CarMax, Inc vs Marqeta Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $58.26 (market cap $8.26B), while Marqeta Inc trades at $15.7 (market cap $1.62B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is far larger — about 5.1× Marqeta Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Marqeta Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | MQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.26B | $1.62B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $62.17 | $26.00 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $15.04 |
Enterprise Value | $26.77B | $935.36M |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.20, showing modest near-term weakness with a 0.99% daily decline. The stock maintains a bullish technical stance with strong moving average support and trades near key support at $58. Fundamentally, the company reported Q1 2026 earnings beat with $0.34 EPS versus $0.23 expected, though revenue trends show slight contraction from $26.4B in 2025 to projected $26.3B in 2026. Recent positive developments include AI partnership enhancements and strong institutional recognition.
CarMax presents a mixed investment case with technical strength offset by fundamental challenges. The bullish moving average configuration and recent earnings beats provide near-term support, but declining revenue trends and thin 0.84% net margin limit upside potential. Key risks include ongoing fiduciary investigations and competitive pressure in the used car market. Analyst consensus remains cautious with 68.6% hold ratings and $53.09 price target below current levels.
MQ trades at $15.59, down slightly by 0.06%. The stock exhibits a bearish technical signal with strong selling pressure on moving averages. Fundamentally, the company shows improving revenue trends, with 2026 revenue projected at $677 million and a return to positive net income. Recent partnerships with Google and Riskified highlight strategic growth initiatives in digital payments and fraud prevention.
MQ's outlook is cautiously optimistic, driven by revenue growth and profitability improvements, but high valuation ratios and past earnings volatility present risks. Analyst consensus is a 'Hold' with a $19 price target, suggesting moderate upside potential from current levels amid competitive and execution 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 →Headquartered in Oakland, California, and founded in 2010, Marqeta provides its clients with a card-issuing platform that offers the infrastructure and tools necessary to offer digital, physical, and tokenized payment options without the need for a traditional bank. The company's open APIs are designed to allow third parties like DoorDash, Klarna, and Block to rapidly develop and deploy innovative card-based products and payment services without the need to develop the underlying technology. The company generates revenue primarily through processing and ATM fees for cards issued on its platform.
Read more on MQ →