Sysco vs Tesla: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Sysco reported $84.6B of revenue in FY2026 and $1.8B of net income. Tesla reported $94.8B of revenue in FY2025 and $3.8B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
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.
Tesla
Tesla's revenue peaked at $97.69 billion in 2024 and slipped 2.9% to $94.83 billion in FY2025, while net income fell from $7.09 billion to $3.79 billion as vehicle prices and regulatory-credit income declined. The second quarter of 2026 reversed the top-line trend: revenue rose 26% to a record $28.24 billion, with automotive up 23% to $20.52 billion, services and other up 50% to $4.58 billion, and energy up 13% to $3.14 billion. Profit did not follow. GAAP net income fell 5% to $1.11 billion and adjusted EPS of $0.33 missed estimates because of higher R&D and AI infrastructure spending.
Revenue and profit by year
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 |
Tesla
| Year | Revenue | Net income | Margin | Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $94.8B | $3.8B | 4.0% | -2.9% | Source |
| FY2024 | $97.7B | $7.1B | 7.3% | +0.9% | Source |
| FY2023 | $96.8B | $15B | 15.5% | +18.8% | Source |
| FY2022 | $81.5B | $12.6B | 15.4% | +51.4% | Source |
| FY2021 | $53.8B | $5.5B | 10.3% | +70.7% | Source |
| FY2020 | $31.5B | $721M | 2.3% | +28.3% | Source |
| FY2019 | $24.6B | -$862M | -3.5% | +14.5% | Source |
| FY2018 | $21.5B | -$976M | -4.5% | +82.5% | Source |
| FY2017 | $11.8B | -$2B | -16.7% | +68.0% | Source |
| FY2016 | $7B | -$674.9M | -9.6% | — | Source |
Where the revenue comes from
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.
Tesla
- Automotive sales and leasing~73%
Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck and remaining other models, plus regulatory credits. $20.52B in Q2 2026.
- Services and other~16%
Supercharging, FSD and connectivity software, service, used cars, insurance and parts. $4.58B in Q2 2026, up 50%.
- Energy generation and storage~11%
Megapack, Powerwall and solar. $3.14B in Q2 2026, up 13%.
Business model and strategy
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.
Tesla
How it makes money
Tesla operates a vertically integrated electric vehicle, clean energy generation, and software ecosystem model. The company generates revenue across four primary pillars: First, Automotive Sales and Leasing, selling mass-market electric vehicles (Model Y, Model 3) and premium models (Model S, Model X, Cybertruck) directly to consumers without franchised dealers.
Growth strategy
Tesla's growth plan rests on four bets. First, regain vehicle volume: deliveries fell 8.6% to 1.64 million in 2025, then rebounded to a record 480,126 in Q2 2026, up 25% year over year. Second, autonomy: Tesla runs a paid robotaxi service in several U.S. cities and is building the steering-wheel-free Cybercab, though the Q2 2026 shareholder letter dropped the target of volume production in 2026.
Competitive advantage
Tesla's advantage comes from brand strength, direct sales, software updates, charging infrastructure, battery and powertrain know-how, manufacturing scale, data, and energy-storage growth.
Questions about Sysco vs Tesla
Which company has higher revenue — Sysco Corporation or Tesla, Inc.?
Sysco Corporation reported $84.6B (FY2026), while Tesla, Inc. reported $94.8B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, Tesla, Inc. is the larger business, with Sysco 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 Sysco Corporation vs Tesla, Inc.?
Sysco Corporation's market capitalisation stands at $38.5B, while Tesla, Inc.'s is $1.49T. Tesla, Inc. carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Sysco Corporation.
Which is more financially efficient — Sysco Corporation or Tesla, Inc.?
Sysco Corporation generates $1.13M / employee in revenue per employee, while Tesla, Inc. generates $704k / employee. Sysco 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 Sysco Corporation and Tesla, Inc. make money?
Sysco Corporation and Tesla, Inc. generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Sysco Corporation: Sysco makes money on the spread between what it pays suppliers and what it charges foodservice customers, plus delivery and service economics. Tesla, Inc.: Tesla operates a vertically integrated electric vehicle, clean energy generation, and software ecosystem model.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Sysco Corporation or Tesla, Inc.?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Sysco Corporation trades at 0.5x P/S and Tesla, Inc. at 15.7x P/S. Tesla, Inc. commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to Sysco Corporation. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Sysco Corporation bigger than Tesla, Inc.?
By last reported revenue, Tesla, Inc. ($94.8B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Sysco Corporation ($84.6B (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 Sysco vs Tesla overview