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Compare Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) vs CarMax, Inc (KMX) Price & Performance

Essex Property Trust, Inc.Trade
CarMax, IncTrade

Price performance (Past 24H)

Key statistics

Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $269.13 (market cap $17.26B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $54 (market cap $7.64B). The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. is far larger — about 2.3× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays a 3.86% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Essex Property Trust, Inc. for 111 Days and CarMax, Inc for 49 Days on average.

ESSKMX
Market Cap
$17.26B$7.64B
Volume
454,4643,610,116
Sector
Real EstateConsumer Cyclical
52-Week High
$298.33$64.22
52-Week Low
$239.61$30.88
Typical Hold Time
111 Days49 Days
Enterprise Value
$23.86B$25.34B
Dividend Yield
3.86%—

Aura AI Summary

Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice

Essex Property Trust, Inc.

ESS trades at $268.05, down 1.63% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported mixed quarterly earnings, missing in Q4 2025 and Q2 2026 but beating in Q1 2026, with Q3 2026 results pending. Revenue reached $1.89B in 2025, with a net income margin of 21.48%, while valuation ratios like a P/E of 41.83 suggest a premium. Recent news highlights strong Q2 2026 results, raised guidance, and a declared dividend of $2.59 per share.

The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by operational strength and resolved litigation, but high valuation and earnings volatility pose risks. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $303.41 price target, indicating potential upside, though investors should monitor debt levels and consistent earnings delivery against expectations.

CarMax, Inc

CarMax (KMX) trades at $53.28, down 3.64% amid bearish technical signals despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with strong revenue growth (Q2 2026 revenue up 19.5% to $7.9B) but thin net margins (1.06%). Analyst consensus leans cautious with 62% hold ratings, though price targets suggest 10.5% upside to $58.89. Recent leadership appointments and strategic updates signal management's focus on growth execution.

Outlook hinges on CarMax's ability to sustain unit sales momentum while improving profitability. The stock offers value appeal (P/S 0.28) but faces execution risks from high debt ($18.1B long-term) and competitive pressures. Near-term catalysts include November's strategic webcast and Q3 earnings.

Returns comparison

Trailing returns across standard periods

About Essex Property Trust, Inc.

Essex Property Trust owns a portfolio of 253 apartment communities with over 62,000 units and is developing three additional properties with 571 units. The company focuses on owning large, high-quality properties on the West Coast in the urban and suburban submarkets of Southern California, Northern California, and Seattle.

Read more on ESS →

About CarMax, Inc

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 →