CarMax (MEX:KMX) Earnings Power Value (EPV): MXN-2,407.12 (As of May26)


MEX:KMX CarMax Inc MEX:KMX
63 GF Score
Price MXN850.00
GF Value MXN1,217.81
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV)?

CarMax MEX:KMX 63 Earnings Power Value (EPV) is MXN-2,407.12 as of May26. GuruFocus rates MEX:KMX with a GF Score™ of 63/100 and a GF Value™ of MXN1,217.81 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review.

As of May26, CarMax's earnings power value is MXN-2,407.12. *

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

Margin of Safety is N/A.

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future. Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.


CarMax  (MEX:KMX) Earnings Power Value (EPV) Explanation

Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.

Earnings power value (EPV) uses a very basic equation which assumes no growth, although it does rely on an assumption about the cost of capital as well as the fact that current earnings are sustainable. It also involves several adjustments to clean up the underlying Earnings figures.


Be Aware

Though using today's earnings in calculating Earnings Power Value, GuruFocus is normalizing these earnings to the business cycle. This eliminates the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle. This means that we are considering the average earnings over 5 years.


CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV) Related Terms


CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV) Chart

CarMax Annual Data
Trend Feb17 Feb18 Feb19 Feb20 Feb21 Feb22 Feb23 Feb24 Feb25 Feb26
Earnings Power Value (EPV)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -1,530.80 -1,642.29 -1,449.48 -2,340.12 -2,509.37

CarMax Quarterly Data
Aug21 Nov21 Feb22 May22 Aug22 Nov22 Feb23 May23 Aug23 Nov23 Feb24 May24 Aug24 Nov24 Feb25 May25 Aug25 Nov25 Feb26 May26
Earnings Power Value (EPV) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -2,765.65 -2,165.35 -2,462.16 -2,509.37 -2,479.07

MEX:KMX vs AN, LAD, RUSHA: Earnings Power Value (EPV) Comparison

For the Auto & Truck Dealerships subindustry, CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV), along with its competitors' market caps and Earnings Power Value (EPV) data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV) vs Vehicles & Parts Industry

For the Vehicles & Parts industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) falls into.


MEX:KMX
63GF Score
CarMax Inc MEX:KMX
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

CarMax Earnings Power Value (EPV) Calculation

Earnings Power Value also known as just Earnings Power is a valuation technique popularised by Bruce Greenwald, an authority on value investing at Columbia University. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future.

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. This valuation tool excludes the potential growth that a company may have so that needs to be looked at separately. Since future growth is excluded from the analysis, only the maintenance capital expenditures are subtracted from after-tax EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) and growth capex is ignored.

CarMax's "Earning Power" Calculation:

Average of Last 20 Quarters Last Quarter
Revenue 532,898
DDA 5,542
Operating Margin % -0.90
SGA * 25% 11,783
Tax Rate % 23.17
Maintenance Capex 7,910
Cash and Cash Equivalents 2,294
Short-Term Debt 10,901
Long-Term Debt 312,545
Shares Outstanding (Diluted) 142

1. Start with "Earnings" not including accounting adjustments (one-time charges not excluded unless policy has changed). "Earnings" are "Operating Income.

2. Look at average margins over a business/Industry cycle: Average Operating Margin = -0.90%

To normalize margins and eliminate the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle, it is usually best to take a long-term average of operating margins. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since most of companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year margin.

3. Multiply average margins by sustainable revenues and then adjust for maintenance SGA. This yields "normalized" EBIT:

To be conservative, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year revenues as the sustainable revenue.
EPV analysis recognises that part of SG&A expenditure is made to maintain and replace the existing assets, while part is made to grow sales. Since EPV is only interested in what it costs a going concern to maintain its existing asset base, it adds back a percentage of SG&A (between 15% and 50% - this is a matter of judgment and industry knowledge) to make up for the fact that some of this expenditure went to fund growth and shouldn't be accounted for. To start off, we assume 25% for the sake of prudence.
Sustainable Revenue = MXN532,898 Mil, Average Operating Margin = -0.90%, Average Adjusted SGA = 11,783,
therefore "Normalized" EBIT = Sustainable Revenue * Average Operating Margin + Average Adjusted SGA = 532,898 * -0.90% +11,783 = MXN6998.042921672 Mil.

4. Multiply by one minus Average Tax Rate (NOPAT):

Same as average operating margin calculation, GuruFocus takes an average of the 5 years tax rates.
Average Tax Rate = 23.17%, and "Normalized" EBIT = MXN6998.042921672 Mil,
therefore After-tax "Normalized" EBIT = "Normalized" EBIT * ( 1 - Average Tax Rate ) = 6998.042921672 * ( 1 - 23.17% ) = MXN5376.5963767206 Mil.

5. Add back Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate). This yields "normalized" Earnings:

Excess Depreciation = Average DDA * % of Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate) = 5,542 * 0.5 * 23.17% = MXN642.0687357 Mil.
"Normalized" Earnings = After-tax "Normalized" EBIT + Excess Depreciation = 5376.5963767206 + 642.0687357 = MXN6018.6651124206 Mil.

6. Adjusted for Maintenance Capital Expenditure:

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous year. If the revenue decreased from the previous year, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous year, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
Fourth, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditures as maintenance CAPEX.
CarMax's Average Maintenance CAPEX = MXN7,910 Mil *.
* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

7. Investors require a return of "WACC" for the risk they are taking: WACC = 9%

8. CarMax's current cash and cash equivalent = MXN2,294 Mil.
CarMax's current interest bearing debt = Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation + Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation = 312,545 + 10,901 = MXN323445.919 Mil.
CarMax's current Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) = 142 Mil.

CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) for May26 is calculated as:

EPV = ( ( Norm. Earnings-Maint. CAPEX *) / WACC + CashandEquiv - Int. Bearing Debt ) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
= ( ( 6018.6651124206 - 7,910)/ 9%+2,294-323445.919 )/142
=-2,407.12

Margin of Safety (EPV)=( Earnings Power Value (EPV)-Current Price )/Earnings Power Value (EPV)
=( -2407.123532248-850.00 )/-2407.123532248
= N/A

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

What does a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of MXN-2,407.12 mean?
CarMax (MEX:KMX) has a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of MXN-2,407.12 as of May26. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on CarMax and its competitors.
Is CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) too high?
CarMax's current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is MXN-2,407.12. Overall, CarMax has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) compare to AN and LAD?
CarMax's Earnings Power Value (EPV) of MXN-2,407.12 can be compared against companies in the Vehicles & Parts industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Power Value (EPV) for a Vehicles & Parts company?
A good Earnings Power Value (EPV) depends on the Vehicles & Parts industry context. However, Earnings Power Value (EPV) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Power Value (EPV) mean?
A high Earnings Power Value (EPV) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on CarMax and its competitors. CarMax's current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is MXN-2,407.12. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is CarMax stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, CarMax (MEX:KMX) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is MXN1,217.81, compared to a current price of MXN850.00 — trading 30.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is MXN-2,407.12. CarMax's overall GF Score™ is 63/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Power Value (EPV) calculated?
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For CarMax (MEX:KMX), the current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is MXN-2,407.12 as of May26. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is CarMax (MEX:KMX) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, CarMax stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of MXN850.00 is trading 30.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of MXN1,217.81. GuruFocus considers CarMax to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for MEX:KMX:

  • Earnings Power Value (EPV): MXN-2,407.12
  • GF Value™: MXN1,217.81 vs. price of MXN850.00 (30.2% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 63/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the MEX:KMX stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


CarMax Business Description

Address 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA, USA, 23238
CarMax sells, finances, and services used and new cars through a chain of over about 260 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 80% of fiscal 2026 revenue and wholesale about 17%, with the remaining portion composed of extended service plans and repair. In fiscal 2026, the company retailed and wholesaled 780,684 and 538,203 used vehicles, respectively. CarMax is the largest used-vehicle retailer in the US, but still estimates that it had only about 3.6% US market share of vehicles zero to 10 years old in calendar 2025. CarMax is based in Richmond, Virginia.
63GF Score

Get the complete analysis for MEX:KMX

Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

MXN850.00
Price
MXN1,217.81
GF Value