Yield Theory

Consumer Discretionary stock comparison

GPC vs KMX: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Genuine Parts Company with CarMax, Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Consumer
Industry
Different SIC
Shared themes
1
Updated
2026-04-15

GPC vs KMX: quick comparison

Company factGPCKMX
CompanyGenuine Parts CompanyCarMax, Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
SEC industryWholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New PartsRetail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations
Fiscal year-endDecember 31February 28
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-2010-K · 2026-04-15

GPC vs KMX: audited financials

KMX reported about 1.1× the revenue of GPC in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, KMX converted a larger share of revenue into net income (1.0% versus 0.3%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.

MetricGPCKMX
Revenue$24.3B$25.9B
Net income$66M$247M
Operating cash flow$891M$1.8B
Diluted EPS$0.47$1.68
Net margin0.3%1.0%

GPC: FY ending 2025-12-31 · KMX: FY ending 2026-02-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

How the businesses differ

Why this pair belongs in the comparison set

GPC and KMX have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Economic trends research theme inside the Consumer Discretionary sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.

Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

Genuine Parts distributes automotive replacement parts through NAPA and industrial parts to businesses.

CarMax, Inc. (KMX)

CarMax is the largest US used-car retailer, selling vehicles through stores and an online platform.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. GPC is classified by the SEC as Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts, while KMX is classified as Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.

Read the full research

Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study GPC when…

  • Real wage growth and consumer confidence
  • Interest rates on autos and big-ticket credit
  • Inventory cycles and promotional intensity
  • The trade-down between premium and value

Study KMX when…

  • Real wage growth and consumer confidence
  • Interest rates on autos and big-ticket credit
  • Inventory cycles and promotional intensity
  • The trade-down between premium and value

Shared research themes

Economic trends

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.GPC's fiscal year ends December 31, while KMX's ends February 28. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 1matched transaction row for GPCand 2 for KMX. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

GPC vs KMX FAQs

Are GPC and KMX direct competitors?

Genuine Parts Company and CarMax, Inc. sit in the same Consumer Discretionary sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.

Which is better, GPC or KMX?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this GPC vs KMX comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Genuine Parts Company and CarMax, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.

GPC vs KMX shows how the businesses differ. Membership is the monthly sourced view of who could benefit, what could break, and what evidence matters next. $15/month or $150/year.

$15/mo or $150/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included