Kia vs PepsiCo: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Kia reported ~$81B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$5.4B of net income. PepsiCo reported $93.9B of revenue in FY2025 and $8.2B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
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.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo grew net revenue from $62.8 billion in 2016 to $93.9 billion in 2025, but growth slowed to 0.4% in 2024 and 2.3% in 2025 (1.7% organic) as North American snack volumes declined. Fiscal 2025 net income was $8.24 billion, down 14%, reflecting a roughly $2 billion impairment mainly on Rockstar. In 2026 the picture improved on the top line: Q1 net revenue rose 8.5% and Q2 rose 6.4% to $24.18 billion, helped by acquisitions, currency and international volume. Q2 2026 net income was $2.98 billion versus $1.26 billion a year earlier. For full-year 2026 PepsiCo guided to 2-4% organic revenue growth and 4-6% core constant-currency EPS growth.
Revenue and profit by year
Kia
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$81B | ~$5.4B | 6.6% | +6.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$76.3B | ~$6.9B | 9.1% | +7.7% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$70.9B | ~$6.2B | 8.8% | +15.3% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$61.5B | ~$3.8B | 6.2% | +23.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$49.6B | ~$3.4B | 6.8% | — | Source |
PepsiCo
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $93.9B | $8.2B | 8.8% | +2.3% | Source |
| FY2024 | $91.9B | $9.6B | 10.4% | +0.4% | Source |
| FY2023 | $91.5B | $9.1B | 9.9% | +5.9% | Source |
| FY2022 | $86.4B | $8.9B | 10.3% | +8.7% | Source |
| FY2021 | $79.5B | $7.6B | 9.6% | +12.9% | Source |
| FY2020 | $70.4B | $7.1B | 10.1% | +4.8% | Source |
| FY2019 | $67.2B | $7.3B | 10.9% | +3.9% | Source |
| FY2018 | $64.7B | $12.5B | 19.4% | +1.8% | Source |
| FY2017 | $63.5B | $4.9B | 7.6% | +1.2% | Source |
| FY2016 | $62.8B | $6.3B | 10.1% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
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.
PepsiCo
- PepsiCo Foods North America (Frito-Lay and Quaker)~30%
Savory snacks, oats, bars and dips sold to US and Canadian retailers and foodservice; about $27.7 billion combined in 2024.
- PepsiCo Beverages North America~30%
Finished drinks, fountain syrup and concentrate, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade and partner brands; about $27.8 billion in 2024.
- International (Latin America, Europe, AMESA, Asia Pacific)~40%
Locally made snacks such as Sabritas, Walkers and Kurkure plus beverage concentrate sold to franchise bottlers and company-run beverage operations.
Business model and strategy
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.
PepsiCo
How it makes money
PepsiCo makes money by manufacturing and selling branded snacks, packaged foods and beverages to retailers, foodservice operators and independent bottlers. It reports through regional segments: PepsiCo Foods North America (Frito-Lay and Quaker, combined in 2025), PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA), Latin America, Europe, Africa/Middle East/South Asia (AMESA) and Asia Pacific.
Growth strategy
PepsiCo's current growth strategy has four parts: affordability (price cuts of up to 15% on Lay's, Tostitos, Doritos and Cheetos in February 2026), portfolio shift toward better-for-you and functional brands through acquisitions such as Siete (2025), poppi ($1.95 billion, closed May 2025) and Sabra, cost reduction (three US plant closures, SKU rationalization and a review of North American supply chain and go-to-mark…
Competitive advantage
PepsiCo's advantage is scale in savory snacks combined with a large beverage business and a direct-store-delivery network. Frito-Lay brands such as Lay's, Doritos and Cheetos lead the US salty snack aisle, and DSD lets PepsiCo control merchandising and restocking in grocery, mass and convenience stores.
Questions about Kia vs PepsiCo
Which company has higher revenue — Kia Corporation or PepsiCo, Inc.?
Kia Corporation reported ~$81B (FY2025), while PepsiCo, Inc. reported $93.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, PepsiCo, Inc. is the larger business, with Kia Corporation reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Kia Corporation vs PepsiCo, Inc.?
Kia Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $32.4B, while PepsiCo, Inc.'s is $175.0B. PepsiCo, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Kia Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — Kia Corporation or PepsiCo, Inc.?
Kia Corporation generates $1.52M / employee in revenue per employee, while PepsiCo, Inc. generates $307k / 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 Kia Corporation and PepsiCo, Inc. make money?
Kia Corporation and PepsiCo, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. 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. PepsiCo, Inc.: PepsiCo makes money by manufacturing and selling branded snacks, packaged foods and beverages to retailers, foodservice operators and independent bottlers.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Kia Corporation or PepsiCo, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Kia Corporation trades at 0.4x P/S and PepsiCo, Inc. at 1.9x P/S. PepsiCo, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Kia Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Kia Corporation bigger than PepsiCo, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, PepsiCo, Inc. ($93.9B (FY2025)) 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 Kia vs PepsiCo overview