CarMax, Inc vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $52.61 (market cap $7.64B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $208.83 (market cap $83.98B). The key difference: Waste Management, Inc. is far larger — about 11× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Waste Management, Inc. pays a 1.8% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CarMax, Inc for 49 Days and Waste Management, Inc. for 130 Days on average.
| KMX | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.64B | $83.98B |
Volume | 3,610,116 | 2,182,180 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $64.22 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $196.77 |
Typical Hold Time | 49 Days | 130 Days |
Enterprise Value | $25.34B | $106.78B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.8% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CarMax (KMX) trades at $53.79, up 0.96% with recent earnings beats driving positive momentum. The stock shows bearish technical signals but strong fundamental improvements with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.16 beating estimates by 58%. Revenue grew 19.5% to $7.9 billion in the latest quarter, while the company's Shift into GEAR strategy shows early success. Valuation metrics remain reasonable with P/E of 25.37 and P/S of 0.28, though net margins remain thin at 1.06%.
KMX presents a turnaround story with improving operational execution but faces margin pressure and high debt levels. The consensus price target of $58.89 suggests 9.5% upside potential, though analyst sentiment remains cautious with 62% hold ratings. Key risks include used car market volatility and interest rate sensitivity, while catalysts include continued execution of the growth strategy and potential share buybacks.
WM trades at $210.10, up 0.56% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong profitability metrics including a 29.83% ROE. Recent earnings have mostly beaten expectations, and the company maintains a solid dividend. Revenue grew to $25.20 billion in 2025, though net income margin dipped to 10.74%. Analyst consensus is strongly positive with no sell ratings.
The outlook for WM is favorable due to consistent cash flow, pricing power, and strategic acquisitions. Risks include elevated debt levels and sensitivity to economic cycles. With a P/E of 29.72, the stock is priced for growth, supported by bullish analyst sentiment and defensive business model strengths.
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 →Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →