What if I had invested in McDonald's
Every lump sum scenario for McDonald's, start year by start year, using real prices and each month's exchange rate.
Since December 2003, McDonald's (a stock listed on Wall Street) grew 11-fold in dollar terms: an annualized return of +11.0% over nearly 23 years. Over the period, its monthly close ranged from a low of $24.83 (December 2003) to a high of $341 (February 2026), split-adjusted. Of the 275 possible purchase months since December 2003, 87% would show a gain today for a lump sum: the entry point mattered.
Data: Yahoo Finance monthly closing prices, up to date as of (latest update November 4, 2026) MethodAuthor: Yann Avondo
If I had invested $1,000 as a lump sum in McDonald's in January 2016, today I would have $2,311
Over the same period
Worst moment: −32.3% between February 2026 and September 2026. To get this result, you had to hold on without selling.
McDonald's at a glance
McDonald's operates or franchises more than 40,000 restaurants worldwide. Its model relies heavily on real estate and franchise fees, making it a stable, dividend-rich stock.
Since its February 2026 peak, McDonald's has given up as much as 32.3% in dollar terms (low in September 2026) without getting back to that level. The years follow one another without big jolts: 18 of 22 calendar years ended higher, with a best year in 2017 (+41.4%) and a worst in 2012 (−12.1%). Against the MSCI World, this calculator's yardstick (+7.0% a year in dollar terms over the same period), McDonald's did better.
$1,000 invested in McDonald's, by start year
Bought in January, valued at the latest price. Click a year for the full story.
| Start | Worth today | Multiple | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $942 | ×0.94 | −3.1% | |
| $921 | ×0.92 | −2.8% | |
| $1,036 | ×1.04 | +0.9% | |
| $1,018 | ×1.02 | +0.4% | |
| $1,272 | ×1.27 | +4.2% | |
| $1,382 | ×1.38 | +4.8% | |
| $1,538 | ×1.54 | +5.6% | |
| $1,586 | ×1.59 | +5.3% | |
| $2,243 | ×2.24 | +8.5% | |
| $2,311 | ×2.31 | +8.0% | |
| $2,914 | ×2.91 | +9.4% | |
| $2,814 | ×2.81 | +8.3% | |
| $3,095 | ×3.1 | +8.5% | |
| $2,721 | ×2.72 | +6.9% | |
| $3,557 | ×3.56 | +8.3% | |
| $4,372 | ×4.37 | +9.1% | |
| $4,390 | ×4.39 | +8.6% | |
| $4,634 | ×4.63 | +8.4% | |
| $6,159 | ×6.16 | +9.6% | |
| $8,097 | ×8.1 | +10.5% | |
| $8,516 | ×8.52 | +10.3% | |
| $10,995 | ×11 | +11.0% |
Lump sum or DCA in McDonald's?
Since January 2016, investing in McDonald's all at once (lump sum) multiplied the stake by ×2.31, +8.0% a year. Investing every month (DCA) multiplied the total contributions by ×1.34, an annual return (IRR) of +5.2%.
Here the lump sum did better: money invested early rode the whole rise. That is the most common outcome on an asset that goes up.
Frequently asked questions
How much would $1,000 invested in McDonald's 10 years ago be worth today?
$1,000 invested in McDonald's in January 2016 would be worth about $2,311 today, an average annual return of +8.0% (price only, in the displayed currency).
What if I had invested $1,000 in McDonald's in 2015?
Invested in January 2015, $1,000 would be worth about $2,914 today, +9.4% a year on average.
What if I had invested $1,000 in McDonald's in 2020?
Invested in January 2020, $1,000 would be worth about $1,382 today, +4.8% a year on average.
What was the best year to invest in McDonald's?
Among the start years covered, 2004 gave the best result: $1,000 would have become $10,995. The weakest was 2024, worth $921 today. This ranking is only known with hindsight.
Are dividends included?
By default, the calculation follows the market price only. The "Reinvest dividends" option uses the adjusted price, which includes dividends paid and stock splits: the closest measure of what an investor actually earned.
Are exchange rates taken into account?
Yes. McDonald's trades in its own currency; every purchase and valuation is converted at that month's exchange rate. A US asset can gain in dollars and less in euros if the dollar weakened.
Are fees and taxes included?
No: results are before brokerage fees, fund fees and taxes. Your net result depends on the account you invest through.
Compare with
Before you have regrets
What this calculation does not tell you.
Hindsight bias
Picking Nvidia or Bitcoin today means picking known winners. Back then, nothing set them apart from hundreds of assets that went nowhere or vanished.
Holding on was the real test
The result assumes you never sold, including through the drawdowns shown above. Very few investors actually do.
The broad market, no bet required
The MSCI World never makes headlines, but it does not require guessing the winner. It is the fairest yardstick for any pick.
Method: past performance, computed from split-adjusted monthly closing prices (intra-month lows are smoothed out). Converted at each month’s exchange rate; no fees, no taxes. The MSCI World benchmark is the price index, excluding dividends. Sources: Yahoo Finance (prices, exchange rates, US Treasury bills), Eurostat (inflation), published regulated rates (Livret A). Not investment advice. NokxiHub.