CarMax, Inc vs Palo Alto Networks Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.72 (market cap $7.64B), while Palo Alto Networks Inc trades at $418.59 (market cap $331.76B). The key difference: Palo Alto Networks Inc is far larger — about 43.4× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Palo Alto Networks Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, CarMax, Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Palo Alto Networks Inc for 82 Days on average.
| KMX | PANW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $331.76B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 3,886,927 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $419.91 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $141.67 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 82 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $331.19B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $52.82, down 0.86% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The company reported strong Q2 2026 results with EPS of $1.16 beating estimates by 58%, driven by 19.5% revenue growth to $7.9 billion. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 25.37 and P/S of 0.28, while profitability remains modest with 1.06% net margin. Recent news highlights the company's 'Shift into GEAR' turnaround strategy showing early success.
KMX presents a mixed outlook with improving operational performance offset by high debt levels and competitive pressures. The consensus price target of $58.89 suggests 11% upside potential, but analysts remain cautious with 62% hold ratings. Key risks include cyclical auto market exposure and interest rate sensitivity, while catalysts include continued execution of the turnaround strategy and potential share buybacks.
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) trades at $418.78, up 3.3% with strong technical momentum near 52-week highs. The stock shows bullish moving averages and has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters. Revenue growth remains robust at $9.22B for 2025, though valuation metrics appear elevated with P/E at 1,013.93 and P/S at 26.99. The company's platformization strategy and AI security services are driving investor optimism.
Outlook remains positive with 72% analyst buy ratings and $398.70 consensus target, though premium valuation and rising costs present risks. AI cybersecurity demand creates growth opportunities, but execution on large customer deals and margin sustainability will be critical for continued upside.
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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 →Palo Alto Networks is a pure-play cybersecurity vendor that sells security appliances, subscriptions, and support into enterprises, government entities, and service providers. The company's product portfolio includes firewall appliances, virtual firewalls, endpoint protection, cloud security, and cybersecurity analytics. The Santa Clara, California, firm was established in 2005 and sells its products worldwide.
Read more on PANW →