CarMax, Inc vs SkyWest Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.61 (market cap $7.64B), while SkyWest Inc trades at $96.52 (market cap $3.75B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is far larger — about 2× SkyWest Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, SkyWest Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and SkyWest Inc for 8 Days on average.
| KMX | SKYW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $3.75B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 196,324 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $115.94 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $78.40 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 8 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $5.54B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $53.79, up 0.96% with recent earnings beats driving positive momentum. The stock shows bearish technical signals but strong fundamental improvements with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.16 beating estimates by 58%. Revenue grew 19.5% to $7.9 billion in the latest quarter, while the company's Shift into GEAR strategy shows early success. Valuation metrics remain reasonable with P/E of 25.37 and P/S of 0.28, though net margins remain thin at 1.06%.
KMX presents a turnaround story with improving operational execution but faces margin pressure and high debt levels. The consensus price target of $58.89 suggests 9.5% upside potential, though analyst sentiment remains cautious with 62% hold ratings. Key risks include used car market volatility and interest rate sensitivity, while catalysts include continued execution of the growth strategy and potential share buybacks.
SkyWest (SKYW) trades at $96.73, up 0.09% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including a P/E of 9.6 and net income margin of 9.78%. Recent earnings show mixed results, with a Q1 2026 beat but a Q2 2026 miss. The company is expanding its fleet and flying agreements, supporting growth amid cost pressures.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, with a consensus price target of $112 offering 16% upside. Risks include execution on cost control and competitive pressures, but low valuation and analyst buy ratings suggest potential for recovery if operational trends improve.
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 →SkyWest, Inc. is a major North American regional airline company, operating primarily through its subsidiary, SkyWest Airlines. The company provides regional airline service to various large airlines under contract, including United Airlines (as United Express), Delta Air Lines (as Delta Connection), American Airlines (as American Eagle), and Alaska Airlines (as Alaska SkyWest). SKYW's primary business is providing essential flight services, connecting smaller cities to major airline hubs across the United States.
Read more on SKYW →