Toyota buyers and dealers, and parts, service and other value-chain businesses add recurring revenue from the installed base of vehicles.
Growth strategy
Toyota's strategy centers on hybrid leadership, battery EV scaling, software improvement, localized manufacturing, Lexus and truck/SUV profitability, financial services, and disciplined capital allocation.
Competitive advantage
Toyota's advantage is manufacturing discipline, hybrid technology, global supplier relationships, brand trust, reliability, and scale. Those strengths are durable, but they must be paired with faster software and EV execution.
Questions about McDonald's vs Toyota
Which company has higher revenue — McDonald's Corporation or Toyota Motor Corporation?
McDonald's Corporation reported $26.9B (FY2025), while Toyota Motor Corporation reported ~$339.6B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Toyota Motor Corporation is the larger business, with McDonald's Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of McDonald's Corporation vs Toyota Motor Corporation?
McDonald's Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $175.7B, while Toyota Motor Corporation's is $258.0B. Toyota Motor Corporation carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to McDonald's Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — McDonald's Corporation or Toyota Motor Corporation?
McDonald's Corporation generates $179k / employee in revenue per employee, while Toyota Motor Corporation generates $905k / employee. Toyota Motor 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 McDonald's Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation make money?
McDonald's Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. McDonald's Corporation: About 95% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees or developmental licensees. Toyota Motor Corporation: Toyota makes most of its money building and selling vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands (plus Daihatsu and Hino), led by high-volume models such as the RAV4, Corolla, Camry and Hilux.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — McDonald's Corporation or Toyota Motor Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, McDonald's Corporation trades at 6.5x P/S and Toyota Motor Corporation at 0.8x P/S. McDonald's Corporation commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Toyota Motor Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is McDonald's Corporation bigger than Toyota Motor Corporation?
By last reported revenue, Toyota Motor Corporation (~$339.6B (FY2026)) 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 McDonald's vs Toyota overview