MC
MCD
Sep 30, 2025
Quarter ended Sep 30, 2025 · FY2025 Q3

McDonald's Corporation stock research

McDonald's (MCD) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Sep 30, 2025

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. The free cash flow margin strengthened significantly versus both periods.

Free cash flow takeaway

A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. The free cash flow margin strengthened significantly versus both periods.

  • Operating cash flow as a share of revenue was higher than both the preceding quarter and the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure increased in absolute terms. The resulting free cash flow margin rose, indicating a stronger conversion of revenue into free cash flow.
  • Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow were all higher, and the free cash flow margin improved. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue was slightly higher, while operating cash flow and free cash flow were also higher, with an improved margin.

FCF snapshot

Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.

TTM free cash flow

$7.4B

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$2.4B

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$3.4B

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$1.0B

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

34.1%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

Cash flow trend

A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2024-12-31$6.4B$2.6B$807.0M$1.8B28.6%
2025-03-31$6.0B$2.4B$551.0M$1.9B31.5%
2025-06-30$6.8B$2.0B$744.0M$1.3B18.3%
2025-09-30$7.1B$3.4B$1.0B$2.4B34.1%

Cash conversion quality

Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.

FCF / net income106.1%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue14.3%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cashn/aCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.

Supportive

Operating Cash Flow Growth

Operating cash flow was higher than both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year, providing the primary support for the increase in free cash flow.

The stronger operating cash flow drove the improvement in free cash flow and the free cash flow margin.

What the cash flow says

How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.

Operating cash flow as a share of revenue was higher than both the preceding quarter and the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure increased in absolute terms. The resulting free cash flow margin rose, indicating a stronger conversion of revenue into free cash flow.

Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow were all higher, and the free cash flow margin improved. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue was slightly higher, while operating cash flow and free cash flow were also higher, with an improved margin.

Monitor the trend in capital expenditure, which increased in absolute terms compared to both the prior quarter and the year-ago quarter.