CarMax, Inc vs Paycom Software Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $55.91 (market cap $7.93B), while Paycom Software Inc trades at $144.05 (market cap $6.98B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc and Paycom Software Inc are close in size by market cap, and Paycom Software Inc pays a 1% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | PAYC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $6.98B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $238.80 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $113.59 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $7.59B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $57.61, up 0.49% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a strong ADX signal. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations, driven by cost control and revenue growth, though net income margins remain thin at 0.84%. The company's four-pillar strategy focuses on volume, digital sales, and efficiency, with positive analyst coverage highlighting value and momentum potential.
The stock's upside is supported by operational improvements and insider buying, but risks include high debt levels, margin pressure, and a pending legal investigation. Analyst consensus is cautious with a $48.91 price target below the current price, suggesting limited near-term upside amid execution risks.
Paycom Software (PAYC) trades at $144.22, down 2.51% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals including 22.44% net margin and 37.15% ROE. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 2026, and the company launched a new Asset Management tool. Cash flow from operations grew to $679M in 2025, though net cash flow declined from 2024's peak.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus near current price ($144.60 target) and 47% buy ratings. Risks include high P/B of 8.6 and reliance on HR software demand. The stock offers value with a reasonable P/E of 17.33 but faces execution risks in maintaining growth against competition.
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 →Paycom is a fast-growing provider of payroll and human capital management, or HCM, software primarily targeting clients with 50-10,000 employees in the United States. Paycom was established in 1998 and services about 18,000 clients as of 2021, based on parent company grouping. Alongside its core payroll software, Paycom offers various HCM add-on modules, including time and attendance, talent management, and benefits administration.
Read more on PAYC →