General Motors Company (GM)
General Motors is a major US automaker whose brands include Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac. It is balancing profitable gasoline trucks and SUVs with an ongoing transition toward electric vehicles.
GM vs TSLA: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: GM, with $185.0B of yearly revenue, about 2.0× TSLA's $94.8B.
- More profitable: TSLA keeps 4 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 2 cents at GM.
- More cash from each sale: TSLA turns 16 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 15 cents at GM.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
General Motors (GM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $185.0B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 2.0× TSLA's $94.8B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). GM's net margin was 1.5% and TSLA's 4.0%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 3711 (Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies).
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Consumer Discretionary
- Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies
- Same classification
- December 31
- Same calendar
- Apr 30, 2026
GM vs TSLA: quick comparison
| Company fact | GM | TSLA |
|---|---|---|
| Company | General Motors Company | Tesla, Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan | Austin, Texas |
| Founded | 1908 | 2003 |
| SEC industry | Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies | Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-01-27 | 10-K/A · 2026-04-30 |
GM vs TSLA: audited financials
- Scale: GM's $185.0B of revenue is about 2.0× TSLA's $94.8B.
- Net margin: TSLA kept 4.0% of revenue as net income versus 1.5% at GM.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled GM 14.5% of revenue, or 9.66× net income; TSLA 15.6% of revenue, or 3.89× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.
| Metric | GM | TSLA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $185.0B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $94.8B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $2.8B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $3.8B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $26.9B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $14.7B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $3.272025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.082025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 1.5%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 4.0%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
GM: FY ending 2025-12-31 · TSLA: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where GM and TSLA overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Same SEC industry: both report under SIC 3711, Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies.
- Shared research theme: Tariffs & trade.
- Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.
Differences
- Only TSLA maps to Artificial intelligence.
- Scale: GM reported about 2.0× the annual revenue of TSLA.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA)
Tesla is the leading maker of battery-electric vehicles and a producer of energy-storage and solar products. Its ambitions in autonomy, robotics, and AI make it one of the most closely watched and volatile large-cap stocks.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves GM
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for GM. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-01-27.
What moves TSLA
- Vehicle deliveries, pricing, and automotive gross margin
- Energy storage deployments and Megapack demand
- Automotive regulatory credit sales under changing emissions rules
- Robotaxi service expansion and FSD (Supervised) subscription uptake
The investment question
You now know GM reports about 2.0× TSLA's revenue, and TSLA keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to tariffs & trade, including “Vehicle deliveries, pricing, and automotive gross margin” at TSLA, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 5 matched transaction rows for GM and 59 matched transaction rows for TSLA. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
GM primary filings
TSLA primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
GM vs TSLA FAQs
Are GM and TSLA direct competitors?
General Motors and Tesla share the SEC industry classification “Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.
Is GM or TSLA the bigger company by revenue?
General Motors (GM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $185.0B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 2.0× TSLA's $94.8B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). GM's net margin was 1.5% and TSLA's 4.0%. Both file with the SEC under the same industry code, SIC 3711 (Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies). Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, GM or TSLA?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this GM vs TSLA comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers General Motors Company and Tesla, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-10-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-10-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
GM vs TSLA compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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