Ford vs United Airlines: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Ford reported $187.3B of revenue in FY2025 and a net loss of $8.2B. United Airlines reported $59.1B of revenue in FY2025 and $3.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Ford
- Latest revenue
- $187.3B (FY2025)
- Net income
- -$8.2B
- Net margin
- -4.4%
- Revenue growth
- +2.4% a year, FY2016–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
Ford
Ford's numbers show a profitable truck and fleet business funding an expensive EV reset. FY2025 revenue rose 1.2% to $187.267B, but Ford posted an $8.162B net loss as Model e lost $4.806B at EBIT and the company took charges tied to its December 2025 decision to cancel some EV programs. Ford Pro earned $6.843B of EBIT. In Q2 2026, revenue fell 4% to $48.3B on lower wholesale volumes and aluminum shortages linked to supplier Novelis, and the $1.3B net loss included $3.6B of charges for exiting the BlueOval SK battery joint venture. Adjusted EBIT still rose 17% to $2.5B, adjusted free cash flow was $2.1B, and liquidity exceeded $43B.
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
Ford
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $187.3B | -$8.2B | -4.4% | +1.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | $185B | $5.9B | 3.2% | +5.0% | Source |
| FY2023 | $176.2B | $4.3B | 2.5% | +11.5% | Source |
| FY2022 | $158.1B | -$2B | -1.3% | +15.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | $136.3B | $17.9B | 13.2% | +7.2% | Source |
| FY2020 | $127.1B | -$1.3B | -1.0% | -18.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | $155.9B | $84M | 0.1% | -2.8% | Source |
| FY2018 | $160.3B | $3.7B | 2.3% | +2.3% | Source |
| FY2017 | $156.8B | $7.8B | 4.9% | +3.3% | Source |
| FY2016 | $151.8B | $4.6B | 3.0% | — | 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
Ford
- Ford Blue~54%
Combustion and hybrid Ford and Lincoln retail vehicles generated $101.019B of FY2025 revenue.
- Ford Pro~35%
Commercial vehicles, fleet services, telematics, charging, and related customer relationships generated $66.286B of FY2025 revenue.
- Ford Model e~4%
Electric vehicles, EV technologies, and related software generated $6.670B of FY2025 revenue while remaining loss-making.
- Ford Credit and Other~7%
Vehicle financing, leasing, and other corporate activities complete Ford's consolidated revenue base.
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
Ford
How it makes money
Ford designs, builds, and sells vehicles through roughly 9,000 independent Ford and Lincoln dealers worldwide and reports three operating segments plus Ford Credit. Ford Blue sells gas and hybrid retail vehicles such as the F-150, Bronco, Explorer, and Maverick ($101.0B of FY2025 revenue).
Growth strategy
After its December 2025 EV reset, Ford is concentrating capital on trucks, hybrids, and higher-margin services rather than large first-generation battery-electric programs.
Competitive advantage
Ford's clearest moat is the F-Series truck franchise, the best-selling pickup line in the U.S. every year since 1977, combined with Ford Pro's position in commercial vans and Super Duty trucks. Fleet customers buy vehicles, service, parts, telematics, and financing from one supplier, and Ford's upfitter, dealer, and mobile-service network is hard for EV startups or importers to replicate.
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 Ford vs United Airlines
Which company has higher revenue — Ford Motor Company or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Ford Motor Company reported $187.3B (FY2025), while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reported $59.1B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Ford Motor Company is the larger business, with United Airlines Holdings, Inc. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Ford Motor Company vs United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Ford Motor Company's market capitalisation stands at $48.0B, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc.'s is $36.1B. Ford Motor Company carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to United Airlines Holdings, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — Ford Motor Company or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
Ford Motor Company generates $1.11M / employee in revenue per employee, while United Airlines Holdings, Inc. generates $522k / employee. Ford Motor 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 Ford Motor Company and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. make money?
Ford Motor Company and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Ford Motor Company: Ford designs, builds, and sells vehicles through roughly 9,000 independent Ford and Lincoln dealers worldwide and reports three operating segments plus Ford Credit. United Airlines Holdings, Inc.: United makes money by filling a hub-and-spoke network.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Ford Motor Company or United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Ford Motor Company trades at 0.3x P/S and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. at 0.6x P/S. United Airlines Holdings, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Ford Motor Company. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Ford Motor Company bigger than United Airlines Holdings, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Ford Motor Company ($187.3B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to United Airlines Holdings, Inc. ($59.1B (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 Ford vs United Airlines overview