CarMax, Inc vs Sunrun Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $55.91 (market cap $7.93B), while Sunrun Inc trades at $11.46 (market cap $2.73B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is far larger — about 2.9× Sunrun Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Sunrun Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | RUN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $2.73B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $21.41 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $9.07 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $16.92B |
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.
Sunrun (RUN) trades at $11.44, down 3.46% today, with a bearish technical outlook. The stock shows strong profitability with a 17.88% net income margin and trades at a low P/E of 5.56. Recent news highlights a major partnership with Tesla and Renew Home for a 16-gigawatt virtual power plant, boosting growth prospects. Earnings have consistently beaten estimates, with Q1 2026 EPS of $0.62 versus -$0.05 expected.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is bullish with a $16.27 price target, but cash flow concerns and high debt-to-asset ratio of 70.76% pose risks. The partnership with Tesla offers significant upside in the AI-driven energy demand sector, yet execution and financing challenges remain key hurdles for sustained growth.
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 →Sunrun Inc. is one of the largest residential solar, battery storage, and energy services companies in the United States. The company provides solar panel installations, battery backup systems, and energy management solutions to homeowners. Sunrun primarily uses a solar-as-a-service model, offering customers solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs), which allow homeowners to adopt solar energy with little to no upfront cost. The company's mission is to create a planet run by the sun.
Read more on RUN →