CarMax, Inc vs Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $57.72 (market cap $7.93B), while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd trades at $19.45 (market cap $8.95B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd are close in size by market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | NCLH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $8.95B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $26.94 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $14.79 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $23.92B |
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.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) trades at $19.47, showing minimal daily movement with a 0.05% gain. The stock demonstrates strong fundamental momentum with three consecutive quarterly earnings beats and improving profitability metrics. Recent technical indicators show mixed signals with a bearish overall trend but neutral oscillators. The company maintains solid revenue growth, reaching $9.83 billion in 2025, while navigating significant capital expenditures for fleet expansion.
NCLH presents a compelling value opportunity with attractive valuation ratios (P/E: 15.69, P/S: 0.94) and strong analyst support (55.55% buy ratings). However, investors face risks from high debt levels ($13.1 billion total debt) and sensitivity to macroeconomic factors affecting travel demand. The upcoming Q2 2026 earnings report on July 30 represents a key catalyst for near-term price direction.
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 →Norwegian Cruise Line is the world's third-largest cruise company by berths (at more than 62,000), operating 29 ships across three brands (Norwegian, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas), offering both freestyle and luxury cruising. The company has redeployed its entire fleet as of May 2022. With eight passenger vessels on order among its brands through 2027 (representing 20,000 incremental berths), Norwegian is increasing capacity faster than its peers, expanding its brand globally. Norwegian sailed to around 500 global destinations before the pandemic.
Read more on NCLH →