VS Series
Two names, one industry, and a question that normally gets settled with opinions. We settle it with financial accounts instead.
Podcast empires, restaurant groups, boxing promoters and fighters turned businessmen, titans of industry, high-street rivals and household-name brands, compared on revenue, retained profit and net assets. Public profile and commercial reality are frequently two very different tables.
Revolut v Monzo
Two app banks that grew up side by side, and one question: which turned customers into profit?
Revolut £4,516mMonzo £1,724mturnover
Aldi v Lidl
Germany's two discounters took on the big four. Which one keeps more of the till?
Aldi £19,033mLidl £12,998mturnover
Tesco v Sainsbury's
The two biggest names in British grocery, and a fight over every basket
Tesco £73,712mSainsbury's £33,647mturnover
Costa v Starbucks
Britain's coffee rivals, one cup at a time
Costa £1,292mStarbucks £556mturnover
M&S v Waitrose
Premium food, two very different owners
M&S £17,274mWaitrose £7,767mturnover
Tesco v Asda
The market leader against the challenger that changed hands
Tesco £73,712mAsda £24,054mturnover
Just Eat v Deliveroo
Two apps, one doorstep: who is winning the delivery war?
Just Eat £1,106mDeliveroo £2,072mturnover
McDonald's v Burger King
Golden arches against the flame grill
McDonald's £1,822mBurger King £449mturnover
Screwfix v Toolstation
Click, collect, compare: the trade counters go head to head
Screwfix £2,659mToolstation £745mturnover
Boots v Superdrug
Two high street chemists, one aisle apart
Boots £7,545mSuperdrug £1,720mturnover
Home Bargains v B&M
The bargain hunters' favourites, and which one makes the bargains pay
Home Bargains £4,545mB&M £4,624mturnover
Rightmove v Zoopla
The property portals: the same houses, very different businesses
Rightmove £425mZoopla £83mturnover
Bet365 v William Hill
The online giant against the high street name
Bet365 £4,042mWilliam Hill £1,215mturnover
Barclays Bank v HSBC Bank
Two of the UK's biggest banks, side by side on the books
Barclays Bank £40,368mHSBC Bank £23,379mturnover
Premier Inn v Travelodge
Budget beds: who fills the rooms, and who makes them pay?
Premier Inn £2,920mTravelodge £1,009mturnover
Specsavers v Vision Express
Should've gone to... the accounts
Specsavers £4,262mVision Express £476mturnover
Heathrow v Gatwick
London's two biggest airports: runways, shops and debt
Heathrow £3,547mGatwick £1,132mturnover
Cineworld v Odeon
Big screens, bigger bills: the cinema chains compared
Cineworld £93mOdeon £221mturnover
Taylor Wimpey v Persimmon
Two of Britain's biggest housebuilders, brick by brick
Taylor Wimpey £3,845mPersimmon £3,751mturnover
Mercedes F1 v Red Bull Racing
The two teams that owned an era of Formula 1, on the balance sheet
Mercedes F1 £633mRed Bull Racing £524mturnover
McLaren v Williams Racing
Two great British F1 names, at very different points in the race
McLaren £588mWilliams Racing £244mturnover
Festival Republic v Glastonbury
The promoter against the farm: two ways to run a festival
Festival Republic £75mGlastonbury £75mturnover
BT v Sky
Broadband, TV and your monthly bill: who comes out on top?
BT £19,654mSky £10,541mturnover
Thames Water v Severn Trent
Same industry, same regulator, very different balance sheets
Thames Water £3,757mSevern Trent £2,588mturnover
Autotrader v Rightmove
Two online marketplaces, cars against houses
Autotrader £624mRightmove £425mturnover
Greene King v Wetherspoons
Your local, two ways: the brewer against the value pub
Greene King £2,539mWetherspoons £2,238mturnover
PureGym v The Gym Group
The budget gym giants: no contracts, no frills, no mercy
PureGym £464mThe Gym Group £245mturnover
Greggs v Gail's
The sausage roll against the sourdough loaf
Greggs £2,151mGail's £220mturnover
Itsu v Wasabi
Grab-and-go Asian food, head to head
Itsu £124mWasabi £125mturnover
Pret A Manger v Leon
Sandwiches against salads: the food-to-go rivals
Pret A Manger £705mLeon £62mturnover
Zuma v Nobu
London's glamorous Japanese dining rooms, compared
Zuma £203mNobu £9mturnover
Caprice Holdings v Zuma
Two London restaurant empires, one plate at a time
Caprice Holdings £90mZuma £203mturnover
The Ivy Collection v Gordon Ramsay Restaurants
The brasserie brand against the celebrity chef
The Ivy Collection £348mGordon Ramsay Restaurants £101mturnover
Grind v WatchHouse
London's speciality coffee chains, cup for cup
Grind £35mWatchHouse £23mturnover
IVC Evidensia v CVS Group
Two of the UK's biggest vet groups, and what a trip to the vet pays for
IVC Evidensia £1,219mCVS Group £673mturnover
Bulk v MyProtein
Protein powder, two brands, one gym bag
Bulk £129mMyProtein £1,718mturnover
The Dorchester v The Ritz
Park Lane against Piccadilly: two grand hotels on the books
The Dorchester £89mThe Ritz £133mturnover
Claridge's v The Savoy
Mayfair against the Strand: two legendary hotels compared
Claridge's £138mThe Savoy £60mturnover
Wren Kitchens v Howdens
Showroom against trade counter: two ways to sell a kitchen
Wren Kitchens £1,005mHowdens £2,418mturnover
Topgolf v Puttshack
Golf as a night out, two ways
Topgolf £52mPuttshack £19mturnover
The R&A v DP World Tour
The Open against the tour: golf's two big money-makers
The R&A £152mDP World Tour £346mturnover
Jockey Club Racecourses v Arena Racing Company
Britain's two big racecourse groups, neck and neck
Jockey Club Racecourses £237mArena Racing Company £249mturnover
B&Q v The Range and Homebase
The DIY shed against the everything store
B&Q £3,825mThe Range and Homebase £1,714mturnover
Celtic v Rangers
The Old Firm, on the books
Celtic £144mRangers £94mturnover
Chester Zoo v Yorkshire Wildlife Park
The conservation charity against the private wildlife park
Chester Zoo £71mYorkshire Wildlife Park £24mturnover
Professional Darts Corporation v World Snooker Tour
The oche against the baize: two sports built for television
Professional Darts Corporation £63mWorld Snooker Tour £41mturnover
Royal Opera House v National Theatre
Two national stages, paid for by the box office and the public purse
Royal Opera House £182mNational Theatre £129mturnover
Flight Club v Swingers
Darts against crazy golf: the competitive socialising rivals
Flight Club £91mSwingers £8mturnover
B&M v Poundland
Two discount variety chains selling the same kind of bargains. Which one turns them into profit?
B&M £4,624mPoundland £1,549mturnover
BT v TalkTalk
The UK's biggest broadband provider and one of its oldest challengers, compared on their accounts.
BT £19,654mTalkTalk £1,412mturnover
South West Water v Thames Water
Two regulated water companies, one in the South West and one in London and the Thames Valley. How do their accounts compare?
South West Water £939mThames Water £3,757mturnover
Lovehoney v Ann Summers
The UK's two best-known adult retailers: one born online, one on the high street. How do their accounts compare?
Lovehoney £93mAnn Summers £93mturnover
Sky v ITV
The pay-TV giant that wants to buy ITV's channels, and the broadcaster it wants. How do their accounts compare?
Sky £10,541mITV £3,511mturnover
Morrisons v Asda
Two Yorkshire supermarkets, both bought by private equity with borrowed money. How do their accounts compare?
Morrisons £8,491mAsda £24,054mturnover
Ocado v Waitrose
The online-only grocer and the upmarket supermarket that used to supply it. How do their accounts compare?
Ocado £3,193mWaitrose £7,767mturnover
Iceland v Aldi
The frozen food specialist and the discounter that changed British shopping. How do their accounts compare?
Iceland £4,118mAldi £19,033mturnover
Evri v Royal Mail
The parcel challenger and the 500-year-old postal service. How do their accounts compare?
Evri £1,853mRoyal Mail £8,198mturnover
DPD v Evri
Premium tracked delivery against the budget parcel giant. How do their accounts compare?
DPD £1,484mEvri £1,853mturnover
British Airways v Virgin Atlantic
Heathrow's two long-haul rivals: the flag carrier and the challenger it never quite shook off. How do their accounts compare?
British Airways £14,679mVirgin Atlantic £3,370mturnover
easyJet v Wizz Air
The Luton-based low-cost airline and the UK arm of its Hungarian-based rival. How do their accounts compare?
easyJet £10,106mWizz Air UK £447mturnover
E.ON v EDF
Two of Britain's biggest energy suppliers, both owned from the Continent. How do their accounts compare?
E.ON Next £7,367mEDF £13,054mturnover
Octopus Energy v E.ON
The newcomer that grew into Britain's biggest household supplier, against one of the long-established names. How do their accounts compare?
Octopus Energy £13,683mE.ON Next £7,367mturnover
JLR v Aston Martin
Britain's biggest car company by turnover, and one of its best-known sports car makers. How do their accounts compare?
JLR £22,911mAston Martin £1,258mturnover
Bentley v Rolls-Royce
Crewe against Goodwood: two British luxury marques with German owners. How do their accounts compare?
Bentley £2,123mRolls-Royce Motor Cars £914mturnover
Aston Martin v McLaren
Two British supercar makers with F1 teams bearing their names. How do their accounts compare?
Aston Martin £1,258mMcLaren Automotive £694mturnover
Lloyds v NatWest
Two high street banks whose groups were rescued by the taxpayer in 2008. How do their accounts compare?
Lloyds Bank £34,528mNatWest £23,714mturnover
Barclays v HSBC
Two global banking names, compared on their ring-fenced UK high street banks. How do their accounts compare?
Barclays UK £14,664mHSBC UK £16,474mturnover
Monzo v Lloyds
The app-only bank and the old high street giant. How do their accounts compare?
Monzo £1,724mLloyds Bank £34,528mturnover
Zara v H&M
Two global fast-fashion giants on the UK high street: which turns its racks into profit?
Zara UK £1,771mH&M £1,368mturnover
River Island v New Look
Two high street names that went through restructuring: which came out stronger?
River Island £478mNew Look £688mturnover
TK Maxx v Matalan
Bargain rails, out-of-town sheds: who makes value pay?
TK Maxx £4,354mMatalan £987mturnover
Next v ASOS
The high street veteran that went online, and the online native: who makes more of every £100?
Next £6,901mASOS £2,478mturnover
BT v Virgin Media O2
BT, which owns Openreach, against the joint venture behind O2 and Virgin Media. How do their accounts compare?
BT £19,654mVirgin Media O2 £10,113mturnover
Wise v Revolut
Two fintech platforms compared on turnover, growth, margin, staff costs, balance sheet and control.
Octopus Energy v British Gas
Two energy suppliers compared on turnover, profit, payroll, balance sheets and control.
M&S v John Lewis
High street stalwarts compared on turnover, payroll, borrowings, ownership and profit.
Nando's v Wagamama
Peri peri chicken against pan Asian noodles, compared on turnover, margin, payroll, borrowings and control.
easyJet v Jet2
Two package holiday giants compared on turnover, margin, payroll, financing and ownership.
Gymshark v Castore
Two British activewear brands compared on turnover, profit, payroll, borrowings and control.
Costa v Caffè Nero
High street coffee compared on turnover, growth, payroll, financing cost and control.
Deliveroo v Uber Eats
Food delivery platforms compared on turnover, headcount, payroll, ownership and profit.
Center Parcs v Butlin's
Forest luxury against budget chalets, compared on turnover, payroll, borrowings, ownership and profit.
Greggs v Pret A Manger
Bargain bakes against premium sandwiches, with two food-to-go models read through their filings.
JD Sports v Frasers Group
Tracksuits, takeovers and billions: two British retail groups compared figure by figure.
Monzo v Starling
The challenger bank grudge match, compared on income, profit per pound, payroll and ownership.
Wimbledon v Silverstone
Two British sporting crown jewels compared on turnover, margins, payroll and borrowings.
Barratt Redrow v Persimmon
Bricks, mortar and billions: the UK housebuilders compared on turnover, profit and margin.
Gary Neville v Gary Lineker
King of the football podcasters? Two media empires compared on revenue, retained profit and net assets.
Gordon Ramsay v Jamie Oliver
Two ways to own a food empire. The accounts tell a very different story from the TV schedules.
Joshua vs Fury
The books behind boxing's biggest grudge match. Public profile and commercial reality are two very different tables.
Matchroom v Queensberry
The business of British boxing. Two promoters, one industry, settled with accounts instead of opinions.