
Chipotle and McDonald's have been on Wall Street's radar for the last couple of weeks following the release of their fourth-quarter financial reports. Chipotle easily surpassed analysts' expectations, while McDonald's missed them. As a result, the two stocks moved in opposite directions: Chipotle shares headed north, while McDonald's shares headed south.
But Chipotle's shares trade with a forward PE more than twice that of McDonald's (49 vs 23). In addition, according to Gurufocus.com, McDonald's has a higher Economic Value Added (EVA) rate than Chipotle (12.58% vs 8.86%). A higher EVA means McDonald's allocates capital more effectively than Chipotle, creating more shareholder value.