KMX vs AN Comparison

CarMax sells, finances, and services used and new cars through a chain of over 250 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 were 83% of fiscal 2025 revenue and wholesale about 17%, with the remaining portion composed of extended service plans and repair. In fiscal 2025, the company retailed and wholesaled 789,050 and 544,312 used vehicles, respectively. CarMax is the largest used-vehicle retailer in the US but still estimates that it had only about 3.7% US market share of vehicles 0-10 years old in calendar 2024. It seeks over 5% share. CarMax is based in Richmond, Virginia.

AutoNation is the second-largest automotive dealer in the United States, with 2025 revenue of $27.6 billion and over 240 dealerships, plus 52 collision centers. The firm also has 26 AutoNation USA used-vehicle stores, a captive lender, four auction sites, and three parts distributors across 20 states primarily in Sunbelt metropolitan areas. New-vehicle sales account for nearly half of revenue; the company also sells used vehicles, parts, and repair services as well as auto financing. The company (formerly Republic Industries) divested its waste management unit (Republic Services) in 1999 and its car rental businesses (ANC Rental) in 2000. Wayne Huizenga founded the company in the 1990s to bring the rollup acquisition strategy to auto retailing, which has proved to be a smart move.