Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.: Strategic Comparison
Direct Answer
Samsung is bigger than Sony by every major measure: Samsung's FY2025 revenue of ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) (year ended December 31, 2025) is several times Sony's FY2025 continuing-operations sales of ~$83.6 billion (JPY 12.48 trillion) (year ended March 31, 2026), and Samsung's roughly $1.33 trillion market capitalization as of September 25, 2026 was about ten times Sony's roughly $136 billion value in the same month. Samsung also employs far more people, 259,149 versus Sony's approximately 94,900. Sony still leads one key market the two compete in directly: Sony held 53.6% of the global CMOS image sensor market in 2025, more than 40 percentage points ahead of second-place Samsung.
Samsung's stock market value passed $1 trillion in May 2026 and stood at about $1.33 trillion by September 25, 2026, while Sony's U.S.-listed market value was roughly $136 billion over the same stretch, a tenfold gap that would have seemed unlikely a decade ago when both were primarily hardware brands. Samsung Electronics was founded in 1969 under Samsung Group patriarch Lee Byung-chul, while Sony traces back to 1946, when Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita started Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo in a bombed-out Tokyo department store. Samsung is now run by co-CEOs Jun Young-hyun, who heads its semiconductor division, and Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh), who leads devices, both named co-CEO in November 2025; Sony has been led by President and CEO Hiroki Totoki since April 2025. For fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Samsung reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in revenue and ~$31.5 billion (KRW 44.3 trillion) in net income with 259,149 employees, driven almost entirely by its memory-chip business. Sony's fiscal 2025 (ended March 31, 2026) continuing-operations sales were ~$83.6 billion (JPY 12.48 trillion), generating ~$6.91 billion (JPY 1.031 trillion) of continuing net income attributable to shareholders, with about 94,900 employees.
Editorial research by Swet Parvadiya. Figures keep each company's fiscal year; amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Sources are listed below.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Field | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Sony Group Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Latest annual revenue | ~$236.9B (FY2025) | ~$83.6B (FY2025) |
| Founded | 1969 | 1946 |
| Employees | 259,149 | 94,900 |
| Market Cap | $1.33T | $136.0B |
| Headquarters | South Korea | Japan |
| Revenue / Employee | $914k / employee | $881k / employee |
| Valuation Multiple | 5.6x P/S | 1.6x P/S |
Strategic Positioning
Business model and competitive context from the cited profiles
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Strategic Vector
FY2025 Revenue BaselineSamsung's growth plan centers on AI memory: ramping HBM4 for Nvidia and AMD accelerators, developing HBM4E, and adding DRAM capacity at Pyeongtaek.
Sony Group Corp. Strategic Vector
FY2025 Revenue BaselineSony's growth plan centers on IP across games, music, film and anime, plus creator technology.
Quick Stats Comparison
| Metric | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Sony Group Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ~$236.9B (FY2025) | ~$83.6B (FY2025) |
| Founded | 1969 | 1946 |
| Headquarters | Suwon, South Korea | Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| Market Cap | $1.33T | $136.0B |
| Employees | 259,149 | 94,900 |
| Revenue / Employee | $914k / employee | $881k / employee |
| Valuation Multiple | 5.6x P/S | 1.6x P/S |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Revenue vs Sony Group Corp. Revenue — Year by Year
| Year | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Sony Group Corp. | Higher reported revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ~$236.9B | ~$83.6B | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (approx. USD) |
| 2024 | ~$213.6B | ~$80.6B | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (approx. USD) |
| 2023 | ~$183.8B | ~$75.4B | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (approx. USD) |
| 2022 | ~$214.6B | ~$73.5B | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (approx. USD) |
| 2021 | ~$198.5B | ~$66.5B | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (approx. USD) |
Business Model Breakdown
Overview: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.
This in-depth comparison examines Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. across revenue, market value, business model, competitive positioning, and long-term growth strategy. Whether you are researching Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. on its own, evaluating Sony Group Corp., or weighing the two companies side by side, the breakdown below highlights where each company leads and where the gap between Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. is widest.
On the headline numbers, annual revenue is ~$236.9B (FY2025) for Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and ~$83.6B (FY2025) for Sony Group Corp., while their respective market capitalizations stand at $1.33T and $136.0B. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is headquartered in South Korea and Sony Group Corp. in Japan, and those different home markets shape how each company competes.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung Electronics, based in Suwon, is the flagship company of the Samsung Group and South Korea's most valuable listed company. It is the world's largest memory chipmaker and one of the two largest smartphone vendors. Its market value passed $1 trillion in May 2026 and was about $1.33 trillion in late September 2026, after its shares more than tripled in a year on AI memory demand. The company is led by co-CEOs Jun Young-hyun (semiconductors) and TM Roh (devices), with Jay Y. Lee as Executive Chairman. The company is headquartered in Suwon, South Korea.
Sony Group Corp.: Sony Group Corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, was founded in 1946 and is listed in Tokyo (6758) and New York (SONY). The modern group is organized around Game & Network Services, Music, Pictures, Entertainment, Technology & Services, and Imaging & Sensing Solutions. It sells the PlayStation 5, owns Columbia Pictures and Crunchyroll, runs Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, and supplies CMOS image sensors to phone and camera makers. FY2025 continuing sales were ~$83.6B (JPY 12.48T) with about 94,900 employees. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Business Models: How Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. Make Money
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. pursue distinct approaches to generating revenue, and understanding how each company operates is the foundation of any fair comparison between Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp..
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. business model: 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. In Q2 2026, DS produced ~$90.5 billion (KRW 127.5 trillion) of the company's ~$122 billion (KRW 171.5 trillion) revenue and ~$63.3 billion (KRW 89.2 trillion) of its ~$63.5 billion (KRW 89.5 trillion) operating profit. Device eXperience (DX) sells Galaxy phones, tablets, wearables, TVs, monitors and home appliances, plus network equipment. Separately consolidated subsidiaries add OLED panels from Samsung Display, sold to Apple and other phone makers, and automotive and audio electronics from Harman.
Sony Group Corp. business model: Sony makes money from five main businesses. Game & Network Services (~$31.4B (JPY 4.6857T) in FY2025 sales) sells PS5 hardware, first-party and third-party games, PlayStation Plus subscriptions and PlayStation Store transactions; network services alone grew 13.9% to ~$5.11B (JPY 763.1B) in FY2025. Music (~$14.2B (JPY 2.1201T)) earns streaming, physical, licensing and publishing royalties through Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing. Imaging & Sensing Solutions (~$14.4B (JPY 2.1515T)) sells CMOS image sensors, mostly to smartphone makers. Pictures earns from theatrical films, TV production, licensing and Crunchyroll subscriptions, while Entertainment, Technology & Services sells TVs, cameras, audio and professional equipment. Financial services were moved to discontinued operations after the 2025 partial spin-off.
Competitive Advantage: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.
The durability of a company's moat often decides long-term winners. Here is how the competitive advantages of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. stack up against those of Sony Group Corp..
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 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. It also owns component businesses (memory, OLED through Samsung Display, image sensors) that sell to rivals as well as to its own Galaxy devices, so it earns money even when competitors' products win.
Sony Group Corp. competitive advantage: Sony's edge is owning both popular entertainment IP and the technology that delivers it. PlayStation Studios franchises such as God of War, Spider-Man, The Last of Us and Ghost of Tsushima anchor an installed base of more than 95 million PS5 consoles, while PlayStation Network reached 125 million monthly active users at the end of FY2025. Sony Music Publishing's catalog earns royalties no matter which label or platform plays a song, and Sony's stacked CMOS sensor technology keeps it the largest supplier of smartphone image sensors. Sony can also move IP across media, as with The Last of Us on HBO and Spider-Man films, and Crunchyroll gives it a global anime distribution channel.
Growth Strategy: Where Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. Are Headed
Future prospects matter as much as current results. The growth strategies below explain how Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. each plan to expand from here.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 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.
Sony Group Corp. growth strategy: Sony's growth plan centers on IP across games, music, film and anime, plus creator technology. In gaming it is expanding network services, PC releases of first-party titles and live-service games, while investing in next-generation hardware. Crunchyroll (bought for $1.175 billion in 2021) extends anime reach globally. In imaging, Sony is pushing higher-value stacked sensors and in July 2026 confirmed a non-binding proposal to make Tamron, in which it already owns about 15%, a wholly owned subsidiary to strengthen its lens and camera business. The 2025 Sony Financial Group spin-off narrowed the group to entertainment and technology.
Financial Picture: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.
A closer look at the financial trajectory of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. rounds out the comparison.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: 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. Samsung Electronics is a powerhouse in global tech, commanding a market valuation that frequently exceeds $350 billion.
Sony Group Corp.: Sony's finances were reshaped in the 2010s by exits from VAIO PCs and the spin-out of the TV business, and a shift toward games, music and sensors. Sales grew from ~$55.3B (JPY 8.26T) in FY2019 to ~$80.6B (JPY 12.03T) in FY2024. In FY2025, Sony Financial Group was partially spun off and reported as discontinued operations: continuing sales rose 3.7% to ~$83.6B (JPY 12.48T), operating income was ~$9.7B (JPY 1.448T) (11.6% margin), and continuing net income attributable was ~$6.91B (JPY 1.031T), but the spin-off produced a consolidated net loss attributable of ~$2.19B (JPY 326.9B). Q1 FY2026 (April-June 2026) set records: sales of ~$19B (JPY 2.8378T) (+8%), operating income of ~$3.19B (JPY 476.5B) (+40%) and net income of ~$2.29B (JPY 342.2B) (+32%), with sensors operating income up 125% to ~$819M (JPY 122.2B). Sony raised its FY2026 forecast to ~$83.8B (JPY 12.5T) in sales, ~$11.5B (JPY 1.72T) in operating income and ~$8.11B (JPY 1.21T) in net income, and lifted its annual dividend by JPY 10. Sony Group Corporation maintains a market valuation consistently over $100 billion, driven by its massive entertainment and gaming divisions.
Company-Specific SWOT Notes
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
As the largest DRAM maker, Samsung turned AI server demand into a record ~$63.5 billion (KRW 89.5 trillion) operating profit in Q2 2026.
Memory, OLED panels, image sensors, Galaxy devices, TVs and Harman give Samsung revenue from both rivals and consumers.
DS produced nearly all Q2 2026 profit, while MX and Networks posted a ~$497 million (KRW 0.7 trillion) loss as memory costs rose.
Despite heavy capital expenditure, Samsung's contract manufacturing foundry business continues to lose share to TSMC in cutting-edge 3nm and 2nm nodes.
Volume HBM4 shipments and first HBM4E samples position Samsung to gain share in high-margin AI memory.
A memory price downturn, SK hynix and Micron in HBM, TSMC in foundry, and US-China export controls all threaten margins.
Sony Group Corp.
Sony is the only company in the world that simultaneously owns a top-three console gaming platform, the world's second-largest music publishing catalog, a major Hollywood studio, a dominant image sensor semiconductor business, and leading premium consumer elec
Sony Semiconductor Solutions commands approximately 50% of the global CMOS image sensor market by revenue, a position built through decades of incremental process technology investment that competitors cannot replicate quickly or cheaply.
Sony's six-segment structure creates significant management complexity and imposes a conglomerate discount on the share price that many analysts estimate at 20-40% below the theoretical sum-of-parts valuation.
Sony is the only major Hollywood studio without a first-party streaming platform with global consumer scale.
The transition to advanced driver assistance systems in passenger vehicles represents a structural growth opportunity for Sony's I&SS segment that is entirely independent of smartphone market dynamics.
Microsoft's completion of its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October 2023 significantly expanded Xbox's first-party content library to include Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, Warcraft, and Candy Crush, all feeding into Xbox Game Pass.
Factual Scorecard
| Category | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Same-period Revenue Scale | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | ~$236.9B (FY2025) versus ~$83.6B (FY2025); the higher figure is identified after approximate USD conversion. |
| Founded Earlier | Sony Group Corp. | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded in 1969; Sony Group Corp. was founded in 1946. |
Comparison Takeaway: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.
Methodology and sourcing reviewed by Swet Parvadiya. No date is shown unless this comparison has its own editorial review date.
Frequently Asked Questions: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.
Is Samsung bigger than Sony?
Yes. Samsung reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in revenue for fiscal year 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), while Sony reported ~$83.6 billion (JPY 12.48 trillion) in continuing-operations sales for its fiscal 2025 (ended March 31, 2026). Samsung also has far more employees, 259,149 versus Sony's roughly 94,900, and a market capitalization of about $1.33 trillion versus Sony's roughly $136 billion as of September 2026.
Which company is more profitable, Samsung or Sony?
In raw numbers, Samsung is far more profitable: its Device Solutions division alone earned ~$63.3 billion (KRW 89.2 trillion) of operating profit in the second quarter of 2026, versus Sony's ~$9.7 billion (JPY 1.448 trillion) operating income for all of fiscal 2025. Samsung's profit is concentrated in one cyclical memory business, while Sony's net income attributable swung to a loss of ~$2.19 billion (JPY 326.9 billion) in fiscal 2025 mainly because of accounting tied to its Sony Financial Group spin-off, not its underlying operations.
Who are the CEOs of Samsung and Sony?
Samsung Electronics has been run by co-CEOs since November 2025: Jun Young-hyun leads the Device Solutions semiconductor division and Roh Tae-moon, known as TM Roh, leads Device eXperience, with Jay Y. Lee as Executive Chairman. Sony Group has been led by President and CEO Hiroki Totoki since April 2025, when he succeeded Kenichiro Yoshida, who moved to Chairman.
Does Samsung or Sony make better camera sensors?
By market share, Sony dominates: it held 53.6% of the global CMOS image sensor market in 2025, more than 40 percentage points ahead of Samsung, the number-two supplier, according to a PetaPixel analysis of industry data published in August 2026. Sony's sensors are used in many Samsung Galaxy phones alongside Samsung's own in-house ISOCELL sensors, so the two companies are both rivals and supplier-customer in this segment.
Which is a better investment, Samsung or Sony?
Samsung is the larger and currently more profitable company, with its market value passing $1 trillion in May 2026 on AI memory-chip demand and reaching about $1.33 trillion by September 25, 2026. Sony, valued around $136 billion in the same period, offers smaller-scale but more diversified exposure to gaming, music, film and image sensors rather than a single AI-driven semiconductor cycle, so the two suit different risk appetites rather than one being simply 'better.'
Which company was founded first, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
Sony Group Corp. was founded in 1946; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded in 1969.
What revenue did Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. report?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. had ~$236.9B (FY2025), while Sony Group Corp. had ~$83.6B (FY2025). These figures describe revenue scale; they do not by themselves determine an overall winner.
How do Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. make money?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses. Sony Group Corp.: Sony makes money from five main businesses.
Which is better, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
There is no evidence-based single winner. Compare Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. on the same fiscal period and the metric relevant to the question, such as revenue, profitability, growth, product fit, or market value.
Sources & References
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Corporate Website
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 2025 revenue figure: Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) annual reports, as compiled by S&P Global (via StockAnalysis)
- news.samsung.com
- news.samsung.com
- samsung.com
- images.samsung.com
- samsung.com
- marketcapof.com
- news.samsung.com
- news.samsung.com
- stockanalysis.com
- tomshardware.com
- Sony Group Corp. Corporate Website
- Sony Group Corp. 2025 revenue figure: Sony Group (TYO:6758) annual reports, as compiled by S&P Global (via StockAnalysis)
- sony.com
- sony.com
- sony.com
- sony.com
- cined.com
- post.tokyoipo.com
- sonyinteractive.com
- stockanalysis.com
Quick Answer
Samsung is bigger than Sony by every major measure: Samsung's FY2025 revenue of ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) (year ended December 31, 2025) is several times Sony's FY2025 continuing-operations sales of ~$83.6 billion (JPY 12.48 trillion) (year ended March 31, 2026), and Samsung's roughly $1.33 trillion market capitalization as of September 25, 2026 was about ten times Sony's roughly $136 billion value in the same month. Samsung also employs far more people, 259,149 versus Sony's approximately 94,900. Sony still leads one key market the two compete in directly: Sony held 53.6% of the global CMOS image sensor market in 2025, more than 40 percentage points ahead of second-place Samsung.
Verdict
Samsung and Sony make money in almost opposite ways. Samsung is a vertically integrated hardware and chip manufacturer whose Device Solutions division alone generated ~$63.3 billion (KRW 89.2 trillion) of operating profit in the second quarter of 2026, a single quarter that dwarfs Sony's entire ~$9.7 billion (JPY 1.448 trillion) operating income for all of fiscal 2025. Sony, by contrast, is built around entertainment IP and components: PlayStation, Sony Music, Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll generate licensing and subscription income, while its 53.6%-share image-sensor business supplies rivals including Apple and Samsung's own Galaxy phones. Samsung's profit is concentrated and cyclical, swinging from ~$10.3 billion (KRW 14.5 trillion) net income during the 2023 memory downturn to today's AI-driven boom, while Sony's five segments move independently, which smooths earnings but caps any single business from growing as fast as Samsung's memory unit did in 2026. For a buyer weighing the two business models, Samsung offers direct exposure to the AI memory supercycle, while Sony offers diversified, content-driven businesses that are smaller in dollar terms but less tied to chip pricing swings.
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CorpDigest. (2026). Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp. Comparison. from https://corpdigest.com/compare/samsung-vs-sony
CorpDigest. "Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp. Comparison." CorpDigest, 2026, https://corpdigest.com/compare/samsung-vs-sony.
CorpDigest. "Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp. Comparison." CorpDigest. 2026. https://corpdigest.com/compare/samsung-vs-sony.