HD vs KMX: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: HD, with $164.7B of yearly revenue, about 6.4× KMX's $25.9B.
  • More profitable: HD keeps 9 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 1 cents at KMX.
  • More cash from each sale: HD turns 10 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 7 cents at KMX.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Home Depot (HD) is the larger business by reported revenue: $164.7B in its fiscal year ended Feb 2026, about 6.4× KMX's $25.9B (fiscal year ended Feb 2026). HD's net margin was 8.6% and KMX's 1.0%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers; Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Consumer Discretionary
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
HD January 31 · KMX February 28
Reviewed
Apr 15, 2026

HD vs KMX: quick comparison

Company factHDKMX
CompanyThe Home Depot, Inc.CarMax, Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia—
Founded1978—
SEC industryRetail-Lumber & Other Building Materials DealersRetail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations
Fiscal year-endJanuary 31February 28
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-03-1810-K · 2026-04-15

HD vs KMX: audited financials

  • Scale: HD's $164.7B of revenue is about 6.4× KMX's $25.9B.
  • Net margin: HD kept 8.6% of revenue as net income versus 1.0% at KMX.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled HD 9.9% of revenue, or 1.15× net income; KMX 6.9% of revenue, or 7.22× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2026-02-01 for HD, 2026-02-28 for KMX), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

HD: FY ending 2026-02-01 · KMX: FY ending 2026-02-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where HD and KMX overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Economic trends.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: HD files as Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers; KMX as Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: HD's year ends January 31 and KMX's February 28, about 1 month apart.
  • Scale: HD reported about 6.4× the annual revenue of KMX.
  • Profitability: net margin of 8.6% for HD versus 1.0% for KMX.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

The Home Depot, Inc. (HD)

Home Depot is the largest US home-improvement retailer, serving both do-it-yourself consumers and professional contractors. Its sales are closely tied to housing turnover and home-renovation activity.

CarMax, Inc. (KMX)

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

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves HD

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for HD. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-03-18.

What moves KMX

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for KMX. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-04-15.

The investment question

You now know HD reports about 6.4× KMX's revenue, and HD keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.

Read the full research

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. HD's fiscal year ends January 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 85 matched transaction rows for HD and 2 matched transaction rows 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.

HD vs KMX FAQs

Are HD and KMX direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Home Depot files as Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers and CarMax as Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is HD or KMX the bigger company by revenue?

Home Depot (HD) is the larger business by reported revenue: $164.7B in its fiscal year ended Feb 2026, about 6.4× KMX's $25.9B (fiscal year ended Feb 2026). HD's net margin was 8.6% and KMX's 1.0%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers; Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, HD 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 HD 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 The Home Depot, Inc. 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 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

HD vs KMX compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included