Retail

Should CarMax Get More Credit for Q3 Earnings?

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When CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) released its fiscal third-quarter financial results before the markets opened on Friday, the company said that it had $1.09 in earnings per share (EPS) and $4.3 billion in revenue. Consensus estimates had called for $1.00 in EPS and $4.32 billion in revenue, while $0.81 per share and $4.11 billion were posted in the same period of last year.

In the most recent quarter, used unit sales in comparable stores declined 1.2% while total used unit sales rose 2.3%. The comparable store sales performance primarily reflected lower store traffic, partially offset by improved conversion.

Total wholesale vehicle unit sales increased 10.0% year over year, largely driven by the growth in the store base and a higher appraisal buy rate.

CarMax Auto Finance income increased 6.7% to $109.7 million.

The company did not offer any guidance in the report. However, the consensus estimates call for $1.05 in EPS and $4.49 billion in revenue for the fiscal fourth quarter.

Bill Nash, president and CEO, commented:

We are pleased to report solid growth in both pretax earnings and earnings per share, despite having soft comparable store used unit sales this quarter. This is a testament to the strength of our diversified business model. We are also excited to introduce our omni-channel experience in Atlanta, where consumers can now customize their car buying experience, whether they want to buy a car completely from home, in-store or, most importantly, through a seamlessly integrated combination of online and in-store experiences.

Shares of CarMax were last seen up 4% at $59.00, with a consensus analyst price target of $83.85 and a 52-week trading range of $55.24 to $81.67.

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