CarMax, Inc vs Upstart Holdings Inc — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $58.3 (market cap $8.26B), while Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $29.03 (market cap $2.91B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is far larger — about 2.8× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Upstart Holdings Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | UPST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.26B | $2.91B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Financials |
52-Week High | $62.17 | $73.76 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $24.22 |
Enterprise Value | $26.77B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.20, showing modest near-term weakness with a 0.99% daily decline. The stock maintains a bullish technical stance with strong moving average support and trades near key support at $58. Fundamentally, the company reported Q1 2026 earnings beat with $0.34 EPS versus $0.23 expected, though revenue trends show slight contraction from $26.4B in 2025 to projected $26.3B in 2026. Recent positive developments include AI partnership enhancements and strong institutional recognition.
CarMax presents a mixed investment case with technical strength offset by fundamental challenges. The bullish moving average configuration and recent earnings beats provide near-term support, but declining revenue trends and thin 0.84% net margin limit upside potential. Key risks include ongoing fiduciary investigations and competitive pressure in the used car market. Analyst consensus remains cautious with 68.6% hold ratings and $53.09 price target below current levels.
UPST trades at $28.97, down 4.1% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates. The company returned to GAAP profitability with 42% revenue growth and 50% loan origination growth, though it has missed earnings expectations in three consecutive quarters. Analyst consensus is divided with a $47.20 price target suggesting significant upside potential from current levels.
The outlook remains mixed with strong AI-driven lending growth offset by high valuation metrics (P/E 57.5) and negative cash flow from operations. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and competitive pressures in fintech lending, while institutional sentiment shows cautious optimism with 45% buy ratings.
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 →Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →