CarMax, Inc vs PayPal Holdings, Inc. — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $58.5 (market cap $8.34B), while PayPal Holdings, Inc. trades at $58.87 (market cap $50.53B). The key difference: PayPal Holdings, Inc. is far larger — about 6.1× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and PayPal Holdings, Inc. pays a 0.95% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | PYPL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.34B | $50.53B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Financials |
52-Week High | $62.17 | $76.13 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $39.08 |
Enterprise Value | $26.85B | $52.68B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.95% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.18, up 0.21% today, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The stock shows mixed earnings performance, beating expectations in Q3 2025 and Q1 2026 but missing in Q2 2025. Revenue has declined from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.35B in 2025, while net income margin improved slightly to 1.89%. Recent news includes partnerships to enhance customer experience and ongoing legal investigations into fiduciary duties.
Outlook is cautious with a consensus price target of $53.09 below the current price, indicating potential downside. Opportunities lie in operational improvements and AI integrations, but risks include high debt, competitive pressures, and legal scrutiny. Analyst sentiment is neutral with 68.58% hold ratings, suggesting wait-and-see approach amid volatility.
PayPal (PYPL) trades at $59.07, down 1.19% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong cash flow. Recent earnings beat expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.38 exceeding the $1.28 consensus, while revenue grew 4.8% year-over-year. The company raised full-year 2026 guidance, signaling confidence in its turnaround under new leadership, amid acquisition interest from Stripe and Advent International at a $53 billion valuation rejected by the board.
PYPL presents a value opportunity with a low P/E of 11.17 and robust free cash flow, but faces risks from competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. Analyst consensus is mixed with 35.7% buy ratings, though institutional buying and undervaluation narratives support upside potential if execution improves.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →PayPal Holdings, Inc. operates as a technology platform company that enables digital and mobile payments on behalf of consumers and merchants. The Company offers online payment solutions. PayPal Holdings serves customers worldwide.
Read more on PYPL →