Apple vs BMW: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Apple reported $416.2B of revenue in FY2025 and $112B of net income. BMW reported ~$150.8B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$8.2B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Apple
Apple's fiscal 2025 results describe a hardware business with software margins. Net sales rose 6 percent to $416.2 billion, net income reached $112.0 billion, and total gross margin was 46.9 percent, split between 36.8 percent on Products and 75.4 percent on Services. Services revenue of $109.2 billion, up 14 percent, is the reason the blended margin keeps rising. Cash generation is the other defining feature: operations produced $111.5 billion in fiscal 2025, and Apple returned $89.3 billion through share repurchases and $15.4 billion in dividends, after announcing a new repurchase authorization of up to $100 billion and raising the quarterly dividend to $0.26 per share in May 2025. Research and development came to $34.6 billion, 8 percent of net sales, and cash plus marketable securities stood at $132.4 billion at year end.
BMW
BMW's financial story has turned from peak to reset in three years. Revenue reached ~$176 billion (EUR155.5 billion) in 2023 with a 9.8% automotive EBIT margin, then fell to ~$161 billion (EUR142.4 billion) in 2024 and ~$151 billion (EUR133.5 billion) in 2025 as China pricing, tariffs and currency weighed. Group profit before tax still stayed above ~$11.3 billion (EUR10 billion) in 2025 (~$11.6 billion (EUR10.236 billion), 7.7% margin), helped by ~$2.82 billion (EUR2.5 billion) of cost cuts and a stable Financial Services business. 2026 is weaker: H1 revenue fell 8.0% to ~$70.4 billion (EUR62.3 billion), Group EBT dropped 29.4% to ~$4.52 billion (EUR4.0 billion), and BMW now guides to a 1-3% automotive EBIT margin and automotive free cash flow above ~$2.82 billion (EUR2.5 billion). Shareholder returns continue through a EUR4.40 dividend for 2025 and a ~$2.26 billion (EUR2 billion) buyback due to finish by November 2026.
Revenue and profit by year
Apple
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $416.2B | $112B | 26.9% | +6.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $391B | $93.7B | 24.0% | +2.0% | Source |
| FY2023 | $383.3B | $97B | 25.3% | -2.8% | Source |
| FY2022 | $394.3B | $99.8B | 25.3% | +7.8% | Source |
| FY2021 | $365.8B | $94.7B | 25.9% | +33.3% | Source |
| FY2020 | $274.5B | $57.4B | 20.9% | +5.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $260.2B | $55.3B | 21.2% | -2.0% | Source |
| FY2018 | $265.6B | $59.5B | 22.4% | +15.9% | Source |
| FY2017 | $229.2B | $48.4B | 21.1% | +6.3% | Source |
| FY2016 | $215.6B | $45.7B | 21.2% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Apple
- iPhone~50%
iPhone net sales were $209.6B in FY2025, up 4%, and the phone is the entry point into Services, accessories, AppleCare, iCloud and App Store spending.
- Services~26%
Services covers the App Store, advertising, cloud, AppleCare, payments, media subscriptions and licensing. FY2025 net sales were $109.2B, up 14%, at a 75.4% gross margin against 36.8% for Products.
- Mac and iPad~15%
Mac net sales were $33.7B and iPad $28.0B in FY2025, driven by Apple silicon refreshes, education, creative work and enterprise adoption.
- Wearables, Home and Accessories~9%
Apple Watch, AirPods, Vision Pro, home devices and accessories were $35.7B in FY2025, down 4%, and they deepen iPhone attachment.
BMW
- Automotive
~$133B (EUR117.6B) segment revenue (2025)
Sales of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars, parts and services; the segment's EBIT margin was 5.3% in 2025.
- Financial Services
~$45B (EUR39.8B) segment revenue (2025)
Leasing, retail loans, dealer financing and insurance; new business volume was ~$74.4B (EUR65.8B) in 2025.
- Motorcycles
~$3.5B (EUR3.1B) segment revenue (2025)
BMW Motorrad bikes, parts and gear; segment EBIT margin was 5.7% in 2025.
Business model and strategy
Apple
How it makes money
Apple sells hardware at premium prices and keeps the software, distribution and payment layers on top of it. The iPhone is the entry point, at $209.6 billion of fiscal 2025 net sales, and it pulls customers into iOS, iCloud storage plans, App Store purchases, AppleCare and accessories.
Growth strategy
Growth now comes from monetizing an installed base of more than 2.5 billion devices rather than from unit growth alone. Services rose 14 percent to $109.2 billion in fiscal 2025 on the App Store, advertising, iCloud, AppleCare, payments and subscription media, and Apple packages them through the Apple One bundle.
Competitive advantage
Apple's advantage comes from owning the parts other phone makers buy. It designs its own silicon, the A20 Pro in iPhone 18 Pro and the M5 in Mac and iPad Pro, plus the operating systems, the app store, the payment layer and the retail channel, so hardware, software and services are tuned to each other.
BMW
How it makes money
BMW makes money by designing, building and selling premium cars at prices that carry a brand premium, then earning a second layer of profit from financing them. In 2025 the Automotive segment (BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce) generated ~$133 billion (EUR117.6 billion) of revenue, Financial Services ~$45 billion (EUR39.8 billion) and Motorcycles ~$3.5 billion (EUR3.1 billion) before intra-group eliminations.
Growth strategy
Under CEO Milan Nedeljković, BMW's growth plan is narrower and more regional. The group will cut variants (the 2 Series Active Tourer gets no successor), add top-end models such as the first BMW ALPINA car in 2027 and a US-focused SAV above the X7, and launch a compact Neue Klasse EV for Europe in 2028.
Competitive advantage
BMW's advantage rests on brand depth, engineering credibility and a flexible production network. Customers still pay for BMW driving dynamics, M performance models and Rolls-Royce craftsmanship, which supports pricing even when volumes are flat.
Questions about Apple vs BMW
Which company has higher revenue — Apple Inc. or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Apple Inc. reported $416.2B (FY2025), while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG reported ~$150.8B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Apple Inc. is the larger business, with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Apple Inc. vs Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Apple Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $4.98T, while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's is $39.8B. Apple Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.
Which is more financially efficient — Apple Inc. or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Apple Inc. generates $2.51M / employee in revenue per employee, while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG generates $976k / employee. Apple 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 Apple Inc. and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG make money?
Apple Inc. and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Apple Inc.: Apple sells hardware at premium prices and keeps the software, distribution and payment layers on top of it. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG: BMW makes money by designing, building and selling premium cars at prices that carry a brand premium, then earning a second layer of profit from financing them.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Apple Inc. or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Apple Inc. trades at 12.0x P/S and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG at 0.3x P/S. Apple Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Apple Inc. bigger than Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
By last reported revenue, Apple Inc. ($416.2B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (~$150.8B (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 Apple vs BMW overview