Fast-food franchise McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) has generated remarkable wealth for investors over the years. A $10,000 initial investment in 1970 would have grown to nearly $10 million, had you reinvested all your dividends.

Against such a stellar track record, I'm audaciously arguing that U.S. Treasuries, arguably the least-flashy investment you can make, could be a better bet for your money -- at least in the short term. Here are some challenges that McDonald's faces.

Investors typically want to put their money where they can get the best return on investment for the least risk possible. With that in mind, you use data to determine how risky McDonald's stock might be today. For example, the stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 32, compared to its average over the past decade of 25; that's 28% above average.

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Source Fool.com