Amphenol vs United Airlines: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Amphenol reported $23.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $4.3B of net income. United Airlines reported $59.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $3.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Amphenol
- Latest revenue
- $23.1B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $4.3B
- Net margin
- 18.5%
- Revenue growth
- +15.6% a year, FY2016–FY2025
United Airlines
- Latest revenue
- $59.1B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $3.4B
- Net margin
- 5.7%
- Revenue growth
- +5.5% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Financial summary
Amphenol
Amphenol compounds through acquisition in a fragmented industry. Net sales rose from $12.55 billion in 2023 to $15.22 billion in 2024 and $23.09 billion in 2025, and net income rose from $1.93 billion to $2.42 billion and then $4.27 billion across the same three years. Fiscal 2025 produced a 25.4% GAAP operating margin, $5.4 billion of operating cash flow and $4.4 billion of free cash flow, and the company returned nearly $1.5 billion to shareholders while completing five acquisitions. The pattern is consistent: buy niche connector, cable and sensor makers, leave their management and brands in place, add purchasing scale, and fund the next deal from cash flow and investment grade debt.
United Airlines
United's revenue grew from $43.3 billion in 2019 to a record $59.1 billion in 2025, and net income reached $3.4 billion in 2025 against $3.1 billion in 2024. Operating cash flow was $8.4 billion in 2025. In 2026 the story is fuel: after oil prices spiked in March, United cut full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $7-$11, then raised it to $9-$11 in July after Q2 revenue rose 16% to $17.7 billion and yields climbed 12%. Q2 fuel expense was up $2.3 billion (84%), and the company said it expected to recover all of the increase through fares by Q4. Management is targeting an investment-grade credit rating in 2026.
Revenue and profit by year
Amphenol
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $23.1B | $4.3B | 18.5% | +51.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | $15.2B | $2.4B | 15.9% | +21.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $12.6B | $1.9B | 15.4% | -0.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $12.6B | $1.9B | 15.1% | +16.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | $10.9B | $1.6B | 14.6% | +26.5% | Source |
| FY2020 | $8.6B | $1.2B | 14.0% | +4.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $8.2B | $1.2B | 14.0% | +0.3% | Source |
| FY2018 | $8.2B | $1.2B | 14.7% | +17.0% | Source |
| FY2017 | $7B | $650.5M | 9.3% | +11.5% | Source |
| FY2016 | $6.3B | $822.9M | 13.1% | — | Source |
United Airlines
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $59.1B | $3.4B | 5.7% | +3.5% | Source |
| FY2024 | $57.1B | $3.1B | 5.5% | +6.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | $53.7B | $2.6B | 4.9% | +19.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $45B | $737M | 1.6% | +82.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | $24.6B | -$2B | -8.0% | +60.4% | Source |
| FY2020 | $15.4B | -$7.1B | -46.0% | -64.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $43.3B | $3B | 7.0% | +4.7% | Source |
| FY2018 | $41.3B | $2.1B | 5.1% | +9.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | $37.7B | $2.1B | 5.7% | +3.2% | Source |
| FY2016 | $36.6B | $2.2B | 6.1% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Amphenol
- Communications Solutions~52%
High-speed board-to-board and backplane connectors, fiber optic interconnects, RF and microwave connectors, antennas, and cable assemblies for IT datacom, mobile networks, mobile devices, automotive, and broadband communications. FY2025 revenue of $12.1 billion, up 91% YoY, driven by $4.6 billion in incremental AI datacom sales.
- Harsh Environment Solutions~25%
Ruggedized connectors, cable assemblies, and interconnect systems for defense, commercial aerospace, industrial, and automotive applications that must withstand extreme temperatures, vibration, moisture, and electromagnetic interference. FY2025 revenue of $5.9 billion, up 33% YoY, with significant contributions from the Carlisle Interconnect Technologies acquisition.
- Interconnect and Sensor Systems~22%
Sensor technologies, value-added cable assemblies, and specialized interconnect products for automotive, industrial, IT datacom, and medical applications. FY2025 revenue of $5.2 billion, up 15% YoY, with growth in industrial sensors and the August 2025 acquisition of Rochester Sensors.
United Airlines
- Passenger tickets
- Premium cabins
- Basic Economy
- MileagePlus and co-brand revenue
- Cargo
- United Club memberships
- Baggage and seat fees
Business model and strategy
Amphenol
How it makes money
The business model is high volume, highly specialized B2B component manufacturing. Amphenol sells hundreds of thousands of connector, cable, antenna and sensor variants to thousands of customers, and no single end market dominates: in 2025, data centers and information technology accounted for 36% of sales, industrial 19%, automotive 15%, communications networks 10%, defense 9%, mobile devices 6% and commercial aeros…
Growth strategy
Amphenol's growth strategy has two parts: sell into secular demand and buy specialized suppliers. On the first, it builds high speed copper and optical interconnects for AI clusters, including the Celerity mezzanine connector family rated to 224 Gb/s PAM4 and XtremePass co-packaged copper interconnects aimed at 448G class links, plus high voltage connectors and sensors for electric vehicles, which carry more wiring a…
Competitive advantage
Amphenol's competitive advantage rests on switching costs and the cost of failure. A connector may cost a few cents, but if it fails the aircraft, satellite or server rack around it stops working, so buyers qualify suppliers rather than shop on price.
United Airlines
How it makes money
United makes money by filling a hub-and-spoke network. Domestic and regional flights feed passengers into seven U.S. hubs, where they connect to long-haul routes across the Atlantic, Pacific and Latin America. Ticket sales are the core: passenger revenue was $53.4 billion of the $59.1 billion total in 2025.
Growth strategy
United is investing in premium seating, larger aircraft, international routes, operational reliability, MileagePlus, airport clubs, digital service, Starlink connectivity, and network depth at core hubs.
Competitive advantage
United's advantage is its hub network, international route breadth, Star Alliance connectivity, premium-cabin expansion, MileagePlus loyalty base, corporate account strength, and major positions at airports such as Chicago O'Hare, Newark, Denver, Houston, San Francisco, Washington Dulles, and Los Angeles.
Questions about Amphenol vs United Airlines
Which company has higher revenue — Amphenol Corporation or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Amphenol Corporation reported $23.1B (FY2025), while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported $59.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the larger business, with Amphenol Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Amphenol Corporation vs United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Amphenol Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $208.6B, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc.'s is $36.1B. Amphenol Corporation carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to United Airlines Holdings, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Amphenol Corporation or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Amphenol Corporation generates $136k / employee in revenue per employee, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. generates $522k / employee. United Airlines Holdings, Inc. shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Amphenol Corporation and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. make money?
Amphenol Corporation and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Amphenol Corporation: The business model is high volume, highly specialized B2B component manufacturing. United Airlines Holdings, Inc.: United makes money by filling a hub-and-spoke network.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Amphenol Corporation or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Amphenol Corporation trades at 9.0x P/S and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. at 0.6x P/S. Amphenol Corporation commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to United Airlines Holdings, Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Amphenol Corporation bigger than United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. ($59.1B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Amphenol Corporation ($23.1B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Amphenol vs United Airlines overview