CarMax, Inc vs Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.72 (market cap $7.64B), while Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $77.3 (market cap $51.90B). The key difference: Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF is far larger — about 6.8× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and 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 — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF for 52 Days on average.
| KMX | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $51.90B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 2,892,221 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $80.20 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $77.03 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 52 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $52.61, down 1.26% amid bearish technical signals despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 25.37 and net margin of 1.06%, while revenue trends downward from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.4B in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings of $1.16 per share beat expectations by 58%, driven by 19.5% revenue growth and improved unit sales under the 'Shift into GEAR' strategy.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold (62%) and $58.89 price target suggesting 12% upside. Key risks include declining profit margins, high debt load ($18.14B long-term), and competitive pressures. Positive catalysts include continued execution of turnaround strategy and November 3 strategic update.
VCSH trades at $77.30 with minimal daily movement (+0.04%). The technical picture shows a bearish trend with moving averages signaling caution, while oscillators remain neutral. Recent news highlights VCSH's competitive 4.5-4.8% dividend yield and low 0.03% expense ratio, though credit spreads remain tight. The ETF's short 2.7-year duration provides some protection against rising rates.
VCSH offers stable income exposure to investment-grade corporate bonds but faces headwinds from tight credit spreads and limited price appreciation potential. The fund's low duration minimizes interest rate risk, making it suitable for conservative investors seeking yield above Treasury alternatives, though corporate credit risk remains a consideration in economic downturns.
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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 →