American Water Works Company Inc vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $131.69 (market cap $25.69B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $55.8 (market cap $7.91B). The key difference: American Water Works Company Inc is far larger — about 3.2× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays a 2.72% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.69B | $7.91B |
Sector | Utilities | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $147.00 | $63.53 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $30.88 |
Enterprise Value | $41.25B | $26.42B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Water Works (AWK) trades at $131.53, up 0.64% with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent revenue growth from $3.8B in 2022 to $5.14B in 2025, maintaining net margins above 21%. Recent earnings show mixed results with a Q3 2025 beat but Q1 2026 miss, while the company continues infrastructure investments and community initiatives.
AWK presents a stable utility investment with moderate upside to the $137 consensus target. Key risks include regulatory approvals for rate increases and high capital expenditures. Analyst sentiment is balanced with 47% buy ratings, though recent earnings misses warrant caution ahead of Q2 2026 results on July 29, 2026.
CarMax (KMX) trades at $54.87, up 2.58% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a neutral oscillator stance. The company reported Q1 2026 earnings that beat expectations, with EPS of $0.34 versus $0.23 expected, driven by cost controls and strategic execution. Revenue for 2025 was $26.35 billion, with net income of $500.56 million, though margins remain thin. Recent news highlights a four-pillar turnaround strategy under new CEO Keith Barr, with insider buying and positive analyst updates supporting sentiment.
The outlook for KMX hinges on successful execution of its growth strategy amid competitive pressures and margin challenges. While technical indicators suggest near-term strength, fundamental risks include high debt levels and fluctuating profitability. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating, but the stock offers potential for recovery if operational improvements sustain. Investors should weigh the bullish technical setup against fundamental headwinds and ongoing investigations.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Water Works is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility, serving approximately 3.5 million customers in 16 states. It provides water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers and operates predominantly in regulated markets. The company's only nonregulated business is water services for military bases, which operates under long-term contracts.
Read more on AWK →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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