Operating Income
Operating Income
McDonald's Operating Income decreased by 6.4% to $2.95B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 11.5%, from $2.65B to $2.95B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Operating Income shows an upward trend with a 4.6% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Income
CategoryProfitability
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ4 2013
Last reportedQ4 2025
How to read this metric
Growth in operating income suggests that the core business is becoming more profitable and efficient.
Detailed definition
The profit realized from a business's own operations after deducting operating expenses like wages, depreciation, and co...
Peer comparison
This is a key metric for comparing the fundamental business performance of companies with different tax or debt structures.
Metric ID:
operating_incomeHistorical Data
20 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 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $2.69B | $2.99B | $2.40B | $2.31B | $1.71B | $2.76B | $2.58B | $2.53B | $3.10B | $3.21B | $2.80B | $2.74B | $2.92B | $3.19B | $2.87B | $2.65B | $3.23B | $3.36B | $3.16B | $2.95B |
| QoQ Change | — | +11.0% | -19.7% | -3.5% | -26.0% | +61.5% | -6.6% | -2.0% | +22.6% | +3.4% | -12.6% | -2.4% | +6.7% | +9.2% | -10.0% | -7.7% | +22.1% | +3.9% | -6.0% | -6.4% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -36.4% | -7.5% | +7.7% | +9.5% | +81.3% | +16.1% | +8.5% | +8.1% | -5.9% | -0.6% | +2.3% | -3.2% | +10.7% | +5.3% | +10.0% | +11.5% |
Range$1.71B – $3.36B
CAGR+2.0%
Avg YoY Growth+7.3%
Median YoY Growth+7.9%
Current Streak2 quarters decline
Business Segments
| Segment | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate | $2.92B | $3.19B | $2.87B | $2.65B | $3.23B | $3.36B | $3.16B | $2.95B |
| International Operated Markets | $2.92B | $3.19B | $2.87B | $2.65B | $3.23B | $3.36B | $3.16B | $2.95B |
| U.S. | $2.92B | $3.19B | $2.87B | $2.65B | $3.23B | $3.36B | $3.16B | $2.95B |
| Total | $2.92B | $3.19B | $2.87B | $2.65B | $3.23B | $3.36B | $3.16B | $2.95B |
Operating Income at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is McDonald's's operating income?
- McDonald's (MCD) reported operating income of $2.95B in Q1 2026.
- How has McDonald's's operating income changed year-over-year?
- McDonald's's operating income increased by 11.5% year-over-year, from $2.65B to $2.95B.
- What is the long-term trend for McDonald's's operating income?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), McDonald's's operating income has grown at a 4.6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $10.36B to $12.39B.
- What does operating income mean?
- The profit earned from core business activities, before accounting for interest and taxes.