CarMax Poised For Fourth-Quarter Beat Amid Better Industry Trends, RBC Says
CarMax's (KMX) fiscal fourth-quarter results are likely to come in better than expected amid improved industry trends, RBC Capital Markets said in a note sent to clients Wednesday.The used-vehicle retailer is scheduled to release its quarterly and full-year results next Tuesday.RBC continues to expect fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.34 per share for the company, ahead of Wall Street's forecast that the brokerage put at $0.20. RBC now expects a 4.4% year-over-year drop in revenue, compared with its previous estimate of a 6.8% slump. The market view calls for a 5.6% decline."The raise is driven by several data sources pointing to better overall industry trends," RBC analyst Steven Shemesh wrote.Shares of CarMax were up 4.4% in Wednesday afternoon trade amid a broad rally on Wall Street following a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.On Tuesday, Cox Automotive said wholesale prices of used vehicles in the US last month hit the highest point since summer 2023 as demand remained robust despite the Middle East conflict."The broader category seems to have improved and it's difficult at this point to decipher how much of the improvement stemmed from recent company-specific actions," Shemesh said. "On the call, we'll be looking for specific evidence that these actions are driving results."RBC has a sector perform rating on CarMax's stock and a $37 price target."We skew slightly more cautious on the sustainability of recent momentum, especially as gas prices rise, offsetting the benefit of higher tax refunds (year over year) and weighing on consumer confidence," Shemesh said.Price: $45.50, Change: $+2.19, Percent Change: +5.06%