NNN vs MCD vs YUM vs O vs QSR

For growth investors, Restaurant Brands International Inc.

(QSR) is the stronger pick with 12. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 7% for McDonald's Corporation (MCD). NNN REIT, Inc. (NNN) offers the better valuation at 21. 5x trailing P/E (21. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate McDonald's Corporation (MCD) a "Buy" — based on 62 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, NNN REIT, Inc.

(NNN) is the cheapest at 21. 5x versus Realty Income Corporation at 52. 8x. On forward P/E, Restaurant Brands International Inc. is actually cheaper at 19. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Yum! Brands, Inc. wins at 1. 71x versus Realty Income Corporation's 71. 28x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Yum!

Brands, Inc. (YUM) delivered a total return of +40. 0%, compared to +15. 0% for NNN REIT, Inc. (NNN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: YUM returned +200. 9% versus NNN's +37. 8%. 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), Realty Income Corporation (O) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

09β versus Restaurant Brands International Inc. 's 0. 39β — meaning QSR is approximately 334% more volatile than O relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Realty Income Corporation (O) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 82% 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 3. 7% for McDonald's Corporation (MCD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Realty Income Corporation grew EPS 19. 4% year-over-year, compared to -26. 1% for Restaurant Brands International Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, O leads at 19. 8% 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.

NNN REIT, Inc.

(NNN) is the more profitable company, earning 42. 1% net margin versus 8. 2% for Restaurant Brands International Inc. — meaning it keeps 42. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NNN leads at 61. 5% versus 23. 7% for QSR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — O leads at 89. 8%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 71x versus Realty Income Corporation's 71. 28x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) trades at 19. 5x forward P/E versus 37. 1x for Realty Income Corporation — 17. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MCD: 24. 2% to $352. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

NNN REIT, Inc. (NNN) offers the highest yield at 5. 3%, versus 1. 8% for Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM).

For long-horizon retirement investors, McDonald's Corporation (MCD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

11), 2. 5% yield, +157. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MCD: +157. 7%, QSR: +132. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (NNN (Real Estate) and MCD (Consumer Cyclical) and YUM (Consumer Cyclical) and O (Real Estate) and QSR (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: NNN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MCD is a large-cap quality compounder stock; YUM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; O is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.