ARCO vs QSR

For growth investors, Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is the stronger pick with 12. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 7% for Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO). Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO) offers the better valuation at 9. 0x trailing P/E (13. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO) a "Buy" — based on 12 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc.

(ARCO) is the cheapest at 9. 0x versus Restaurant Brands International Inc. at 32. 8x. On forward P/E, Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc.

(ARCO) delivered a total return of +66. 9%, compared to +28. 9% for Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: QSR returned +126. 4% versus ARCO's +124. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. 's 0. 98β — meaning ARCO is approximately 149% more volatile than QSR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 3% for Restaurant Brands International Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is pulling ahead at 12. 2% versus 4. 7% for Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. grew EPS 42. 3% year-over-year, compared to -26. 1% for Restaurant Brands International Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, QSR leads at 13. 2% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 2% net margin versus 4. 5% for Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: QSR leads at 23. 7% versus 7. 5% for ARCO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — QSR leads at 41. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc.

(ARCO) trades at 13. 1x forward P/E versus 19. 0x for Restaurant Brands International Inc. — 6. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARCO: 27. 5% to $11. 53.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) offers the highest yield at 3. 1%, versus 2. 7% for Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. (ARCO).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 3. 1% yield, +126. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (QSR: +126. 4%, ARCO: +124. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ARCO is a small-cap deep-value stock; QSR is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.