Honda vs Kia: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Honda reported ~$146B of revenue in FY2026 and a net loss of ~$2.8B. Kia reported ~$81B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$5.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Honda
Honda's revenue rose from ~$97.5 billion (JPY 14.55 trillion) in FY2022 to ~$145 billion (JPY 21.69 trillion) in FY2025 as a weaker yen and strong US hybrid demand lifted results. FY2026 revenue edged up to $146 billion (JPY 21.80 trillion), but EV charges of ~$10.6 billion (JPY 1.58 trillion) produced a ~$2.78 billion (JPY 414.3 billion) operating loss and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) net loss. Without those charges, adjusted operating profit was ~$6.97 billion (JPY 1.04 trillion). In Q1 FY2027 (April to June 2026) operating profit hit a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) and net profit was ~$3.02 billion (JPY 450.9 billion), and Honda raised its FY2027 net profit forecast to ~$2.68 billion (JPY 400 billion).
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
Honda
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | ~$146B | ~-$2.8B | -1.9% | +0.5% | Source |
| FY2025 | ~$145.3B | ~$5.6B | 3.9% | +6.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$136.9B | ~$7.4B | 5.4% | +20.8% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$113.3B | ~$4.4B | 3.9% | +16.2% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$97.5B | ~$4.7B | 4.9% | +10.5% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$88.2B | ~$4.4B | 5.0% | -11.8% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$100B | ~$3.1B | 3.1% | -6.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$106.5B | ~$4.1B | 3.8% | +3.4% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$102.9B | ~$7.1B | 6.9% | +9.7% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$93.8B | ~$4.1B | 4.4% | -4.1% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$97.8B | ~$2.3B | 2.4% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Honda
- Automobiles~65%
Passenger vehicles, hybrids, EVs, SUVs, parts, accessories, and related service revenue sold through global dealer networks.
- Motorcycles~17%
Motorcycles, scooters, parts, and related products sold globally, especially in Asia and other high-volume mobility markets.
- Financial Services~16%
Vehicle loans, leases, dealer financing, and related finance products that support automobile and motorcycle demand.
- Power Products and Other~2%
Power equipment, marine engines, aircraft-related activity, and other mobility-adjacent operations.
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
Honda
How it makes money
Honda earns money in four reportable segments. Automobiles (Honda and Acura cars and light trucks, led by the CR-V, Civic, Accord and hybrid e:HEV models) generate most revenue, with North America the largest profit market. Motorcycles generate high-volume, high-margin sales, especially in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil, and posted record profit in FY2026.
Growth strategy
Honda reset its electrification plan in 2026. In March it cancelled the US-built Honda 0 SUV, 0 Saloon and Acura RSX EVs, and in May it scrapped its 2030 and 2040 EV sales targets, including the goal of selling only battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles by 2040. The new plan leans on hybrids, a next-generation e:HEV system, motorcycles in emerging markets, and more flexible EV timing.
Competitive advantage
Honda's edge comes from three things. It leads the global motorcycle market with roughly 40% unit share, which gives it a profit base most automakers lack. Its two-motor hybrid system is competitive in the markets where hybrid demand is growing fastest, especially the US.
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 Honda vs Kia
Which company has higher revenue — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Kia Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. reported ~$146B (FY2026), while Kia Corporation reported ~$81B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is the larger business, with Kia Corporation 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 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. vs Kia Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.'s market capitalisation stands at $50.3B, while Kia Corporation's is $32.4B. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Kia Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Kia Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. generates $748k / 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 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Kia Corporation make money?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Kia Corporation generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Honda Motor Co., Ltd.: Honda earns money in four reportable segments. 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 — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Kia Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. trades at 0.3x P/S and Kia Corporation at 0.4x P/S. Kia Corporation commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Honda Motor Co., Ltd. bigger than Kia Corporation?
By last reported revenue, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (~$146B (FY2026)) 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 Honda vs Kia overview