Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Nestlé: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Bristol-Myers Squibb reported $48.2B of revenue in FY2025 and $7.1B of net income. Nestlé reported ~$107.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$10.8B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Latest revenue
- $48.2B (FY2025)
- Net income
- $7.1B
- Net margin
- 14.6%
- Revenue growth
- +10.6% a year, FY2016–FY2025
Nestlé
- Latest revenue
- ~$107.9B (FY2025)
- Net income
- ~$10.8B
- Net margin
- 10.0%
- Revenue growth
- +0.7% a year, FY2021–FY2025
Financial summary
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Revenue grew from $19.4 billion in 2016 to $42.5 billion in 2020 as Celgene's sales were added, and has stayed between $45.0 billion and $48.3 billion since 2021. Net earnings are far less stable because BMS expenses acquired in-process R&D: the $11.4 billion MyoKardia charge produced a $9.0 billion net loss in 2020, and the Karuna charge produced an $8.9 billion loss in 2024. Cash generation is steadier, with free cash flow of about $12.8 billion in 2025. That cash funds a dividend raised for a 17th straight year in February 2026, to $0.63 a quarter, and debt reduction, from $51.2 billion at the end of 2024 to $47.2 billion a year later. On July 30, 2026 BMS raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $49.0 to $50.0 billion, from $46.0 to $47.5 billion, after second-quarter revenue rose 6 percent to $12.97 billion.
Nestlé
Nestlé's sales have shrunk in Swiss franc terms since 2022, from ~$113 billion (CHF 94.4 billion) to ~$107 billion (CHF 89.5 billion) in 2025, largely because of a strong franc and disposals, even as organic growth stayed positive (3.5% in 2025). Net profit fell to ~$10.8 billion (CHF 9.0 billion) in 2025 and the underlying trading operating profit (UTOP) margin was 16.1%, while free cash flow reached ~$11 billion (CHF 9.2 billion). In the first half of 2026, sales were ~$51.7 billion (CHF 43.1 billion) with 3.6% organic growth and 1.5% real internal growth (RIG). Net profit dropped 31.4% to ~$4.2 billion (CHF 3.5 billion), but the UTOP margin recovered to 16.4% and free cash flow rose to ~$4.08 billion (CHF 3.4 billion).
Revenue and profit by year
Bristol-Myers Squibb
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $48.2B | $7.1B | 14.6% | -0.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | $48.3B | -$8.9B | -18.5% | +7.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $45B | $8B | 17.8% | -2.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $46.2B | $6.3B | 13.7% | -0.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | $46.4B | $7B | 15.1% | +9.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $42.5B | -$9B | -21.2% | +62.6% | Source |
| FY2019 | $26.1B | $3.4B | 13.2% | +15.9% | Source |
| FY2018 | $22.6B | $4.9B | 21.8% | +8.6% | Source |
| FY2017 | $20.8B | $1B | 4.8% | +6.9% | Source |
| FY2016 | $19.4B | $4.5B | 22.9% | — | Source |
Nestlé
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$107.9B | ~$10.8B | 10.0% | -2.0% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$110.1B | ~$13.1B | 11.9% | -1.7% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$112B | ~$13.5B | 12.0% | -1.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$113.7B | ~$11.1B | 9.8% | +8.4% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$105B | ~$20.3B | 19.3% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Growth Portfolio~55%
$26.4 billion in 2025, up 17%: Opdivo, Opdivo Qvantig, Orencia, Yervoy, Reblozyl, Breyanzi, Opdualag, Camzyos, Sotyktu, Cobenfy, Krazati and other newer brands. It grew another 15% to $7.56 billion in the second quarter of 2026.
- Legacy Portfolio~45%
$21.8 billion in 2025: Eliquis ($14.4 billion), Revlimid ($3.0 billion), Pomalyst/Imnovid ($2.7 billion), Sprycel, Abraxane and other mature brands facing generic competition. Legacy revenue fell 4% in the second quarter of 2026.
Nestlé
- Powdered and Liquid Beverages28.1%
Largest 2025 annual report category, including coffee and beverage brands such as Nescafé and Nespresso.
- PetCare20.6%
Purina-led pet care portfolio and one of Nestlé's key global growth engines.
- Nutrition and Health Science16.0%
Infant, medical, and health-science nutrition products.
- Prepared Dishes and Cooking Aids11.3%
Includes cooking aids, prepared meals, and brands such as Maggi.
- Milk Products and Ice Cream10.8%
Dairy and ice cream products, with portfolio changes under review.
- Confectionery9.7%
Chocolate and confectionery brands such as KitKat in most markets.
- Water3.5%
Water brands including premium and regional water products.
Business model and strategy
Bristol-Myers Squibb
How it makes money
BMS discovers, licenses or buys drug candidates, takes them through clinical trials, and sells approved medicines under patent protection to wholesalers, specialty pharmacies and hospitals. Net product sales were $46.8 billion of the $48.2 billion total in 2025; alliance, royalty and other revenues made up the remaining $1.4 billion, including royalties from Merck on Winrevair.
Growth strategy
BMS is pursuing growth on three fronts. First, scaling the Growth Portfolio (Opdivo Qvantig, Reblozyl, Camzyos, Breyanzi, Opdualag, Cobenfy and others), which rose 17 percent to $26.4 billion in 2025 and 15 percent to $7.56 billion in the second quarter of 2026.
Competitive advantage
BMS's advantage is its expertise in oncology and its large commercial and regulatory organization. Developing a cancer immunotherapy is complex, and winning approval from regulators and getting doctors to prescribe it requires an established global sales and regulatory team.
Nestlé
How it makes money
Nestlé makes money by manufacturing and selling branded food and drinks through supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce, pet specialty, pharmacies, hospitals and out-of-home channels in roughly 185 countries.
Growth strategy
Under Philipp Navratil, Nestlé is pursuing what it calls RIG-led growth: driving volume rather than price increases. It is putting more money behind four core businesses (Coffee, Petcare, Nutrition, Food & Snacks) and growth platforms that it says make up about 30% of sales. It is also reshaping the portfolio.
Competitive advantage
Nestlé's edge is the combination of global brands with local manufacturing and distribution. It runs a large worldwide factory and R&D network, holds leading positions in instant coffee and pet food, and can invest more in marketing and innovation than most rivals. Its Fuel for Growth cost programme is targeting ~$2.4 billion (CHF 2 billion) of savings by end-2026 to fund that brand investment.
Questions about Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Nestlé
Which company has higher revenue — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or Nestlé S.A.?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company reported $48.2B (FY2025), while Nestlé S.A. reported ~$107.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Nestlé S.A. is the larger business, with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company vs Nestlé S.A.?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's market capitalisation stands at $127.5B, while Nestlé S.A.'s is $295.1B. Nestlé S.A. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
Which is more financially efficient — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or Nestlé S.A.?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company generates $1.48M / employee in revenue per employee, while Nestlé S.A. generates $399k / employee. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 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 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Nestlé S.A. make money?
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Nestlé S.A. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: BMS discovers, licenses or buys drug candidates, takes them through clinical trials, and sells approved medicines under patent protection to wholesalers, specialty pharmacies and hospitals. Nestlé S.A.: Nestlé makes money by manufacturing and selling branded food and drinks through supermarkets, convenience stores, e-commerce, pet specialty, pharmacies, hospitals and out-of-home channels in roughly 185 countries.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or Nestlé S.A.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company trades at 2.6x P/S and Nestlé S.A. at 2.7x P/S. Nestlé S.A. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Bristol-Myers Squibb Company bigger than Nestlé S.A.?
By last reported revenue, Nestlé S.A. (~$107.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ($48.2B (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 Bristol-Myers Squibb vs Nestlé overview