MSM vs KMX Comparison

Founded in 1941, MSC Industrial Direct originally manufactured and sold cutting tools to metalworking shops in New York. Through a series of acquisitions and organic expansions, MSC has grown into an industrial distribution powerhouse with a focus on specialized metalworking products and services. The firm also distributes a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies. MSC primarily operates in North America, where it derives over 95% of its revenue.

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.