Samsung vs Sony: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Samsung reported ~$236.9B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$31.4B of net income. Sony reported ~$83.6B of revenue in FY2025 and a net loss of ~$2.2B.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
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.
Sony
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.
Revenue and profit by year
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 |
Sony
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | ~$83.6B | ~-$2.2B | -2.6% | +3.7% | Source |
| FY2024 | ~$80.6B | ~$7.6B | 9.5% | +6.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | ~$75.4B | ~$6.5B | 8.6% | +2.6% | Source |
| FY2022 | ~$73.5B | ~$6.7B | 9.2% | +10.6% | Source |
| FY2021 | ~$66.5B | ~$5.9B | 8.9% | +10.2% | Source |
| FY2020 | ~$60.3B | ~$7.9B | 13.0% | +9.0% | Source |
| FY2019 | ~$55.3B | ~$3.9B | 7.0% | -4.7% | Source |
| FY2018 | ~$58.1B | ~$6.1B | 10.6% | +1.4% | Source |
| FY2017 | ~$57.2B | ~$3.3B | 5.7% | +12.4% | Source |
| FY2016 | ~$50.9B | ~$491M | 1.0% | -6.2% | Source |
| FY2015 | ~$54.3B | ~$990.2M | 1.8% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
Samsung
- Memory semiconductors
- Foundry and system LSI
- Galaxy smartphones and mobile devices
- Display panels
- TVs and appliances
- Network equipment
- Harman automotive and audio
Sony
- Game & Network Services (PlayStation)~38%
PS5 hardware, game software, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Store. FY2025 sales were ~$31.4B (JPY 4.6857T), roughly flat year over year, with network services up 13.9% to ~$5.11B (JPY 763.1B).
- Imaging & Sensing Solutions~17%
CMOS image sensors, mainly for smartphones, plus automotive and industrial sensors. FY2025 sales were ~$14.4B (JPY 2.1515T); Sony forecasts ~$14.1B (JPY 2.11T) in FY2026 sales and ~$2.81B (JPY 420B) in operating income.
- Music~17%
Recorded music streaming, physical sales, licensing and publishing royalties through Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing. FY2025 sales were ~$14.2B (JPY 2.1201T); Q1 FY2026 sales rose 21% to ~$3.77B (JPY 562.0B).
- Pictures
Theatrical films, TV production, content licensing to streamers and Crunchyroll anime subscriptions. Revenue swings with release slates; Q1 FY2026 sales fell 13%.
- Entertainment, Technology & Services
Bravia TVs, Alpha and Cinema Line cameras, audio and professional equipment. Q1 FY2026 sales were ~$3.64B (JPY 543.9B), up 2%, with operating income of ~$285M (JPY 42.6B).
Business model and strategy
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.
Sony
How it makes money
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.
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.
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.
Questions about Samsung vs Sony
Which company has higher revenue — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. reported ~$236.9B (FY2025), while Sony Group Corp. reported ~$83.6B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is the larger business, with Sony Group Corp. reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. vs Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s market capitalisation stands at $1.33T, while Sony Group Corp.'s is $136.0B. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Sony Group Corp..
Which is more financially efficient — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. generates $914k / employee in revenue per employee, while Sony Group Corp. generates $881k / 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 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. make money?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Samsung earns money from two groups of businesses. Sony Group Corp.: Sony makes money from five main businesses.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. trades at 5.6x P/S and Sony Group Corp. at 1.6x P/S. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Sony Group Corp.. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. bigger than Sony Group Corp.?
By last reported revenue, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (~$236.9B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Sony Group Corp. (~$83.6B (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 Samsung vs Sony overview