BNP Paribas vs United Airlines: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
BNP Paribas reported ~$57.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$13.8B of net income. United Airlines reported $59.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $3.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
BNP Paribas
- Latest revenue
- ~$57.9B (FY2025)
- Net income
- ~$13.8B
- Net margin
- 23.9%
- Revenue growth
- +2.6% a year, FY2021–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
BNP Paribas
Reported revenues were ~$52.2 billion (€46.2 billion) in 2021, ~$57 billion (€50.4 billion) in 2022 as first published, ~$51.9 billion (€45.9 billion) in 2023, ~$55.1 billion (€48.8 billion) in 2024 and ~$57.9 billion (€51.2 billion) in 2025. The 2023 drop is mostly accounting: Bank of the West was sold on 1 February 2023 and moved out of continuing revenue, and IFRS 17 changed how insurance revenue is reported from 2023. Net income, Group share, rose every year, from ~$10.7 billion (€9.5 billion) in 2021 to ~$13.8 billion (€12.2 billion) in 2025. The 2025 dividend was €5.16 per share, and the bank now also pays an interim dividend each September (€3.23 for 2026, paid on 28 September 2026). Second-quarter 2026 net income of ~$4.91 billion (€4.345 billion), up 33.4%, included a one-off gain on the Ageas transaction.
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
BNP Paribas
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$57.9B | ~$13.8B | 23.9% | +4.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$55.2B | ~$13.2B | 23.9% | +6.4% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$51.8B | ~$12.4B | 23.9% | -9.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$57B | ~$11.5B | 20.2% | +9.0% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$52.2B | ~$10.7B | 20.5% | — | 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
BNP Paribas
- Commercial, Personal Banking & Services
largest division
CPBS revenue was ~$30.2 billion (€26.717 billion) in FY2025, from the four domestic retail banks, Personal Finance, Arval, Leasing Solutions and Nickel.
- Corporate & Institutional Banking
second-largest division
CIB revenue was ~$21.5 billion (€18.997 billion) in FY2025 and ~$5.97 billion (€5.281 billion) in the second quarter of 2026, up 12.7%.
- Investment & Protection Services
fee and insurance stream
IPS revenue, including AXA IM from July 2025, was ~$7.83 billion (€6.929 billion) in FY2025.
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
BNP Paribas
How it makes money
BNP Paribas is a universal bank: it lends to households and companies and earns interest on that lending, collects fees on payments, advisory work, asset management and custody, earns insurance and leasing income, and books trading revenue in global markets.
Growth strategy
Recent growth has come from targeted deals and partnerships. BNP Paribas Cardif bought AXA Investment Managers for ~$5.76 billion (€5.1 billion) in July 2025 and agreed to manage a large part of AXA's assets. Arval completed its purchase of Athlon from Mercedes-Benz Group on 31 July 2026, taking its combined fleet to 2.3 million vehicles.
Competitive advantage
BNP Paribas's edge is diversification at scale. Four domestic retail networks supply deposits and client relationships; CIB serves many of the same companies with financing, hedging and capital-markets work; and Cardif, asset management and Arval add insurance, fee and lease income that depends less on interest rates.
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 BNP Paribas vs United Airlines
Which company has higher revenue — BNP Paribas SA or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
BNP Paribas SA reported ~$57.9B (FY2025), while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported $59.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. is the larger business, with BNP Paribas SA reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of BNP Paribas SA vs United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
BNP Paribas SA's market capitalisation stands at $129.4B, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc.'s is $36.1B. BNP Paribas SA carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to United Airlines Holdings, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — BNP Paribas SA or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
BNP Paribas SA generates $322k / 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 BNP Paribas SA and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. make money?
BNP Paribas SA and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. BNP Paribas SA: BNP Paribas is a universal bank: it lends to households and companies and earns interest on that lending, collects fees on payments, advisory work, asset management and custody, earns insurance and leasing income, and books trading revenue in global markets. United Airlines Holdings, Inc.: United makes money by filling a hub-and-spoke network.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — BNP Paribas SA or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, BNP Paribas SA trades at 2.2x P/S and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. at 0.6x P/S. BNP Paribas SA 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 BNP Paribas SA bigger than United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. ($59.1B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to BNP Paribas SA (~$57.9B (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 BNP Paribas vs United Airlines overview