BYD vs Kia: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
BYD reported ~$111.8B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$4.5B of net income. Kia reported ~$81B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$5.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
BYD
BYD's revenue grew more than fivefold in five years, from ~$21.8 billion (CN¥156.6 billion) in 2020 to ~$112 billion (CN¥803.96 billion) in 2025, as its new energy vehicle sales rose to 4.6 million units. Profit peaked in 2024 at about $5.59 billion (CN¥40.2 billion) and fell 19% in 2025 to ~$4.53 billion (CN¥32.62 billion) attributable to shareholders, BYD's first annual decline in four years, which the company linked to product mix changes and a lower gross margin. Gross margin slipped from 19.1% in 2024 to 17.5% in 2025. The first half of 2026 brought revenue of ~$47.9 billion (CN¥344.8 billion) (down 7.1%) and net profit of ~$1.71 billion (CN¥12.3 billion) (down 20.5%), although second-quarter profit rose year on year for the first time in five quarters on record exports. Overseas revenue of ~$25.2 billion (CN¥181.3 billion) overtook revenue from China for the first time.
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
BYD
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$111.8B | ~$4.5B | 4.0% | +3.5% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$108B | ~$5.6B | 5.2% | +29.0% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$83.7B | ~$4.2B | 5.0% | +42.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$58.9B | ~$2.3B | 3.9% | +96.2% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$30B | ~$420.6M | 1.4% | +38.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$21.8B | ~$588M | 2.7% | +22.6% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$17.8B | ~$223.8M | 1.3% | -1.8% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$18.1B | ~$386.4M | 2.1% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
BYD
- Automobiles and related products~81%
Sales of BYD, Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang passenger cars, buses and trucks, plus related products such as batteries and energy storage. The segment produced ~$90.2 billion (CN¥648.6 billion) in FY2025 and ~$38.3 billion (CN¥275.3 billion) (79.9% of revenue) in the first half of 2026.
- Mobile handset components and assembly~19%
Contract manufacturing and assembly of phones, tablets, smart car components and other devices, mainly through BYD Electronic. The segment produced ~$21.6 billion (CN¥155.2 billion) in FY2025, and electronics revenue rose 1.0% to ~$9.65 billion (CN¥69.4 billion) in the first half of 2026.
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
BYD
How it makes money
BYD earns most of its revenue by designing, building and selling passenger cars under the BYD (Dynasty and Ocean series), Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang brands, along with buses, trucks, batteries and energy storage systems. Its automobiles and related products segment produced ~$90.2 billion (CN¥648.6 billion) in FY2025, about 81% of group revenue.
Growth strategy
BYD's growth plan has three parts. First, build locally abroad: plants in Thailand, Uzbekistan and Camaçari, Brazil are producing cars, Hungary is due to start series production in the fourth quarter of 2026, and a Turkish plant was paused in June 2026 while BYD concentrates on Europe. Second, move upmarket through Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang, which sell at higher prices than core BYD models.
Competitive advantage
BYD's advantage is cost control from owning its supply chain. It makes its own LFP Blade battery cells, motors, electronic controls and power chips, so it can sell a Seagull hatchback from around CN¥70,000 in China and still run a profitable car business, and it can put new technology such as the second-generation Blade Battery and FLASH charging into many models at once.
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 BYD vs Kia
Which company has higher revenue — BYD Company Ltd or Kia Corporation?
BYD Company Ltd reported ~$111.8B (FY2025), while Kia Corporation reported ~$81B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, BYD Company Ltd is the larger business, with Kia Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of BYD Company Ltd vs Kia Corporation?
BYD Company Ltd's market capitalisation stands at $113.4B, while Kia Corporation's is $32.4B. BYD Company Ltd carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Kia Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — BYD Company Ltd or Kia Corporation?
BYD Company Ltd generates $123k / 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 BYD Company Ltd and Kia Corporation make money?
BYD Company Ltd and Kia Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. BYD Company Ltd: BYD earns most of its revenue by designing, building and selling passenger cars under the BYD (Dynasty and Ocean series), Denza, Fangchengbao and Yangwang brands, along with buses, trucks, batteries and energy storage systems. 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 — BYD Company Ltd or Kia Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, BYD Company Ltd trades at 1.0x P/S and Kia Corporation at 0.4x P/S. BYD Company Ltd 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 BYD Company Ltd bigger than Kia Corporation?
By last reported revenue, BYD Company Ltd (~$111.8B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Kia Corporation (~$81B (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 BYD vs Kia overview