AutoZone vs Samsung: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
AutoZone reported $20.3B of revenue in FY2026 and $2.6B of net income. Samsung reported ~$236.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$31.4B 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.
Samsung
Samsung's earnings follow the memory cycle. Revenue fell from ~$215 billion (KRW 302.2 trillion) in 2022 to ~$184 billion (KRW 258.9 trillion) in 2023 during a chip downturn, then recovered to ~$214 billion (KRW 300.9 trillion) in 2024 and ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025, when net income reached about $31.5 billion (KRW 44.3 trillion). In 2026, AI server demand created a memory shortage. Q1 operating profit of ~$40.6 billion (KRW 57.2 trillion) exceeded the full-year 2025 total, and Q2 reached ~$63.5 billion (KRW 89.5 trillion) on ~$122 billion (KRW 171.5 trillion) revenue. Higher memory costs also squeezed Samsung's own devices: the MX and Networks unit lost ~$497 million (KRW 0.7 trillion) in Q2 2026 on ~$23.6 billion (KRW 33.2 trillion) revenue.
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 |
Samsung
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$236.9B | ~$31.4B | 13.3% | +10.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$213.6B | ~$23.9B | 11.2% | +16.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$183.8B | ~$10.3B | 5.6% | -14.3% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$214.6B | ~$38.9B | 18.1% | +8.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$198.5B | ~$27.9B | 14.0% | — | 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.
Samsung
- Memory semiconductors
- Foundry and system LSI
- Galaxy smartphones and mobile devices
- Display panels
- TVs and appliances
- Network equipment
- Harman automotive and audio
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.
Samsung
How it makes money
Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses. Device Solutions (DS) makes and sells memory (DRAM, HBM, NAND), System LSI chips such as Exynos processors and ISOCELL image sensors, and contract foundry manufacturing.
Growth strategy
Samsung's growth plan centers on AI memory: ramping HBM4 for Nvidia and AMD accelerators, developing HBM4E, and adding DRAM capacity at Pyeongtaek. In foundry it is pursuing 2nm gate-all-around production and building its Taylor, Texas fab to win customers from TSMC. On the device side it relies on Galaxy AI features, foldables and premium TVs to defend share against Apple and Chinese brands.
Competitive advantage
Samsung's edge is manufacturing scale and breadth. It is the largest memory producer and one of only three major DRAM makers, alongside SK hynix and Micron. That lets it capture pricing upswings like the 2026 AI-driven shortage.
Questions about AutoZone vs Samsung
Which company has higher revenue — AutoZone, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc. reported $20.3B (FY2026), while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. reported ~$236.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is the larger business, with AutoZone, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of AutoZone, Inc. vs Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $45.8B, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s is $1.33T. Samsung Electronics Co., 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 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
AutoZone, Inc. generates $156k / employee in revenue per employee, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generates $914k / employee. Samsung Electronics Co., 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 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. make money?
AutoZone, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., 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. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — AutoZone, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, AutoZone, Inc. trades at 2.3x P/S and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. at 5.6x P/S. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to AutoZone, Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is AutoZone, Inc. bigger than Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (~$236.9B (FY2025)) 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 Samsung overview