Kia vs Sysco: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Kia reported ~$81B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$5.4B of net income. Sysco reported $84.6B of revenue in FY2026 and $1.8B 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.
Sysco
Sysco's revenue grew from $76.3 billion in fiscal 2023 to $78.8 billion in fiscal 2024, $81.4 billion in fiscal 2025 and $84.6 billion in fiscal 2026. Profit has not kept pace: fiscal 2026 net earnings declined 3.9% to about $1.76 billion and operating income edged up 0.2% to about $3.1 billion, partly reflecting higher incentive compensation costs. The fourth quarter was stronger, with sales up 4.7% to $22.1 billion, operating income up 10.6% to $983 million and adjusted EPS of $1.53. Full-year adjusted EPS was $4.61.
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 |
Sysco
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $84.6B | $1.8B | 2.1% | +3.9% | Source |
| FY2025 | $81.4B | $1.8B | 2.2% | +3.2% | Source |
| FY2024 | $78.8B | $2B | 2.5% | +3.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $76.3B | $1.8B | 2.3% | +11.2% | Source |
| FY2022 | $68.6B | $1.4B | 2.0% | +33.8% | Source |
| FY2021 | $51.3B | $524.2M | 1.0% | -3.0% | Source |
| FY2020 | $52.9B | $215.5M | 0.4% | -12.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | $60.1B | $1.7B | 2.8% | +2.4% | Source |
| FY2018 | $58.7B | $1.4B | 2.4% | +6.1% | Source |
| FY2017 | $55.4B | $1.1B | 2.1% | — | 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.
Sysco
- Foodservice Distribution
Not formally reported
Sysco earns the spread between what it pays suppliers and what it charges restaurants, healthcare, education, hospitality and government accounts, on $84.6 billion of fiscal 2026 revenue.
- Sysco Brand Private Label
Not formally reported
Private-label penetration is one of the main drivers of profit on thin margins; operating margin was about 3.7% in fiscal 2026.
- Specialty Categories
Not formally reported
Specialty categories such as produce and protein.
- SYGMA National Chains
Not formally reported
Large national chains are served through SYGMA, at lower margins than local independent customers.
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.
Sysco
How it makes money
Sysco makes money on the spread between what it pays suppliers and what it charges foodservice customers, plus delivery and service economics. It buys food and non-food products in bulk, stores them in temperature-controlled distribution centers, and delivers mixed orders to restaurants, healthcare, education, hospitality and government accounts.
Growth strategy
Sysco is growing through local case growth, specialty category expansion, digital ordering, operational productivity, private-label penetration, national-account wins, international markets, and selective acquisitions. The Jetro deal would add 166 warehouse stores, about 725,000 independent restaurant and foodservice customers, and approximately $16 billion of 2025 revenue.
Competitive advantage
Sysco's moat is route density. The more customers it serves in a geography, the more efficiently it can fill trucks, spread warehouse costs, negotiate with suppliers, and offer reliable delivery. Its digital ordering tools, private brands, specialty products, national accounts, and procurement scale reinforce that density.
Questions about Kia vs Sysco
Which company has higher revenue — Kia Corporation or Sysco Corporation?
Kia Corporation reported ~$81B (FY2025), while Sysco Corporation reported $84.6B (FY2026). By last reported revenue, Sysco Corporation 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 Kia Corporation vs Sysco Corporation?
Kia Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $32.4B, while Sysco Corporation's is $38.5B. Sysco Corporation 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 Sysco Corporation?
Kia Corporation generates $1.52M / employee in revenue per employee, while Sysco Corporation generates $1.13M / 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 Sysco Corporation make money?
Kia Corporation and Sysco Corporation 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. Sysco Corporation: Sysco makes money on the spread between what it pays suppliers and what it charges foodservice customers, plus delivery and service economics.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Kia Corporation or Sysco Corporation?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Kia Corporation trades at 0.4x P/S and Sysco Corporation at 0.5x P/S. Sysco Corporation 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 Sysco Corporation?
By last reported revenue, Sysco Corporation ($84.6B (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 Kia vs Sysco overview