CarMax (KMX $32.83 +2.31) reported first quarter earnings of $0.55 per
share, $0.08 better than the Capital IQ Consensus Estimate of $0.47.
Revenues rose 18.4% year/year to $2.68 billion versus the $2.53 billion
consensus.
"Comparable store used unit sales increased 6%, fueled by increased customer
traffic. While traffic for the current quarter remained solidly above the prior
year level, sales conversion dipped somewhat. We are especially pleased with our
performance in light of recent economic and market challenges, including higher
gas and vehicle prices, the uptick in the unemployment rate and the recent
pull-back in consumer confidence. Wholesale unit sales increased 32% compared
with the first quarter of fiscal 2011. The improvement reflected a significant
increase in appraisal traffic combined with the benefit of a continued strong
appraisal buy rate. We believe appraisal traffic benefited from the lift in new
car industry sales and related used vehicle trade-in activity and from the
strength of used vehicle pricing."






