Nike vs Samsung: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Nike reported $46.4B of revenue in FY2026 and $3.1B of net income. Samsung reported ~$236.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$31.4B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Nike
Nike's revenue peaked at $51.4B in FY2024, then fell almost 10% to $46.3B in FY2025 as the company cleared old inventory and cut supply of lifestyle franchises. FY2026 was flat at $46.4B, with net income of $3.108B versus $5.7B two years earlier. Gross margin was 42.9%, below 44.6% in FY2024, as discounts and tariffs weighed on profit. Fourth-quarter FY2026 revenue was about $11.0B, down 1% reported and 4% currency-neutral. Nike scheduled first-quarter fiscal 2027 results for October 1, 2026, with analysts expecting roughly $11.3B in revenue, a decline of about 3%.
Samsung
Samsung's earnings follow the memory cycle. Revenue fell from ~$215 billion (KRW 302.2 trillion) in 2022 to ~$184 billion (KRW 258.9 trillion) in 2023 during a chip downturn, then recovered to ~$214 billion (KRW 300.9 trillion) in 2024 and ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025, when net income reached about $31.5 billion (KRW 44.3 trillion). In 2026, AI server demand created a memory shortage. Q1 operating profit of ~$40.6 billion (KRW 57.2 trillion) exceeded the full-year 2025 total, and Q2 reached ~$63.5 billion (KRW 89.5 trillion) on ~$122 billion (KRW 171.5 trillion) revenue. Higher memory costs also squeezed Samsung's own devices: the MX and Networks unit lost ~$497 million (KRW 0.7 trillion) in Q2 2026 on ~$23.6 billion (KRW 33.2 trillion) revenue.
Revenue and profit by year
Nike
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $46.4B | $3.1B | 6.7% | +0.2% | Source |
| FY2025 | $46.3B | $3.2B | 7.0% | -9.8% | Source |
| FY2024 | $51.4B | $5.7B | 11.1% | +0.3% | Source |
| FY2023 | $51.2B | $5.1B | 9.9% | +9.6% | Source |
| FY2022 | $46.7B | $6B | 12.9% | +4.9% | Source |
| FY2021 | $44.5B | $5.7B | 12.9% | +19.1% | Source |
| FY2020 | $37.4B | $2.5B | 6.8% | -4.4% | Source |
| FY2019 | $39.1B | $4B | 10.3% | +7.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $36.4B | $1.9B | 5.3% | +6.0% | Source |
| FY2017 | $34.4B | $4.2B | 12.3% | — | Source |
Samsung
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$236.9B | ~$31.4B | 13.3% | +10.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$213.6B | ~$23.9B | 11.2% | +16.2% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$183.8B | ~$10.3B | 5.6% | -14.3% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$214.6B | ~$38.9B | 18.1% | +8.1% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$198.5B | ~$27.9B | 14.0% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Nike
- Footwear~64%
NIKE Brand footwear revenue was $29.525B in FY2026.
- Apparel~29%
NIKE Brand apparel revenue was $13.449B in FY2026.
- Equipment~5%
NIKE Brand equipment revenue was $2.199B in FY2026.
- Converse~3%
Converse revenue was $1.174B in FY2026, down 31% year over year.
Samsung
- Memory semiconductors
- Foundry and system LSI
- Galaxy smartphones and mobile devices
- Display panels
- TVs and appliances
- Network equipment
- Harman automotive and audio
Business model and strategy
Nike
How it makes money
Nike designs, markets, and distributes athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment but does not own the factories that make them; independent contract manufacturers, mostly in Vietnam, Indonesia, and China, produce nearly all of its products. In FY2026, NIKE Brand footwear brought in $29.5B (about 64% of revenue), apparel $13.4B (about 29%), equipment $2.2B (about 5%), and Converse $1.2B.
Growth strategy
Under Elliott Hill, Nike's plan, branded internally as "Win Now," reorganizes the company around sports such as running, basketball, football, and training rather than broad gender and consumer segments. Three practical moves stand out. First, Nike is returning to wholesale: it rebuilt ties with Foot Locker and Dick's and resumed selling on Amazon, which helped wholesale revenue grow 6% in FY2026.
Competitive advantage
Nike's edge is scale combined with athlete relationships. No rival matches its $4.75B annual demand-creation budget or its roster across basketball (LeBron James, the Jordan Brand), football (club and federation kits), running, and women's sport (Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu). That scale also gives Nike purchasing leverage with contract factories and space with the biggest global retailers.
Samsung
How it makes money
Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses. Device Solutions (DS) makes and sells memory (DRAM, HBM, NAND), System LSI chips such as Exynos processors and ISOCELL image sensors, and contract foundry manufacturing.
Growth strategy
Samsung's growth plan centers on AI memory: ramping HBM4 for Nvidia and AMD accelerators, developing HBM4E, and adding DRAM capacity at Pyeongtaek. In foundry it is pursuing 2nm gate-all-around production and building its Taylor, Texas fab to win customers from TSMC. On the device side it relies on Galaxy AI features, foldables and premium TVs to defend share against Apple and Chinese brands.
Competitive advantage
Samsung's edge is manufacturing scale and breadth. It is the largest memory producer and one of only three major DRAM makers, alongside SK hynix and Micron. That lets it capture pricing upswings like the 2026 AI-driven shortage.
Questions about Nike vs Samsung
Which company has higher revenue — NIKE, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
NIKE, Inc. reported $46.4B (FY2026), while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. reported ~$236.9B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is the larger business, with NIKE, Inc. 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 NIKE, Inc. vs Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
NIKE, Inc.'s market capitalisation stands at $53.4B, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s is $1.33T. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to NIKE, Inc..
Which is more financially efficient — NIKE, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
NIKE, Inc. generates $636k / employee in revenue per employee, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generates $914k / employee. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 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 NIKE, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. make money?
NIKE, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. NIKE, Inc.: Nike designs, markets, and distributes athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment but does not own the factories that make them; independent contract manufacturers, mostly in Vietnam, Indonesia, and China, produce nearly all of its products. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — NIKE, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, NIKE, Inc. trades at 1.2x P/S and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. at 5.6x P/S. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to NIKE, Inc.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is NIKE, Inc. bigger than Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (~$236.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to NIKE, Inc. ($46.4B (FY2026)). 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 Nike vs Samsung overview