CarMax, Inc vs Vistra Corp — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $58.36 (market cap $7.93B), while Vistra Corp trades at $161.06 (market cap $53.27B). The key difference: Vistra Corp is far larger — about 6.7× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Vistra Corp pays a 0.58% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | VST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $53.27B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $217.92 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $134.71 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $75.03B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.58% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $55.89, down 2.51% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but a neutral stance from oscillators. The company reported mixed earnings, with a Q2 2025 miss but subsequent beats in Q3 2025 and Q1 2026. Revenue has trended down from $31.9B in 2022 to $26.35B in 2025, though net income margin improved slightly to 1.89%. Recent news highlights a strategic turnaround under new CEO Keith Barr, with insider buying and positive analyst updates despite an ongoing legal investigation.
The outlook for KMX hinges on successful execution of its four-pillar strategy to boost volume and efficiency, offering potential upside if targets are met. However, high debt levels, margin pressure, and legal scrutiny pose significant risks. Analyst consensus is cautious with a hold-heavy rating and a price target of $48.91 below the current price, indicating skepticism about near-term growth.
Vistra Corp (VST) trades at $157.99, up 1.64% today, showing mixed technical signals with a bearish overall trend but neutral oscillators. Fundamentally, the company reported strong Q1 2026 earnings beat ($2.87 vs $1.32 expected) after previous misses, with 2026 revenue projected at $19.4B and net profit margin improving to 11.52%. Recent news highlights Vistra's positioning as a potential beneficiary of AI-driven power demand growth.
Wall Street maintains strong bullish sentiment with 91% buy ratings and a $253 consensus price target representing 60% upside potential. Key risks include power price volatility, high debt levels, and project execution challenges. The company's long-term power purchase agreements with major tech firms provide revenue visibility, but investors should monitor Q2 2026 earnings due August 7th for confirmation of growth trajectory.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Vistra is a leading integrated retail electricity and power generation company that serves as a critical infrastructure provider for the digital economy. It operates a diversified portfolio of zero-carbon nuclear and renewable assets alongside a massive, flexible natural gas fleet, positioning it as an indispensable partner for energy-intensive AI data centers and industrial electrification.
Read more on VST →