BlackRock vs Kia: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
BlackRock reported $24.2B of revenue in FY2025 and $5.6B of net income. Kia reported ~$81B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$5.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
BlackRock
BlackRock's revenue grew from $19.37 billion in 2021 to $24.22 billion in 2025, with a dip in 2022 and 2023 when stock and bond prices fell. Revenue jumped 19% in 2025 on higher markets, 9% organic base fee growth and fees from GIP and HPS. GAAP operating income fell 7% to $7.05 billion because of non-cash acquisition expenses and a charitable gift of Circle shares, but adjusted operating income rose 18% to $9.6 billion, a 44.1% margin. The firm returned $5 billion to shareholders in 2025 and raised its quarterly dividend 10% to $5.73 for 2026. In Q2 2026 revenue rose 31% to $7.08 billion, GAAP diluted EPS was $12.19 ($13.91 as adjusted), and planned buybacks were lifted to $550 million a quarter.
Kia
Kia's revenue has risen every year since 2020: from ~$49.6 billion (KRW 69.9 trillion) in 2021 to ~$76.3 billion (KRW 107.4 trillion) in 2024 and a record ~$81 billion (KRW 114.1 trillion) in 2025 (+6.2%). Profit has not kept up. Operating profit fell 28.3% in 2025 to ~$6.45 billion (KRW 9.08 trillion), and the margin dropped from 11.8% to 8.0% as US tariffs and incentives ate into earnings. Net profit was about $5.36 billion (KRW 7.55 trillion). The squeeze continued into 2026. Q1 revenue was a record ~$20.9 billion (KRW 29.50 trillion) (+5.3%), but operating profit fell 26.7% to ~$1.57 billion (KRW 2.21 trillion). Q2 revenue reached ~$23.5 billion (KRW 33.04 trillion) (+12.6%) while operating profit fell 4.9% to ~$1.87 billion (KRW 2.63 trillion). The shares dropped about 13% on the day of the Q2 results. Shareholder returns are still high: the 2025 dividend was KRW 6,800 per share, a 35% consolidated payout ratio, and Kia has been cancelling treasury shares, cutting issued shares from 405.4 million in 2022 to 390.4 million at the end of 2025.
Revenue and profit by year
Where the revenue comes from
BlackRock
- Investment advisory and administration fees
largest stream
Base fees charged on AUM across iShares ETFs, index, active, cash and private markets products.
- Technology services and subscriptions
~8% of 2025 revenue
Aladdin, eFront and Preqin software and data, about $2.0 billion in 2025 and $566 million in Q2 2026.
- Performance fees, distribution and securities lending
variable stream
Performance fees ($305 million in Q2 2026), distribution fees and lending revenue that move with markets, flows and fund results.
Kia
- Global Vehicle Sales
primary revenue source
Kia generates most revenue from selling SUVs, passenger cars, hybrids, EVs, and commercial vehicles through regional subsidiaries, importers, dealers, and fleet channels.
- Parts, Service, and Accessories
recurring support revenue
Genuine parts, aftersales service, accessories, and warranty-related activity provide higher-repeat revenue tied to Kia's installed vehicle base.
- Future Mobility and PBVs
emerging growth area
Dedicated EVs, software-defined vehicles, purpose-built vehicles, and connected services support Kia's longer-term mobility strategy.
Business model and strategy
BlackRock
How it makes money
BlackRock makes money in three main ways. The largest is base management and administration fees, charged as a percentage of the assets it runs across iShares ETFs, index and active funds, cash funds and institutional mandates. The second is technology services and subscription revenue from Aladdin, eFront and Preqin, which reached about $2.0 billion in 2025, up 24%.
Growth strategy
Growth now comes from four places. Private markets: GIP (closed October 2024, about $12.5 billion), HPS Investment Partners (closed July 2025, about $12 billion in stock) and ElmTree (2025) made BlackRock a major infrastructure and private credit manager, and GIP helped lead the $40 billion Aligned Data Centers purchase that closed in July 2026.
Competitive advantage
BlackRock's edge is scale combined with breadth. Running $15.3 trillion lets it price core iShares funds at 0.03% and still post a 44.1% adjusted operating margin in 2025, which smaller rivals cannot match. iShares also offers deep trading liquidity in many ETF categories, which matters to institutions moving large blocks.
Kia
How it makes money
Kia makes money mainly by building and selling vehicles wholesale to its regional sales subsidiaries, importers and franchised dealers, which then sell to retail and fleet buyers. SUVs and RVs such as the Sportage, Sorento, Seltos, Carnival and Telluride make up most of the mix and earn more per unit than small sedans.
Growth strategy
Kia's current strategy, set out at the 2026 CEO Investor Day, uses several powertrains instead of only EVs. It plans to grow EVs (EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, EV9 and later models) and hybrids together, add a PBV line of modular electric vans starting with the PV5, and build up software-defined vehicles, autonomous driving and robotics as longer-term businesses.
Competitive advantage
Kia's main advantages are its scale inside Hyundai Motor Group and the way it can switch powertrains easily. Sharing platforms, the E-GMP 800V EV architecture, batteries, chips and logistics (Hyundai Glovis) with Hyundai lowers development and purchasing costs. Factories in Korea, the US (Georgia), Mexico, Slovakia and India let Kia shift production between combustion, hybrid and electric models.
Questions about BlackRock vs Kia
Which company has higher revenue — BlackRock, Inc. or Kia Corporation?
BlackRock, Inc. reported $24.2B (FY2025), while Kia Corporation reported ~$81B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Kia Corporation is the larger business, with BlackRock, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of BlackRock, Inc. vs Kia Corporation?
BlackRock, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $166.2B, while Kia Corporation's is $32.4B. BlackRock, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Kia Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — BlackRock, Inc. or Kia Corporation?
BlackRock, Inc. generates $973k / employee in revenue per employee, while Kia Corporation generates $1.52M / employee. Kia Corporation 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 BlackRock, Inc. and Kia Corporation make money?
BlackRock, Inc. and Kia Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. BlackRock, Inc.: BlackRock makes money in three main ways. Kia Corporation: Kia makes money mainly by building and selling vehicles wholesale to its regional sales subsidiaries, importers and franchised dealers, which then sell to retail and fleet buyers.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — BlackRock, Inc. or Kia Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, BlackRock, Inc. trades at 6.9x P/S and Kia Corporation at 0.4x P/S. BlackRock, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Kia Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is BlackRock, Inc. bigger than Kia Corporation?
By last reported revenue, Kia Corporation (~$81B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to BlackRock, Inc. ($24.2B (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 BlackRock vs Kia overview