Coca-Cola vs Nestlé: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Coca-Cola reported $47.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $13.1B of net income. Nestlé reported ~$107.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$10.8B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola's financial profile comes from its asset-light franchise model. It sells concentrates and syrups to independent bottlers, which own the capital-intensive plants, trucks and coolers, so the parent company keeps high margins on a relatively small asset base. FY2025 revenue was $47.941 billion with $13.107 billion in net income, up from $47.061 billion in revenue in 2024. In Q2 2026, net revenue grew 7% to $13.4 billion and comparable EPS rose 11% to $0.97. That cash supports the dividend: in February 2026 the board approved a 64th consecutive annual increase, to $0.53 per quarter. Berkshire Hathaway has held 400 million shares since the early 1990s, making it the largest single shareholder.
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
Coca-Cola
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $47.9B | $13.1B | 27.3% | +1.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | $47.1B | — | 0.0% | +2.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | $45.8B | $10.7B | 23.4% | +6.4% | Source |
| FY2022 | $43B | $9.5B | 22.2% | +11.3% | Source |
| FY2021 | $38.7B | — | 0.0% | +17.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $33B | — | 0.0% | -11.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | $37.3B | $8.9B | 23.9% | — | 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
Coca-Cola
- Concentrate operations
Roughly 55-60% of net operating revenue
Sales of concentrates, syrups and beverage bases to authorized bottlers and fountain customers; the high-margin core of the model.
- Finished product operations
Roughly 40-45% of net operating revenue
Company-owned bottling operations, Costa Coffee, fairlife and other businesses that sell finished beverages directly to retailers and distributors.
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
Coca-Cola
How it makes money
Coca-Cola runs a franchise model. The company develops or acquires beverage recipes and runs global marketing, including sponsorships such as the Olympics. It earns revenue by selling concentrate to independent bottling companies around the world, such as Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. The bottlers add water, package the drinks and handle distribution, and pay Coca-Cola for the right to sell its brands.
Growth strategy
Coca-Cola calls itself a 'total beverage company': it keeps trademark Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar at the center while building scale in coffee (Costa), sports hydration (BodyArmor, Powerade), premium water (Smartwater, Topo Chico) and value-added dairy (fairlife).
Competitive advantage
Coca-Cola's advantage is its brand and its distribution network. Its products reach even very remote places through a system of bottlers, trucks and independent shopkeepers that took more than a century to build. A new drinks company can develop a product people like, but it cannot quickly match Coca-Cola's reach into shops and refrigerators worldwide.
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 Coca-Cola vs Nestlé
Which company has higher revenue — The Coca-Cola Company or Nestlé S.A.?
The Coca-Cola Company reported $47.9B (FY2025), while Nestlé S.A. reported ~$107.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Nestlé S.A. is the larger business, with The Coca-Cola Company reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of The Coca-Cola Company vs Nestlé S.A.?
The Coca-Cola Company's market capitalisation stands at $379.0B, while Nestlé S.A.'s is $295.1B. The Coca-Cola Company carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Nestlé S.A..
Which is more financially efficient — The Coca-Cola Company or Nestlé S.A.?
The Coca-Cola Company generates $727k / employee in revenue per employee, while Nestlé S.A. generates $399k / employee. The Coca-Cola 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 The Coca-Cola Company and Nestlé S.A. make money?
The Coca-Cola Company and Nestlé S.A. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. The Coca-Cola Company: Coca-Cola runs a franchise model. 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 — The Coca-Cola Company or Nestlé S.A.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, The Coca-Cola Company trades at 7.9x P/S and Nestlé S.A. at 2.7x P/S. The Coca-Cola Company commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Nestlé S.A.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is The Coca-Cola Company bigger than Nestlé S.A.?
By last reported revenue, Nestlé S.A. (~$107.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to The Coca-Cola Company ($47.9B (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 Coca-Cola vs Nestlé overview