Similar companies
Did McDonald's Beat Earnings?
McDonald's (MCD) reported Q2 '26 revenue of $7.1B, up 3.7% year-over-year, with reported EPS of $3.38. That topped the $3.32 analyst estimate by 1.8% — an earnings beat.
AltIndex tracks earnings alongside 25+ alternative data signals that can move ahead of the report — McDonald's’s job postings, web traffic, and employee business outlook. See the full MCD stock analysis or the earnings calendar for upcoming reports.
MCD Earnings Surprise History (EPS vs. Estimate)
| Quarter | Estimated EPS | Reported EPS | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 '26 | $3.32 | $3.38 | Beat +1.8% |
| Q1 '26 | $2.74 | $2.83 | Beat +3.3% |
| Q4 '25 | $3.05 | $3.12 | Beat +2.3% |
| Q3 '25 | $3.35 | $3.22 | Missed -3.9% |
| Q2 '25 | $3.15 | $3.19 | Beat +1.3% |
| Q1 '25 | $2.67 | $2.67 | Met +0.0% |
McDonald's Quarterly Financial Trends
| Metric | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | Q2 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 6.87B | 6.39B | 5.96B | 6.84B | 7.08B | 7.01B | 6.52B | 7.1B |
| Gross margin | 56.4% | 57.6% | 56.0% | 57.9% | 58.0% | 57.5% | 55.9% | 58.0% |
| Operating margin | 46.4% | 44.9% | 44.5% | 47.2% | 47.4% | 45.0% | 44.3% | 47.0% |
| Net income | 2.26B | 2.02B | 1.87B | 2.25B | 2.28B | 2.16B | 1.98B | 2.36B |
| Net margin | 32.8% | 31.6% | 31.4% | 32.9% | 32.2% | 30.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| EPS | $3.23 | $2.83 | $2.67 | $3.19 | $3.22 | $3.12 | $2.83 | $3.38 |
McDonald's Earnings Trend Analysis
Over the eight quarters from Q3 '24 to Q2 '26, McDonald's’s quarterly revenue moved from $6.87B to $7.1B. Net margin held roughly steady from 32.8% to 33.3%, against a 58% gross margin in the most recent quarter — a read on whether revenue growth is translating into profit. McDonald's has beaten Wall Street EPS estimates in 6 of its last 8 reported quarters.
When Is McDonald's’s Next Earnings Date?
McDonald's reports earnings on a quarterly schedule. Its most recent report covered Q2 '26. For the confirmed upcoming date — and every other company reporting soon — see the MCD earnings calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions: McDonald's Earnings
McDonald's's next earnings date has not been confirmed yet. See the earnings calendar for all upcoming reports.
McDonald's reported Q2 '26 EPS of $3.38 on revenue of $7.1B (+3.7% YoY). McDonald's beat estimates, reporting $3.38 vs. the $3.32 estimate.
McDonald's reported Q2 '26 revenue of $7.1B, up 3.7% from the same quarter a year earlier.
Signals like job postings, web traffic, and employee sentiment reflect business activity in real time and can move before quarterly results are reported. AltIndex combines them with 25+ others in the MCD AI Score.
