Albertsons Companies Inc vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? Albertsons Companies Inc trades at $12.13 (market cap $5.95B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $58.13 (market cap $8.26B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Albertsons Companies Inc pays a 5.55% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ACI | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $5.95B | $8.26B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $19.74 | $62.17 |
52-Week Low | $11.03 | $30.88 |
Enterprise Value | $21.35B | $26.77B |
Dividend Yield | 5.55% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Albertsons Companies (ACI) trades at $12.135, showing minimal daily movement with a 0.04% gain. The stock faces bearish technical signals despite recent insider buying by the CEO and CFO. Fundamentals reveal declining profitability with net income margin at just 0.08% and falling revenue growth, though valuation metrics like P/S of 0.08 appear attractive. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed expectations, triggering a 22% selloff and multiple law firm investigations into potential securities violations.
ACI presents a high-risk opportunity with conflicting signals. While insider purchases and low valuation multiples suggest potential value, deteriorating margins, earnings misses, and legal scrutiny create significant headwinds. The stock's near-term trajectory depends on successful execution of the ACI Edge restructuring and digital initiatives to reverse profitability declines.
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.78, up 1.03% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. Recent earnings have beaten expectations, with Q3 2025 and Q1 2026 EPS surpassing estimates, though Q2 2025 missed. Revenue remains stable around $26.4 billion, but net income margin is thin at 0.84%. The stock is near its consensus price target of $53.09, with a high target of $66.00. Positive news includes a Zacks Strong Buy rating and partnerships to enhance customer experience.
The outlook for KMX is cautiously optimistic, driven by earnings beats and bullish technicals, but high debt and margin pressures pose risks. Investment opportunity lies in continued execution and market share gains, while risks include competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. Analyst consensus leans Hold, with 68.58% holding, suggesting a wait-and-see approach for further growth confirmation.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Albertsons is the second-largest traditional grocer in America, operating 2,276 stores under 24 banners in 34 states (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Around 75% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 20% also sell fuel. Albertsons has a significant private-label operation, accounting for around 20% of sales (excluding fuel). While its own brand assortment is mainly manufactured by third parties, Albertsons operates 20 food production plants (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Albertsons is a top-two grocer in two thirds of its major markets (as of early 2022, according to company data), and virtually all of its sales come from the United States.
Read more on ACI →CarMax sells, finances, and services used and new cars through a chain of over 230 used retail stores. It was formed in 1993 as a unit of Circuit City and spun off into an independent company in late 2002. Used-vehicle sales typically account for about 83% of revenue and wholesale about 13%, with the remaining portion composed of extended service plans and repair. In fiscal 2022, the company retailed and wholesaled 924,338 and 706,212 used vehicles, respectively. CarMax is the largest used-vehicle retailer in the U.S. but still estimates that it has only about 4% U.S. market share of vehicles 0-10 years old in 2021. It seeks over 5% share by the end of calendar 2025 and revenue between $33 billion to $45 billion by fiscal 2026. CarMax is based in Richmond, Virginia.
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