CarMax, Inc vs Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $57.98 (market cap $8.26B), while Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $78.6. The key difference: CarMax, Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.26B | — |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $62.17 | $80.20 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $78.41 |
Enterprise Value | $26.77B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $58.78, up 1.03% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. Recent earnings have beaten expectations, with Q3 2025 and Q1 2026 EPS surpassing estimates, though Q2 2025 missed. Revenue remains stable around $26.4 billion, but net income margin is thin at 0.84%. The stock is near its consensus price target of $53.09, with a high target of $66.00. Positive news includes a Zacks Strong Buy rating and partnerships to enhance customer experience.
The outlook for KMX is cautiously optimistic, driven by earnings beats and bullish technicals, but high debt and margin pressures pose risks. Investment opportunity lies in continued execution and market share gains, while risks include competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. Analyst consensus leans Hold, with 68.58% holding, suggesting a wait-and-see approach for further growth confirmation.
VCSH trades at $78.615, up 0.16% with a bearish technical outlook as moving averages signal selling pressure while oscillators remain neutral. The ETF maintains a 4.77% yield with short 2.7-year duration, though recent analysis suggests limited upside due to tight credit spreads. Recent institutional activity shows mixed positioning with Apella Capital reducing holdings while Bessemer Group and Allspring increased stakes significantly.
The outlook remains cautious with downgrades to 'Hold' citing unattractive entry points, though the short duration provides downside protection. Key risks include credit spread widening and Fed policy uncertainty, while the primary opportunity lies in stable income generation for conservative investors seeking corporate bond exposure.
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 →VCSH tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, focusing on high-quality, investment-grade debt with short maturities. It is designed to offer higher income than Treasury bills with significantly lower interest rate sensitivity than intermediate or long-term bond funds.
Read more on VCSH →