Hitachi vs Klarna: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Hitachi reported ~$70.9B of revenue in FY2026 and ~$5.4B of net income. Klarna reported $3.5B of revenue in FY2025 and a net loss of $273M.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Hitachi
Hitachi posted a ~$5.27 billion (¥787.3 billion) net loss for fiscal 2008, then the largest ever by a Japanese manufacturer. Under Takashi Kawamura and Hiroaki Nakanishi it cut loss-making consumer businesses, and later leaders sold listed subsidiaries such as Hitachi Chemical (2020), Hitachi Metals (2023), and a controlling stake in Hitachi Construction Machinery (2022). Revenue dipped from ~$72.9 billion (¥10.88 trillion) in FY2022 to ~$65.2 billion (¥9.73 trillion) in FY2023 as those units left, then climbed back to ~$71 billion (¥10.59 trillion) in FY2025 on organic growth. FY2025 adjusted EBITA was a record ~$8.78 billion (¥1.31 trillion) (12.4% margin) and net income was ~$5.38 billion (¥802.3 billion), up about 30%. In Q1 FY2026 (April-June 2026) revenue rose 20% to ~$18.2 billion (¥2,709.6 billion), helped by currency, and management raised full-year guidance.
Klarna
Klarna's revenue grew from $2.28 billion in 2023 to $2.81 billion in 2024 and $3.51 billion in 2025, according to its 2025 Form 20-F. Net income swung from a $244 million loss in 2023 to a $21 million profit in 2024, then back to a $273 million loss in 2025, even as adjusted operating profit reached $65 million. Q4 2025 was its first billion-dollar quarter at $1.082 billion of revenue on $38.7 billion of GMV. In Q2 2026, revenue rose 27% to $1.042 billion, transaction margin dollars rose 42% to $446 million and net income was $9 million, against a $53 million loss a year earlier. The market cap was about $5.2 billion in late September 2026, well below the roughly $15 billion valuation at its September 2025 IPO.
Revenue and profit by year
Hitachi
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | ~$70.9B | ~$5.4B | 7.6% | +8.2% | Source |
| FY2025 | ~$65.5B | ~$4.1B | 6.3% | +0.6% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$65.2B | ~$4B | 6.1% | -10.6% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$72.9B | ~$4.3B | 6.0% | +6.0% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$68.8B | ~$3.9B | 5.7% | — | Source |
Klarna
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $3.5B | -$273M | -7.8% | +24.8% | Source |
| FY2024 | $2.8B | $21M | 0.7% | +23.5% | Source |
| FY2023 | $2.3B | -$244M | -10.7% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Hitachi
- Digital Systems & Services
Reported sector
Japanese IT systems for finance and government, GlobalLogic digital engineering, cloud and managed services, and Lumada solutions.
- Energy
Reported sector
Hitachi Energy grid infrastructure, HVDC, transformers, and related service contracts.
- Mobility
Reported sector
Hitachi Rail trains, signalling and train control (including former Thales GTS), and maintenance.
- Connective Industries
Reported sector
Building systems, industrial products and systems, Hitachi High-Tech, and, until its sale, home appliances.
Klarna
- Merchant fees
Not formally reported
Fees charged to merchants on Klarna transactions; the largest source of revenue.
- Consumer interest and fees
Not formally reported
Interest on Fair Financing and other credit products, plus late fees where permitted.
- Card and memberships
Not formally reported
Interchange from the Klarna Card and subscription revenue from Memberships, which grew more than 600% in Q2 2026.
- Advertising and other
Not formally reported
Sponsored placements and affiliate revenue in the Klarna app.
Business model and strategy
Hitachi
How it makes money
Hitachi is a B2B infrastructure and IT company. It sells long-lived physical assets (transformers, HVDC converter stations, trains, signalling, elevators, semiconductor metrology tools) and then earns recurring service, maintenance, and software revenue on that installed base. Lumada is the umbrella for the data, AI, and digital services layered on top, and Hitachi reports Lumada as a growing share of total revenue.
Growth strategy
Hitachi grows by attaching software and services to its installed base and by reshaping its portfolio. It is expanding Hitachi Energy factory capacity for transformers and HVDC, integrating Thales GTS into Hitachi Rail, and scaling Lumada through GlobalLogic and AI partnerships.
Competitive advantage
Hitachi's edge is owning both the operational technology and the IT. Hitachi Energy (built on ABB's former Power Grids business) is one of a handful of suppliers able to deliver HVDC links and large power transformers at scale, Hitachi Rail became a top-tier signalling supplier after buying Thales GTS in 2024, and GlobalLogic plus Hitachi's Japanese IT business supply the software.
Klarna
How it makes money
Klarna earns money on both sides of a purchase. Merchants pay Klarna a fee on each transaction because offering installments tends to lift conversion and basket size; Klarna pays the merchant upfront and carries the repayment risk (its published US standard rate for Pay in 4 has been 3.29% plus $0.30).
Growth strategy
Klarna calls itself an 'everyday finance network'. The strategy has three parts: distribution through large acquirers and platforms (J.P. Morgan Payments went live in August 2026), higher-frequency products such as the Klarna Card and paid Memberships (2 million subscribers in Q2 2026, eight times a year earlier), and higher-yield lending such as Fair Financing, which 256,000 merchants offered by Q2 2026.
Competitive advantage
Klarna's edge is scale and funding. It reaches more than 120 million active consumers and over 1.2 million merchants in 26 markets, and distribution deals with payment platforms such as J.P. Morgan Payments, Stripe and Adyen switch Klarna on for merchants without a new integration.
Questions about Hitachi vs Klarna
Which company has higher revenue — Hitachi, Ltd. or Klarna Group plc?
Hitachi, Ltd. reported ~$70.9B (FY2026), while Klarna Group plc reported $3.5B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Hitachi, Ltd. is the larger business, with Klarna Group plc reporting a smaller revenue base. Note: these are from different fiscal years and are not a direct like-for-like comparison.
What is the market cap of Hitachi, Ltd. vs Klarna Group plc?
Hitachi, Ltd.'s market capitalisation stands at $157.8B, while Klarna Group plc's is $5.2B. Hitachi, Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Klarna Group plc.
Which is more financially efficient — Hitachi, Ltd. or Klarna Group plc?
Hitachi, Ltd. generates $246k / employee in revenue per employee, while Klarna Group plc generates $1.24M / employee. Klarna Group 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 Hitachi, Ltd. and Klarna Group plc make money?
Hitachi, Ltd. and Klarna Group plc generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Hitachi, Ltd.: Hitachi is a B2B infrastructure and IT company. Klarna Group plc: Klarna earns money on both sides of a purchase.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Hitachi, Ltd. or Klarna Group plc?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Hitachi, Ltd. trades at 2.2x P/S and Klarna Group plc at 1.5x P/S. Hitachi, Ltd. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Klarna Group plc. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Hitachi, Ltd. bigger than Klarna Group plc?
By last reported revenue, Hitachi, Ltd. (~$70.9B (FY2026)) is the larger company compared to Klarna Group plc ($3.5B (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 Hitachi vs Klarna overview