Bank of Nova Scotia vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? Bank of Nova Scotia trades at $89.72 (market cap $108.32B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $57.78 (market cap $8.26B). The key difference: Bank of Nova Scotia is far larger — about 13.1× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Bank of Nova Scotia pays a 3.64% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BNS | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $108.32B | $8.26B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $90.29 | $62.17 |
52-Week Low | $56.41 | $30.88 |
Dividend Yield | 3.64% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $26.77B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) trades at $88.56, down 0.33% on the day. The stock exhibits a bullish technical trend with strong analyst support, evidenced by a 'Buy' consensus from 53% of covering analysts. Recent quarterly earnings have consistently beaten expectations, with Q1 2026 EPS of $1.47 surpassing the $1.42 estimate. The company maintains a solid net income margin of 24.86% and recently announced a dividend of $1.14 per share, highlighting its commitment to shareholder returns.
The outlook for BNS is positive, supported by earnings momentum, a diversified banking model, and an attractive dividend. Key risks include exposure to macroeconomic volatility and competitive pressures in the banking sector. The current valuation, with a P/E of 17.1, appears reasonable relative to its profitability and growth prospects.
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
Bank of Nova Scotia is a global financial services provider. The bank has five business segments: Canadian banking, international banking, global wealth management, global banking and markets, and other. It offers a range of advice, products, and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. The bank's international operations span numerous countries and are more concentrated in Central and South America.
Read more on BNS →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.
Read more on KMX →