CarMax, Inc vs Kroger Co — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.61 (market cap $7.64B), while Kroger Co trades at $61.64 (market cap $36.27B). The key difference: Kroger Co is far larger — about 4.7× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Kroger Co pays a 2.54% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Kroger Co for 108 Days on average.
| KMX | KR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $36.27B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 8,301,523 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $75.60 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $55.53 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 108 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $57.69B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.54% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $53.79, up 0.96% with recent earnings beats driving positive momentum. The stock shows bearish technical signals but strong fundamental improvements with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.16 beating estimates by 58%. Revenue grew 19.5% to $7.9 billion in the latest quarter, while the company's Shift into GEAR strategy shows early success. Valuation metrics remain reasonable with P/E of 25.37 and P/S of 0.28, though net margins remain thin at 1.06%.
KMX presents a turnaround story with improving operational execution but faces margin pressure and high debt levels. The consensus price target of $58.89 suggests 9.5% upside potential, though analyst sentiment remains cautious with 62% hold ratings. Key risks include used car market volatility and interest rate sensitivity, while catalysts include continued execution of the growth strategy and potential share buybacks.
Kroger (KR) trades at $61.41, up 3.65% with a bullish technical signal and positive analyst sentiment. The stock shows strong fundamentals with $147.12B revenue, 23.11% gross margins, and consistent dividend payments. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q2 2026, while Q1 2026 slightly missed. Technical indicators show the stock trading near pivot point resistance at $62 with solid support at $59-60 levels. The company maintains robust cash flow generation with $5.79B from operations in 2025.
Kroger presents a compelling investment case with attractive valuation (P/S 0.26), strong analyst support (47.72% buy ratings), and $70.62 consensus price target offering 15% upside. Key risks include integration challenges with Giant Eagle acquisition, cost pressures affecting 2026 margins, and competitive threats from Walmart. The stock's digital growth initiatives and retail media expansion provide growth catalysts, though investors should monitor identical sales performance and acquisition integration progress.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
No sentiment data available yet.
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 →Kroger is the leading American grocer, with 2,726 supermarkets operating under several banners throughout the country as of the end of fiscal 2021. Around 83% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 60% also sell fuel. The company also operates roughly 120 fine jewelry stores. Kroger features a leading private-label offering and manufactures around 30% of its own-brand units (and more than 40% of its grocery own-label assortment) itself, in 33 food production plants nationwide. Kroger is a top-two grocer in most of its major markets (as of early 2021, according to company data). Virtually all of Kroger's sales come from the United States.
Read more on KR →