CarMax, Inc vs Lamb Weston Holdings Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $56.41 (market cap $7.93B), while Lamb Weston Holdings Inc trades at $46.42 (market cap $6.43B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc pays a 3.26% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | LW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $6.43B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $66.57 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $38.48 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $10.40B |
Dividend Yield | — | 3.26% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $55.89, down 2.51% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but a neutral stance from oscillators. The company reported mixed earnings, with a Q2 2025 miss but subsequent beats in Q3 2025 and Q1 2026. Revenue has trended down from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.35B in 2025, though net income margin improved slightly to 1.89%. Recent news highlights a strategic turnaround under new CEO Keith Barr, with insider buying and positive analyst updates despite an ongoing legal investigation.
The outlook for KMX hinges on successful execution of its four-pillar strategy to boost volume and efficiency, offering potential upside if targets are met. However, high debt levels, margin pressure, and legal scrutiny pose significant risks. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating and a price target of $48.91 below the current price, indicating skepticism about near-term growth.
Lamb Weston (LW) trades at $46.59, down 0.43% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $49.33. The company reported revenue of $6.45B in 2025 and has beaten EPS estimates in the last three quarters. Recent news highlights its 'Focus to Win' strategy showing traction, with volume gains in North America and cost-saving initiatives supporting its turnaround.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic, with potential upside from continued earnings beats and strategic execution, but risks include a pending class-action lawsuit, margin pressures, and high debt levels. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with 35% buy ratings, reflecting confidence in the turnaround amid operational challenges.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Lamb Weston is the world's second-largest producer of branded and private-label frozen potato products, such as French fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, diced potatoes, mashed potatoes, hash browns, and chips. The company also has a small appetizer business that produces onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and cheese curds. Including joint ventures, 63% of fiscal 2022 revenue was U.S.-based, with the remainder stemming from Europe, Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, and several other countries. Lamb Weston's customer mix is estimated 58% quick-serve restaurants, 19% full-service restaurants, 8% other food services (hotels, commercial cafeterias, arenas, schools), and 16% retail. Lamb Weston became an independent company in 2016 when it was spun off from Conagra.
Read more on LW →