$109.11
Value $5.4B
Cheesecake FactoryvsMcDonald's
CAKE and MCD stock compared: price, dividend, valuation and results, from SEC filings.
+2.74%
$271.97
Value $193B
Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) has a market value of $5.4B and McDonald's (MCD) $193B. Over the last year, with dividends, CAKE moved +140.8% and MCD -9.1%. The P/E is 26.2 for CAKE and 21.5 for MCD. Dividend yield: CAKE 1.10%, MCD 2.74%.
At a glance
The main figures of both. A bar only shows which number is larger, not which is better.
Market value
CAKE$5.4B
MCD$193B
MCD is 36 times CAKE
Revenue, 12 months
CAKE$4.0B
MCD$27.8B
MCD is 6.9 times CAKE
Net income, 12 months
CAKE$208M
MCD$9.0B
MCD is 43 times CAKE
Operating margin
CAKE6.0%
MCD46.9%
41.0 points apart
ROIC
CAKE17.7%
MCD26.3%
8.6 points apart
P/E
CAKE26.2
MCD21.5
CAKE is 1.2 times MCD
Dividend yield
CAKE1.1%
MCD2.7%
1.6 points apart
5-year return
CAKE+177.6%
MCD+21.9%
155.7 points apart
A fainter bar means a negative number. The 5-year return includes dividends.
The price over time
Both start at 100 at the beginning of the period, so the lines show how much each changed. With dividends means each dividend buys more shares.
CAKE+177.6%
MCD+21.9%
| Period | CAKEWith dividends | MCDWith dividends |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year since November 12, 2025 | +140.8%Price +137.1% | -9.1%Price -11.4% |
| 3 years since November 13, 2023 | +273.5%+55.2% a yearPrice +247.6% | +8.6%+2.8% a yearPrice +1.0% |
| 5 years since November 12, 2021 | +177.6%+22.7% a yearPrice +146.4% | +21.9%+4.0% a yearPrice +8.5% |
| 10 years since November 15, 2016 | +130.9%+8.7% a yearPrice +87.6% | +192.4%+11.3% a yearPrice +129.9% |
Each cell: the total return with dividends, its yearly rate, and the price change alone. Before taxes and costs. Past returns do not predict future ones.
Every figure
As on each company's page. A description, not a recommendation: no one figure says which is better.
CAKECheesecake FactoryMCDMcDonald's
Valuation
CAKEMCD| Price | $109.11 | $271.97 |
|---|---|---|
| Market value | $5.4B | $193B |
| Enterprise value (EV) | $6.3B | $232B |
| P/E | 26.2 | 21.5 |
| P/E, 5-year median | 16.6 | 25.7 |
| P/B | 9.5 | – |
| EV/EBIT | 26.1 | 17.8 |
| Free cash flow yield | 4.0% | 3.9% |
Results and growth
CAKEMCD| Revenue, 12 months | $4.0B | $27.8B |
|---|---|---|
| Net income, 12 months | $208M | $9.0B |
| Free cash flow, 12 months | $219M | $7.5B |
| Earnings per share, 12 months | $4.22 | $12.64 |
| Revenue growth, year on year | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Revenue growth a year, past | +13.6%over 5 years | +7.0%over 5 years |
| EPS growth a year, past | – | +13.6%over 5 years |
Margins and returns on capital
CAKEMCD| Gross margin | – | – |
|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 6.0% | 46.9% |
| Net margin | 5.2% | 32.4% |
| ROIC | 17.7% | 26.3% |
| ROE | 43.1% | – |
Balance sheet
CAKEMCD| Cash | $249M | $1.2B |
|---|---|---|
| Total debt | $2.7B | $54.5B |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.5 | 2.9 |
| Interest cover | – | 8.0× |
Dividends and buybacks
CAKEMCD| Dividend yield | 1.1% | 2.7% |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend per share, 12 months | $1.20 | $7.44 |
| Dividend growth a year, past | – | +7.3%over 5 years |
| Buyback yield | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Shareholder yield | 3.9% | 3.8% |
Last 12 months from the latest 10-Q and 10-K. Value, P/E and yields at today's price. A dash means the figure does not exist or did not pass our checks.
Which is bigger, Cheesecake Factory or McDonald's?
By market value, McDonald's ($193B) is about 35.5 times Cheesecake Factory ($5.4B), at today's prices.
How did CAKE and MCD stock do over the last 10 years?
Since November 15, 2016, CAKE's price moved +87.6% and MCD's +129.9%. With dividends: CAKE +130.9% (+8.7% a year), MCD +192.4% (+11.3% a year). Past returns do not predict future ones.
Which pays the higher dividend, CAKE or MCD?
The dividend yield at today's price is 1.10% for Cheesecake Factory and 2.74% for McDonald's. Over the last twelve months they paid $1.20 and $7.44 per share.
What is the P/E of CAKE and MCD?
At today's price, the P/E is 26.2 for CAKE and 21.5 for MCD. The median of the last five years was 16.6 and 25.7, which shows where each stands against its own past.
Which has the higher profit margins, Cheesecake Factory or McDonald's?
Over the last twelve months, the net margin was 5.2% for Cheesecake Factory and 32.4% for McDonald's, and the operating margin 6.0% and 46.9%. Revenue was $4.0B and $27.8B.
Which is the better investment, Cheesecake Factory or McDonald's?
The page does not answer that and does not suggest buying or selling. It puts the two companies' numbers side by side, from their SEC filings, for you to read and form your own view. The decision depends on your goals and situation.
Other comparisons
With each of the two, and with the largest in its sector.
Related pages
The other pages on US stocks, free to read. On the company pages, the last three fiscal years are open to everyone, five with a free account, and every year with Ploutos Investor.
US stocksThe market today, the sectors, the largest companies and the week's results.The market's sectorsThe 11 sectors side by side: returns, share of the market, median P/E and dividend.Compare stocksTwo companies side by side: price over up to ten years, with and without dividends, and every figure.US dividend stocksEach dividend's yield next to whether the company's cash covers it and whether it was ever cut.
Descriptive data from SEC filings and market prices.