W W Grainger Inc vs CarMax, Inc — how do they compare? W W Grainger Inc trades at $1,289.35 (market cap $59.76B), while CarMax, Inc trades at $52.72 (market cap $7.64B). The key difference: W W Grainger Inc is far larger — about 7.8× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and W W Grainger Inc pays a 0.79% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold W W Grainger Inc for 25 Days and CarMax, Inc for 49 Days on average.
| GWW | KMX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $59.76B | $7.64B |
Volume | 186,697 | 3,610,116 |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.40K | $64.22 |
52-Week Low | $918.18 | $30.88 |
Typical Hold Time | 25 Days | 49 Days |
Enterprise Value | $61.96B | $25.34B |
Dividend Yield | 0.79% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
W.W. Grainger (GWW) trades at $1,263.51, down 0.94% on the day, amid a bearish technical signal. Recent earnings show mixed results with Q4 2025 missing estimates but Q1 and Q2 2026 beating expectations. The company maintains strong profitability with a net income margin of 9.92% and ROE of 47.92%, though valuation ratios like P/E of 32.34 appear elevated. Recent news highlights institutional buying and expansion efforts, including a new distribution center in Oregon and the acquisition of technology assets from Adroit Worldwide Media.
The outlook for GWW is cautiously optimistic, supported by earnings beats and solid fundamentals, but risks include high valuation and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus leans hold with a $1,310 price target, suggesting limited upside. Investors should weigh strong cash flow and dividend consistency against potential margin compression and market volatility.
CarMax (KMX) trades at $52.61, down 1.26% amid bearish technical signals despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 25.37 and net margin of 1.06%, while revenue trends downward from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.4B in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings of $1.16 per share beat expectations by 58%, driven by 19.5% revenue growth and improved unit sales under the 'Shift into GEAR' strategy.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold (62%) and $58.89 price target suggesting 12% upside. Key risks include declining profit margins, high debt load ($18.14B long-term), and competitive pressures. Positive catalysts include continued execution of turnaround strategy and November 3 strategic update.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Grainger is a leading broad-line distributor of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products. It serves millions of customers worldwide through an integrated network of branches and digital platforms.
Read more on GWW →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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