AutoZone vs Hitachi: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
AutoZone reported $20.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $2.6B of net income. Hitachi reported ~$70.9B of revenue in FY2026 and ~$5.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
AutoZone
AutoZone converts steady repair demand into cash and returns almost all of it to shareholders. Fiscal 2026 operating cash flow was US$3.30 billion on net sales of US$20.34 billion, and the company pays no dividend. Since fiscal 1998 it has repurchased 156.2 million shares for US$40.5 billion, including US$2.0 billion in fiscal 2026 at an average price of US$3,496 a share, leaving 16.2 million shares outstanding at August 29, 2026. That is why per-share earnings grow faster than profit: fiscal 2026 net income rose 3.0 percent to US$2.57 billion while diluted earnings per share rose 5.3 percent to US$152.55. The buybacks are partly debt funded, so the balance sheet carries US$9.08 billion of debt and a US$2.50 billion stockholders' deficit, with adjusted debt to EBITDAR of 2.5 times and adjusted after-tax return on invested capital of 35.8 percent.
Hitachi
Hitachi posted a ~$5.27 billion (¥787.3 billion) net loss for fiscal 2008, then the largest ever by a Japanese manufacturer. Under Takashi Kawamura and Hiroaki Nakanishi it cut loss-making consumer businesses, and later leaders sold listed subsidiaries such as Hitachi Chemical (2020), Hitachi Metals (2023), and a controlling stake in Hitachi Construction Machinery (2022). Revenue dipped from ~$72.9 billion (¥10.88 trillion) in FY2022 to ~$65.2 billion (¥9.73 trillion) in FY2023 as those units left, then climbed back to ~$71 billion (¥10.59 trillion) in FY2025 on organic growth. FY2025 adjusted EBITA was a record ~$8.78 billion (¥1.31 trillion) (12.4% margin) and net income was ~$5.38 billion (¥802.3 billion), up about 30%. In Q1 FY2026 (April-June 2026) revenue rose 20% to ~$18.2 billion (¥2,709.6 billion), helped by currency, and management raised full-year guidance.
Revenue and profit by year
AutoZone
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $20.3B | $2.6B | 12.6% | +7.4% | Source |
| FY2025 | $18.9B | $2.5B | 13.2% | +2.4% | Source |
| FY2024 | $18.5B | $2.7B | 14.4% | +5.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | $17.5B | $2.5B | 14.5% | +7.4% | Source |
| FY2022 | $16.3B | $2.4B | 14.9% | +11.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | $14.6B | $2.2B | 14.8% | +15.8% | Source |
| FY2020 | $12.6B | $1.7B | 13.7% | +6.5% | Source |
| FY2019 | $11.9B | $1.6B | 13.6% | +5.7% | Source |
| FY2018 | $11.2B | $1.3B | 11.9% | +3.1% | Source |
| FY2017 | $10.9B | $1.3B | 11.8% | +2.4% | Source |
| FY2016 | $10.6B | $1.2B | 11.7% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
AutoZone
- Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) Commercial~28%
Domestic commercial sales to independent repair shops and local service garages were US$5.76 billion in fiscal 2026 (up 10.6%), about 28% of total net sales of US$20.34 billion.
- Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Retail
~72% (with international and other)
All other sales, about US$14.58 billion in fiscal 2026: domestic DIY retail plus stores in Mexico and Brazil, e-commerce and ALLDATA. The earnings release does not split DIY from these other sales.
- ALLDATA Software Subscriptions
Not separately disclosed
Recurring revenue from diagnostic software subscriptions for independent repair shops, providing OEM diagnostic data and repair procedures; included in the non-commercial sales figure above.
Hitachi
- Digital Systems & Services
Reported sector
Japanese IT systems for finance and government, GlobalLogic digital engineering, cloud and managed services, and Lumada solutions.
- Energy
Reported sector
Hitachi Energy grid infrastructure, HVDC, transformers, and related service contracts.
- Mobility
Reported sector
Hitachi Rail trains, signalling and train control (including former Thales GTS), and maintenance.
- Connective Industries
Reported sector
Building systems, industrial products and systems, Hitachi High-Tech, and, until its sale, home appliances.
Business model and strategy
AutoZone
How it makes money
AutoZone runs two connected businesses: DIY retail, where customers buy parts for their own vehicles, and DIFM (Do-It-For-Me) commercial sales to professional repair shops. Domestic commercial sales reached US$5.76 billion in fiscal 2026, up 10.6 percent, about 28 percent of total net sales of US$20.34 billion.
Growth strategy
With the U.S. store base mature, most domestic growth has to come from the professional market and from putting more inventory closer to customers. Domestic commercial sales grew 10.6 percent to US$5.76 billion in fiscal 2026, and the company added 345 commercial programs and 39 mega hubs during the year.
Competitive advantage
AutoZone's advantage is local parts availability. A customer whose car will not start cannot wait two days for delivery, so the value sits in having the part nearby: 6,863 U.S. stores backed by 172 mega hub stores that each carry 80,000 to 110,000 unique SKUs and supply the stores and commercial customers around them.
Hitachi
How it makes money
Hitachi is a B2B infrastructure and IT company. It sells long-lived physical assets (transformers, HVDC converter stations, trains, signalling, elevators, semiconductor metrology tools) and then earns recurring service, maintenance, and software revenue on that installed base. Lumada is the umbrella for the data, AI, and digital services layered on top, and Hitachi reports Lumada as a growing share of total revenue.
Growth strategy
Hitachi grows by attaching software and services to its installed base and by reshaping its portfolio. It is expanding Hitachi Energy factory capacity for transformers and HVDC, integrating Thales GTS into Hitachi Rail, and scaling Lumada through GlobalLogic and AI partnerships.
Competitive advantage
Hitachi's edge is owning both the operational technology and the IT. Hitachi Energy (built on ABB's former Power Grids business) is one of a handful of suppliers able to deliver HVDC links and large power transformers at scale, Hitachi Rail became a top-tier signalling supplier after buying Thales GTS in 2024, and GlobalLogic plus Hitachi's Japanese IT business supply the software.
Questions about AutoZone vs Hitachi
Which company has higher revenue — AutoZone, Inc. or Hitachi, Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc. reported $20.3B (FY2026), while Hitachi, Ltd. reported ~$70.9B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Hitachi, Ltd. is the larger business, with AutoZone, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of AutoZone, Inc. vs Hitachi, Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $45.8B, while Hitachi, Ltd.'s is $157.8B. Hitachi, Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to AutoZone, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — AutoZone, Inc. or Hitachi, Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc. generates $156k / employee in revenue per employee, while Hitachi, Ltd. generates $246k / employee. Hitachi, Ltd. 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 AutoZone, Inc. and Hitachi, Ltd. make money?
AutoZone, Inc. and Hitachi, Ltd. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. AutoZone, Inc.: AutoZone runs two connected businesses: DIY retail, where customers buy parts for their own vehicles, and DIFM (Do-It-For-Me) commercial sales to professional repair shops. Hitachi, Ltd.: Hitachi is a B2B infrastructure and IT company.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — AutoZone, Inc. or Hitachi, Ltd.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, AutoZone, Inc. trades at 2.3x P/S and Hitachi, Ltd. at 2.2x P/S. AutoZone, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Hitachi, Ltd.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is AutoZone, Inc. bigger than Hitachi, Ltd.?
By last reported revenue, Hitachi, Ltd. (~$70.9B (FY2026)) is the larger company compared to AutoZone, Inc. ($20.3B (FY2026)). 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 AutoZone vs Hitachi overview