Operating
Stock-Based Comp
McDonald's Stock-Based Comp decreased by 5.1% to $37.00M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 15.9%, from $44.00M to $37.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Stock-Based Comp shows an upward trend with a 4.3% CAGR.
Analysis
StatementCash Flow Statement
SectionOperating
CategoryCapital Allocation
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ4 2013
Last reportedQ4 2025
How to read this metric
An increase may signal a strategy to preserve cash or align employee interests with shareholders, but it also results in share dilution.
Detailed definition
Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense where employees and executives are rewarded with equity or stock options...
Peer comparison
High-growth technology firms often have higher stock-based compensation as a percentage of revenue compared to mature industrial firms.
Metric ID:
cf_stock_based_compensationHistorical Data
19 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $36.50M | $34.10M | $41.30M | $54.30M | $38.30M | $38.30M | $35.80M | $49.70M | $45.20M | $43.00M | $37.30M | $50.00M | $38.00M | $40.00M | $44.00M | $45.00M | $44.00M | $39.00M | $37.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | -6.6% | +21.1% | +31.5% | -29.5% | +0.0% | -6.5% | +38.8% | -9.1% | -4.9% | -13.3% | +34.0% | -24.0% | +5.3% | +10.0% | +2.3% | -2.2% | -11.4% | -5.1% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +4.9% | +12.3% | -13.3% | -8.5% | +18.0% | +12.3% | +4.2% | +0.6% | -15.9% | -7.0% | +18.0% | -10.0% | +15.8% | -2.5% | -15.9% |
Range$34.10M – $54.30M
CAGR+0.3%
Avg YoY Growth+0.9%
Median YoY Growth+0.6%
Current Streak3 quarters decline
Stock-Based Comp at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is McDonald's's stock-based comp?
- McDonald's (MCD) reported stock-based comp of $37.00M in Q4 2025.
- How has McDonald's's stock-based comp changed year-over-year?
- McDonald's's stock-based comp decreased by 15.9% year-over-year, from $44.00M to $37.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for McDonald's's stock-based comp?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), McDonald's's stock-based comp has grown at a 4.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $139.20M to $165.00M.
- What does stock-based comp mean?
- The value of company shares given to employees as part of their pay.