RICHMOND, Va. -

CarMax reported this week that its total used unit sales rose 4.0 percent in the fourth quarter and 6.5 percent during its fiscal year that finished on Feb. 29.

The company’s network of 158 stores in 78 markets turned a total of 619,936 vehicles during the 2016 fiscal year, up from 582,282 units a year earlier.

Of that fiscal year figure, CarMax retailed 155,237 vehicles during Q4.

The company’s wholesale vehicle endeavors also posted gains. CarMax reported that it wholesaled 394,437 units during the 2016 fiscal year. That’s up by 4.9 percent versus the year-ago figure of 376,186 units.

The retail and wholesale divisions pushed CarMax to a 6.2-percent climb in net sales and operating revenues to $15.15 billion. As a result, the company’s net earnings increased 4.4 percent to $623.4 million and net earnings per diluted share rose 11.0 percent to $3.03.

CarMax noted year-over-year comparisons in net earnings were affected by a previously announced receipt of proceeds in a class action lawsuit in the second quarter of the prior fiscal year, which increased earnings by $12.9 million, net of tax, or $0.06 per diluted share.

The company reported that total gross profit in Q4 increased 2.8 percent versus last year’s fourth quarter to $489.3 million. CarMax also mentioned used-vehicle gross profit rose 2.1 percent, driven by that previously mentioned 4.0 percent increase in total used unit sales.

However, CarMax acknowledged that Q4 used vehicle gross profit per unit declined to $2,109 compared with $2,148 in the corresponding prior-year period. The company pointed out Q4 wholesale vehicle gross profit also dipped, ticking down by 0.7 percent year-over-year. The company also noted the 2.3-percent jump in wholesale vehicle unit sales was offset by a decrease in wholesale vehicle gross profit per unit to $1,005 from $1,036.

CarMax added other gross profit rose 11.9 percent, primarily reflecting the improvements in EPP revenues and net third-party finance fees.

The company also shared the performance of its captive, CarMax Auto Finance.

Compared with last year’s fourth quarter, CarMax Auto Finance Q4 income rose 2.2 percent to $92.3 million, driven by an increase in average managed receivables, which was largely offset by a lower total interest margin percentage and an increase in the provision for loan losses.

The finance company’s average managed receivables grew 13.9 percent to $9.45 billion. Executives explained the total interest margin — which reflects the spread between interest and fees charged to consumers and their funding costs — declined to 5.9 percent of average managed receivables from 6.3 percent in last year’s fourth quarter.

“The increase in the provision for loan losses reflects the growth in our managed receivables and favorable loss experience in last year’s fourth quarter, which reduced the prior year provision,” CarMax executives said, who added that their allowance for loan losses as a percentage of ending managed receivables remained similar at 0.99 percent as of the end of the 2016 fiscal year.

Also of note for the fourth quarter, CarMax opened five stores, including three stores in new markets. Two were located in Boston and one in Peoria, Ill.  Two others came aboard in existing markets — the company’s sixth store in Atlanta and third store in St. Louis.

In total, CarMax opened 14 stores and relocated one store during the 2016 fiscal year.

“While we faced a somewhat more challenging sales environment in the second half of the year, we delivered solid revenue and EPS growth in both the fourth quarter and the fiscal year, we opened a record number of stores and we made progress toward optimizing our capital structure by buying back 16.3 million shares in fiscal 2016,” CarMax chief executive officer Tom Folliard said.