Canon vs Unilever: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Canon reported ~$31B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$2.2B of net income. Unilever reported ~$57.1B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$10.7B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Canon
Canon's sales fell from ~$27.3 billion (¥4,080.0 billion) in 2017, the first full year with Toshiba Medical, to ~$21.2 billion (¥3,160.2 billion) in 2020 as cameras and office printing shrank and the pandemic hit. They have grown every year since, reaching a record ~$31 billion (¥4,624.7 billion) in 2025 (+2.5%). Operating profit was ~$3.05 billion (¥455.4 billion) in 2025, a 9.8% margin, up from ~$1.87 billion (¥279.8 billion) in 2024, when a ~$1.11 billion (¥165.1 billion) goodwill impairment on the medical business cut net income to ~$1.07 billion (¥160.0 billion). Net income attributable to Canon Inc. more than doubled to ~$2.23 billion (¥332.1 billion) and EPS rose to ¥367.48. Canon paid a ¥160 dividend (42.9% payout), generated ~$1.6 billion (¥238.5 billion) of free cash flow and ended 2025 with ~$6.34 billion (¥946.2 billion) of interest-bearing debt, up from ~$4.45 billion (¥663.5 billion). By region, the Americas supplied 32% of 2025 sales, Europe 26%, Japan 21% and Asia and Oceania 21%. In July 2026, after record second-quarter sales, Canon guided to ~$32.2 billion (¥4,800.0 billion) of 2026 sales and ~$3.12 billion (¥465.0 billion) of operating profit.
Unilever
Unilever's 2025 turnover from continuing operations was ~$57.1 billion (EUR 50.5 billion), down 3.8% in reported terms because of adverse currency moves and disposals, even as underlying sales grew 3.5% with 1.5% from volume. Free cash flow was ~$6.67 billion (EUR 5.9 billion), about $757 million (EUR 670 million) of productivity savings had been delivered by the end of 2025, and the company announced a new ~$1.69 billion (EUR 1.5 billion) share buyback. Momentum improved in 2026: first-half turnover was ~$28.9 billion (EUR 25.6 billion) (up 0.5%), underlying sales grew 4.8% with 4.2% volume, Q2 underlying growth reached 5.8%, and the underlying operating margin was 20.3%. Unilever raised its full-year outlook after the H1 2026 results.
Revenue and profit by year
Canon
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$31B | ~$2.2B | 7.2% | +2.5% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$30.2B | ~$1.1B | 3.5% | +7.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$28B | ~$1.8B | 6.3% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$27B | ~$1.6B | 6.1% | +14.7% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$23.5B | ~$1.4B | 6.1% | +11.2% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$21.2B | ~$558.2M | 2.6% | -12.1% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$24.1B | ~$837.3M | 3.5% | -9.1% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$26.5B | ~$1.7B | 6.4% | -3.1% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$27.3B | ~$1.6B | 5.9% | +19.9% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$22.8B | ~$1B | 4.4% | — | Source |
Unilever
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$57.1B | ~$10.7B | 18.7% | -3.8% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$59.3B | ~$6.5B | 10.9% | +1.5% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$58.4B | ~$7.3B | 12.6% | -14.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$67.9B | ~$8.6B | 12.7% | +14.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$59.3B | ~$6.8B | 11.5% | +3.4% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$57.3B | ~$6.3B | 11.0% | -2.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$58.7B | ~$6.4B | 10.8% | +2.0% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$57.6B | ~$10.6B | 18.4% | -5.1% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$60.7B | ~$6.8B | 11.2% | +1.9% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$59.6B | ~$5.9B | 9.8% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Canon
- Printing54%
Office multifunction devices, prosumer laser and inkjet printers and production presses, with recurring toner, ink and service revenue. ~$16.7 billion (¥2,494.4 billion) in 2025.
- Imaging23%
Cameras and lenses (~$4.19 billion (¥625.5 billion)) and network cameras and video software (~$2.88 billion (¥429.4 billion)). ~$7.07 billion (¥1,054.9 billion) in 2025.
- Medical13%
CT, MRI, ultrasound and X-ray equipment and service. ~$3.89 billion (¥580.6 billion) in 2025.
- Industrial8%
Semiconductor and flat-panel lithography, nanoimprint, OLED deposition and sputtering equipment. ~$2.42 billion (¥361.1 billion) in 2025.
- Others & Corporate5%
Other businesses and corporate items, ~$1.59 billion (¥237.1 billion) in 2025, before eliminations of intersegment sales.
Unilever
- Power Brands
78% of 2025 turnover
Dove, Vaseline, Rexona, Sunsilk, OMO, Knorr and the other Power Brands made up 78% of turnover in 2025.
- Beauty & Wellbeing
Not formally reported
One of four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger; it includes prestige beauty and wellbeing supplements.
- Personal Care
Not formally reported
One of the four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger.
- Home Care
Not formally reported
One of the four business groups reported after the 2025 Ice Cream demerger.
- Foods
Not formally reported
Largely to be combined with McCormick in a pending transaction; it includes Unilever Food Solutions for foodservice.
Business model and strategy
Canon
How it makes money
Canon designs, builds and sells hardware, then earns recurring revenue from consumables, service contracts and software on the installed base.
Growth strategy
Phase VII sets 2030 sales targets for each unit: Printing ~$18.8 billion (¥2.8 trillion) (about 2% a year), Imaging ~$8.98 billion (¥1.34 trillion) (5%), Medical ~$5.03 billion (¥750 billion) (5%) and Industrial ~$4.02 billion (¥600 billion) (10%). Growth products named in the plan are nanoimprint lithography, photon-counting CT and industrial printing equipment.
Competitive advantage
Canon's edge is vertical integration in optics and imaging. It designs its own lenses, CMOS image sensors, print engines and image-processing chips, and builds much of its own production equipment. That depth shows in its patent output (seventh in U.S. patent grants in 2025 and in the top 10 for 42 straight years, according to IFI Claims) and in a camera business that has held the No.
Unilever
How it makes money
Unilever makes money by manufacturing and selling branded, repeat-purchase consumer products through supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, small independent shops and e-commerce. After the 2025 Ice Cream demerger it reports four business groups: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods. Its Power Brands, such as Dove, Vaseline, Rexona, Sunsilk, OMO and Knorr, made up 78% of turnover in 2025.
Growth strategy
Under Fernando Fernandez, Unilever is concentrating investment behind about 30 Power Brands, increasing marketing spend through social and influencer channels, rotating the portfolio toward premium beauty and wellbeing (2025 deals included Dr. Squatch, Wild and Minimalist), and separating lower-growth food and ice cream assets.
Competitive advantage
Unilever's advantage is a mix of trusted brands, emerging-market distribution, local manufacturing, repeat-purchase categories, Power Brand marketing scale, and deep category knowledge in personal care, home care, beauty, and foods.
Questions about Canon vs Unilever
Which company has higher revenue — Canon Inc. or Unilever PLC?
Canon Inc. reported ~$31B (FY2025), while Unilever PLC reported ~$57.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Unilever PLC is the larger business, with Canon Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Canon Inc. vs Unilever PLC?
Canon Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $25.6B, while Unilever PLC's is $132.5B. Unilever PLC carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Canon Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Canon Inc. or Unilever PLC?
Canon Inc. generates $187k / employee in revenue per employee, while Unilever PLC generates $594k / employee. Unilever PLC 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 Canon Inc. and Unilever PLC make money?
Canon Inc. and Unilever PLC generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Canon Inc.: Canon designs, builds and sells hardware, then earns recurring revenue from consumables, service contracts and software on the installed base. Unilever PLC: Unilever makes money by manufacturing and selling branded, repeat-purchase consumer products through supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, small independent shops and e-commerce.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Canon Inc. or Unilever PLC?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Canon Inc. trades at 0.8x P/S and Unilever PLC at 2.3x P/S. Unilever PLC commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Canon Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Canon Inc. bigger than Unilever PLC?
By last reported revenue, Unilever PLC (~$57.1B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Canon Inc. (~$31B (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 Canon vs Unilever overview