CarMax, Inc vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $58.26 (market cap $7.93B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $234.3 (market cap $96.00B). The key difference: Waste Management, Inc. is far larger — about 12.1× CarMax, Inc's market cap, and Waste Management, Inc. pays a 1.48% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $96.00B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $196.77 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $118.73B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.48% |
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.
WM trades at $239.26, showing minimal daily movement with a slight 0.02% decline. The stock maintains a bullish technical outlook with strong moving average signals and trades near its pivot point of $241. Fundamentally, the company demonstrates solid revenue growth from $19.7B in 2022 to $25.2B in 2025, though recent quarters show mixed earnings performance with two misses and one beat against expectations.
WM presents a stable investment case with consistent dividend payments and strong analyst support (57% buy ratings), but faces challenges from elevated debt levels and valuation multiples. The consensus price target of $263.57 suggests 10% upside potential, though investors should monitor execution on earnings guidance and debt management in the coming quarters.
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 →