CarMax, Inc vs Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.72 (market cap $7.64B), while Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF trades at $92 (market cap $384.60B). The key difference: Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is far larger — about 50.3× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, CarMax, Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF for 47 Days on average.
| KMX | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $384.60B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 5,662,307 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Sector/Thematic |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $92.64 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $70.00 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 47 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $52.82, down 0.86% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The company reported strong Q2 2026 results with EPS of $1.16 beating estimates by 58%, driven by 19.5% revenue growth to $7.9 billion. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 25.37 and P/S of 0.28, while profitability remains modest with 1.06% net margin. Recent news highlights the company's 'Shift into GEAR' turnaround strategy showing early success.
KMX presents a mixed outlook with improving operational performance offset by high debt levels and competitive pressures. The consensus price target of $58.89 suggests 11% upside potential, but analysts remain cautious with 62% hold ratings. Key risks include cyclical auto market exposure and interest rate sensitivity, while catalysts include continued execution of the turnaround strategy and potential share buybacks.
VUG trades at $92.42, down 0.24% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages but showing overbought conditions on shorter-term RSI readings. The ETF maintains strong long-term performance credentials with 11-12% average annual returns since 2004, though current concentration in mega-cap tech stocks presents both opportunity and risk. Recent dividend activity shows minimal income generation with a $0.09 distribution scheduled for September 2026.
The growth-focused ETF offers exposure to market-leading companies but faces concentration risk with over 36% in three holdings. Long-term investors benefit from Vanguard's low-cost structure and historical outperformance, though near-term technical indicators suggest potential consolidation. Market sentiment remains positive for buy-and-hold strategies despite recent value stock outperformance in 2026.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
No sentiment data available yet.
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 →VUG is an index-based ETF that tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, providing concentrated exposure to the largest and fastest-growing companies in the United States. It focuses on stocks with high growth potential across tech, communication, and consumer sectors, serving as a low-cost, high-conviction core holding for long-term capital appreciation.
Read more on VUG →