CarMax, Inc vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.85 (market cap $7.64B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $223.44 (market cap $71.94B). The key difference: Ross Stores, Inc. is far larger — about 9.4× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Ross Stores, Inc. pays a 0.79% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Ross Stores, Inc. for 48 Days on average.
| KMX | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $71.94B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 2,002,519 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $255.23 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $147.71 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 48 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $72.39B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.79% |
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.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $222.41, down 1.38% amid broader market weakness. The stock shows strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats (Q4 2025-Q2 2026) and robust profitability metrics including 42.63% ROE and 10.85% net margin. Technical indicators signal bearish momentum with the price near key support at $221, while analyst consensus remains bullish with a $274.14 price target. Recent news highlights store expansion initiatives and strong closeout supply positioning the company for growth.
ROST presents a compelling investment case with strong operational performance and analyst confidence, though near-term technical weakness and competitive pressures warrant caution. The 16% upside to consensus target offers potential reward, but investors should monitor execution of expansion plans and consumer spending trends given the bearish technical signals.
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 →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →