JD.com vs Zalando: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
JD.com had ~$182B of annual revenue in FY2025 and ~$3.2B of net income. Zalando had ~$14B of annual revenue in FY2025 and ~$243.1M of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
JD.com
JD's revenue grew from ~$35.9 billion (RMB258.3 billion) in 2016 to ~$182 billion (RMB1,309.1 billion) in 2025. Profitability has been thin but improving in core retail: JD Retail's 2025 operating margin rose to 4.6%, the sixth straight year of expansion. Group profit fell in 2025, however, because of food-delivery spending: net income attributable to shareholders was ~$2.72 billion (RMB19.6 billion) versus ~$5.75 billion (RMB41.4 billion) in 2024, and non-GAAP net income was ~$3.75 billion (RMB27.0 billion) versus ~$6.64 billion (RMB47.8 billion). In 2026 the picture shifted toward margin over growth. Q1 2026 revenue rose 4.9% to ~$43.9 billion (RMB315.7 billion), while Q2 2026 revenue fell 2.9% to ~$48.1 billion (RMB346.4 billion) on a high base from 2025 trade-in subsidies, yet non-GAAP net income climbed 20.8% to ~$1.24 billion (RMB8.9 billion) as food-delivery losses narrowed by more than half. JD also repurchased about US$3.0 billion of shares in 2025, roughly 6.3% of shares outstanding. JD.com, Inc. (also known as Jingdong) is a colossal Chinese e-commerce company and massive retailer, maintaining a market valuation typically over $35 billion.
Zalando
Zalando's FY2025 revenue rose 16.8% to ~$14 billion (€12.35 billion), mainly because ABOUT YOU was consolidated from July 2025. Adjusted EBIT was ~$668 million (€591 million) and net income was about $243 million (€215 million). H1 2026 revenue rose 22.2% to ~$7.25 billion (€6.42 billion) on a reported basis. For full-year 2026, Zalando guides to adjusted EBIT of €680-720 million.
Revenue and profit by year
JD.com
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$182B | ~$3.2B | 1.8% | +13.0% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$161.1B | ~$6.2B | 3.9% | +6.8% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$150.8B | ~$3.2B | 2.1% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$145.4B | ~$1.3B | 0.9% | +9.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$132.3B | ~-$620.9M | -0.5% | +27.6% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$103.7B | ~$6.9B | 6.6% | +29.3% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$80.2B | ~$1.7B | 2.1% | +24.9% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$64.2B | ~-$389.3M | -0.6% | +27.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$50.4B | ~-$1.6M | -0.0% | +40.3% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$35.9B | ~-$529.1M | -1.5% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
JD.com
- Net product revenue (1P retail)
Not formally reported
JD buys electronics, appliances, groceries and general merchandise, stores them in its own warehouses and sells at a retail margin. This is the bulk of revenue.
- Marketplace and marketing services
Not formally reported
Commissions and advertising paid by third-party merchants.
- Logistics services
Not formally reported
JD Logistics sells warehousing, express and freight services to outside companies. Its Q2 2026 revenue rose 24.3%.
- New businesses
Not formally reported
JD Food Delivery, launched in 2025, and international retail. Group revenue was ~$182 billion (RMB1,309.1 billion) in 2025.
Zalando
- B2C (Zalando, ABOUT YOU, Lounge by Zalando)~91%
Wholesale sales, partner programme commissions and retail media across the three consumer apps; about $12.8 billion (€11.3 billion) of revenue in FY2025.
- B2B (ZEOS and SCAYLE)~9%
Fulfilment and logistics services for brands plus commerce software; revenue rose 14.6% to about $1.24 billion (€1.1 billion) in FY2025.
Business model and strategy
JD.com
How it makes money
JD.com earns money in four main ways. 1) Net product revenue (1P retail): JD buys electronics, home appliances, groceries and general merchandise from brands, stores them in its own warehouses and sells at a retail margin. This is the bulk of group revenue. 2) Marketplace and marketing services: third-party (3P) merchants pay commissions and buy advertising on JD's app.
Growth strategy
JD is pushing beyond online retail into instant commerce and food delivery (launched February 2025), offline electronics stores (26 JD MALL stores by end-2025), external logistics customers through JD Logistics and its LangzuTech automated warehouses (20+ sites in nearly 20 cities by end-2025), and Europe, where it replaced its Ochama brand with Joybuy in 2025, launched the Joybuy marketplace in the UK, Germany, Fran…
Competitive advantage
JD's main edge is its owned supply chain. Because it holds its own inventory and runs its own warehouses and couriers through JD Logistics, it can promise authentic goods and same-day or next-day delivery in much of China, which matters most for high-value electronics and appliances. Its scale with brands like Apple, Haier and Midea also gives it purchasing power that marketplace-only rivals do not have.
Zalando
How it makes money
Zalando reports two segments. B2C covers the Zalando, ABOUT YOU and Lounge by Zalando apps. There it earns money from goods it buys and resells itself (wholesale), from commissions in its partner programme where brands sell directly to Zalando customers, and from retail media sold through Zalando Marketing Services. B2C produced about $12.8 billion (€11.3 billion) of revenue in 2025.
Growth strategy
Zalando's plan rests on two growth vectors. In B2C it runs a multi-app approach, with Zalando, ABOUT YOU and Lounge by Zalando aimed at different customer groups. It is also widening into sports, beauty and home & living, and using AI tools such as the Zalando Assistant. In B2B it opens its logistics network (ZEOS) and software (SCAYLE) to outside brands and retailers.
Competitive advantage
Zalando combines a large customer base (62.5 million active customers in Q2 2026), relationships with thousands of brands through its partner programme, and a European logistics and software stack that it now sells to other companies through ZEOS and SCAYLE.
Questions about JD.com vs Zalando
Which company has higher revenue — JD.com or Zalando?
JD.com had ~$182B (FY2025), while Zalando had ~$14B (FY2025). By latest annual revenue, JD.com is the larger business, with Zalando showing a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of JD.com vs Zalando?
JD.com's market capitalisation stands at $35.0B, while Zalando's is $7.5B. JD.com carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Zalando.
How does revenue per employee compare for JD.com and Zalando?
JD.com has $234k / employee in revenue per employee, while Zalando has $900k / employee. Headcounts may use different dates, so the ratio alone does not establish which business operates more efficiently.
How do JD.com and Zalando make money?
JD.com and Zalando generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. JD.com: JD.com earns money in four main ways. Zalando: Zalando reports two segments.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — JD.com or Zalando?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, JD.com trades at 0.2x P/S and Zalando at 0.5x P/S. Zalando commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to JD.com. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is JD.com bigger than Zalando?
By last reported revenue, JD.com (~$182B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Zalando (~$14B (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 JD.com vs Zalando overview