CarMax, Inc vs Western Union Co — how do they compare? CarMax, Inc trades at $57.79 (market cap $7.93B), while Western Union Co trades at $8.46 (market cap $2.71B). The key difference: CarMax, Inc is far larger — about 2.9× Western Union Co's market cap, and Western Union Co pays a 10.85% dividend while CarMax, Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| KMX | WU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.93B | $2.71B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $63.53 | $10.28 |
52-Week Low | $30.88 | $7.04 |
Enterprise Value | $26.44B | $2.40B |
Dividend Yield | — | 10.85% |
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.
Western Union (WU) trades at $8.65, down 2.59% on the day, with strong valuation metrics including a P/E of 6.53 and P/S of 0.71. The company maintains profitability with a 10.88% net margin and 47.66% ROE, though Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations. Recent developments include strategic partnerships with Total Wireless and Bybit, and the pending acquisition of Intermex. Technical indicators show mixed signals with bullish moving averages but overbought RSI levels.
WU presents a value opportunity with attractive dividend yield and low valuation multiples, but faces revenue decline and margin pressure. The stock trades above analyst consensus target of $7.83, suggesting limited near-term upside. Key risks include declining traditional remittance business and execution challenges in digital transformation. Institutional sentiment remains cautious with only 12.5% buy ratings.
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 →Western Union provides domestic and international money transfers through its global network of about 500,000 outside agents. It is the largest money transfer company in the world and one of only a few companies with a truly global agent network.
Read more on WU →