MKC vs PM: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: PM, with $40.6B of yearly revenue, about 5.9× MKC's $6.8B.
  • More profitable: PM keeps 28 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 12 cents at MKC.
  • More cash from each sale: PM turns 30 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 14 cents at MKC.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Philip Morris International (PM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $40.6B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 5.9× MKC's $6.8B (fiscal year ended Nov 2025). MKC's net margin was 11.5% and PM's 27.9%. The SEC classifies them differently (Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products; Cigarettes); what connects them is shared exposure to the International markets research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Consumer Staples
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
MKC November 30 · PM December 31
Reviewed
Feb 6, 2026

MKC vs PM: quick comparison

Company factMKCPM
CompanyMcCormick & Company, IncorporatedPhilip Morris International Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Headquarters—Stamford, Connecticut
Founded—2008
SEC industryMiscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred ProductsCigarettes
Fiscal year-endNovember 30December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-01-2210-K · 2026-02-06

MKC vs PM: audited financials

  • Scale: PM's $40.6B of revenue is about 5.9× MKC's $6.8B.
  • Net margin: PM kept 27.9% of revenue as net income versus 11.5% at MKC.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled MKC 14.1% of revenue, or 1.22× net income; PM 30.1% of revenue, or 1.08× 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: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2025-11-30 for MKC, 2025-12-31 for PM), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

MKC: FY ending 2025-11-30 · PM: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where MKC and PM overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: International markets.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: MKC files as Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products; PM as Cigarettes.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: MKC's year ends November 30 and PM's December 31, about 1 month apart.
  • Scale: PM reported about 5.9× the annual revenue of MKC.
  • Profitability: net margin of 11.5% for MKC versus 27.9% for PM.

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.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC)

McCormick makes spices, seasonings, and flavorings for retail consumers and food manufacturers.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM)

Philip Morris International sells tobacco products outside the United States and is shifting toward smoke-free alternatives such as its IQOS heated-tobacco system. That transition is central to its long-term growth narrative.

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 MKC

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for MKC. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-01-22.

What moves PM

  • Smoke-free product volume and revenue mix shift, led by IQOS and ZYN nicotine pouches
  • Regulatory treatment of reduced-risk nicotine products across international markets
  • Currency translation, given an entirely non-US revenue base
  • Pricing power in combustible cigarettes as global volumes decline

The investment question

You now know PM reports about 5.9× MKC's revenue, and PM 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 international markets, including “Smoke-free product volume and revenue mix shift, led by IQOS and ZYN nicotine pouches” at PM, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. MKC's fiscal year ends November 30, while PM's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 11 matched transaction rows for MKC and 12 matched transaction rows for PM. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

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.

MKC vs PM FAQs

Are MKC and PM direct competitors?

Not necessarily. McCormick files as Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products and Philip Morris International as Cigarettes. The pair is compared because both map to the International markets research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is MKC or PM the bigger company by revenue?

Philip Morris International (PM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $40.6B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 5.9× MKC's $6.8B (fiscal year ended Nov 2025). MKC's net margin was 11.5% and PM's 27.9%. The SEC classifies them differently (Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products; Cigarettes); what connects them is shared exposure to the International markets research theme, not a common industry. 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, MKC or PM?

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 MKC vs PM 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 McCormick & Company, Incorporated and Philip Morris International 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 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

MKC vs PM 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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