Compare CarMax, Inc (KMX) vs Ulta Beauty Inc (ULTA) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
CarMax, Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.61 (market cap $7.64B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $570.37 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is far larger — about 3.2× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ulta Beauty Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| KMX | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $24.12B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 457,598 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $26.43B |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
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.
ULTA trades at $564.21, up 3.43% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong institutional support. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, and the company raised its 2026 guidance, driven by e-commerce momentum. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 20.55 and P/S of 1.92, while profitability remains robust with a 9.34% net income margin and 46.12% ROE.
The stock offers growth potential with a consensus price target of $624.93, but faces risks from margin pressure and flat store traffic. Execution on raised guidance and expansion into wellness categories are key catalysts, though consumer spending volatility and promotional intensity could limit upside.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
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About CarMax, Inc
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 →About Ulta Beauty Inc
With more than 1,300 stores and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (43% of 2021 sales), fragrances, skin care, and hair care products (20% of 2021 sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Read more on ULTA →
