First Solar, Inc. vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? First Solar, Inc. trades at $217.63 (market cap $24.05B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $60.09 (market cap $8.36B). The key difference: First Solar, Inc. is far larger — about 2.9× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, First Solar, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| FSLR | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $24.05B | $8.36B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $318.30 | $63.53 |
52-Week Low | $166.82 | $30.88 |
Enterprise Value | $22.21B | $26.87B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
First Solar (FSLR) trades at $220.58, down 0.2% on the day, with a bearish technical signal driven by moving averages. The company shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 14.46, net income margin of 30.73%, and robust cash flow from operations of $2.06B in 2025. Recent earnings beat in Q1 2026 but missed in prior quarters. Multiple class-action lawsuits filed in July 2026 allege securities fraud, creating near-term legal overhang.
The stock presents a mixed outlook: solid profitability and analyst consensus price target of $275.17 suggest upside, but legal risks and bearish technicals weigh. Investors face tension between strong financial health and potential volatility from litigation outcomes.
CarMax (KMX) trades at $55.73, up 1.57% with bullish technical signals from moving averages. The company shows mixed fundamentals with a high P/E of 36.61 but attractive P/S of 0.32, while recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations. Revenue has declined from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.35B in 2025, though net income improved to $500.56M. Technical analysis indicates bullish momentum with support at $55 and resistance at $56.
Outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold (62.86%) and price target of $48.91 below current levels. Key risks include ongoing margin pressure and high debt load of $18.14B. Positive catalysts include the four-pillar turnaround strategy gaining traction and insider buying activity.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
First Solar designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic panels, modules, and systems for use in utility-scale development projects. The company's solar modules use cadmium telluride to convert sunlight into electricity. This is commonly called thin-film technology. First Solar is the world's largest thin-film solar module manufacturer. It has production lines in Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, and a new factory under construction in India.
Read more on FSLR →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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