Cars.com
Connects car shoppers with dealers and supplies websites, media, and appraisal tools.
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Profile
Runs a U.S. automotive marketplace and dealer-commerce platform that connects shoppers with dealerships, then sells dealers listings, websites, media, financing, and appraisal tools. Dealer revenue supplies most of the business inside one reportable segment; OEM and national customers mainly buy media.
Operates a U.S.-focused automotive marketplace anchored by the Cars.com site, where shoppers research vehicles and connect with dealerships. The same commercial platform is presented as Cars Commerce, spanning marketplace listings, dealer websites, media products, financing workflows, and trade-and-appraisal tools.
Dealer-facing products include Dealer Inspire digital experience tools, Cars Commerce media solutions, CreditIQ financing technology, AccuTrade appraisal capabilities, and DealerClub wholesale auction functionality. Revenue is reported through one operating segment, with dealer customers supplying most of the business and OEM or national advertisers adding a smaller media channel.
Execution depends on attracting shoppers, converting dealer demand into subscription and media products, and integrating acquired tools into a coherent workflow. Competition comes from auto marketplaces, automotive information sites, and dealer software or marketing-service providers.
Company facts
Categories
Key statistics
Year to date −0.8% · Average volume (30d) 625.9K
Analysts
Ratings
Target range
Latest analyst notes
| Date | Firm | Action | Prior rating | Rating | Prior target | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | B. Riley Securities | Downgrade | Buy | Neutral | ||
| Feb 27, 2026 | JP Morgan | Downgrade | Overweight | Neutral | ||
| Jan 14, 2026 | UBS | Reiterate | Neutral | $12 | $13 | |
| Oct 6, 2025 | UBS | Reiterate | Neutral | $12 | ||
| Jul 17, 2025 | JP Morgan | Upgrade | Neutral | Overweight |
Earnings
EPS
Revenue
History
| Report date | EPS est | EPS | Surprise | Revenue est | Revenue | Surprise | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2026Q2 FY26 | $0.51 | $0.51 | −0.6% | $180.5M | $179.9M | −0.3% | −0.84% |
| May 7, 2026Q1 FY26 | $0.48 | $0.45 | −6.2% | $180.2M | $180.2M | 0.0% | −5.27% |
| Feb 26, 2026Q4 FY25 | $0.56 | $0.44 | −21.4% | $183.5M | $183.9M | +0.2% | −5.95% |
| Nov 6, 2025Q3 FY25 | $0.50 | $0.48 | −4.0% | $183.4M | $181.6M | −1.0% | +0.45% |
Financial highlights
| 12 quarters | Q1 FY25 | Q2 FY25 | Q3 FY25 | Q4 FY25 | Q1 FY26 | Q2 FY26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $179.0M | $178.7M | $181.6M | $183.9M | $180.2M | $179.9M | |
| Gross profit | $148.1M | $148.2M | $123.9M | $180.3M | $148.5M | $149.6M | |
| Operating income | $6.5M | $15.2M | $16.8M | $21.7M | $16.6M | $27.9M | |
| Net income | −$2.0M | $7.0M | $7.7M | $7.4M | $5.0M | $14.3M | |
| Diluted EPS | −$0.03 | $0.11 | $0.12 | $0.12 | $0.08 | $0.25 | |
| Gross margin | 82.7% | 82.9% | 68.3% | 98.0% | 82.4% | 83.2% | |
| Operating margin | 3.6% | 8.5% | 9.3% | 11.8% | 9.2% | 15.5% |
Fiscal years (4-quarter sums)FY21 $623.7M · FY22 $653.9M · FY23 $689.2M · FY24 $719.2M · FY25 $723.2M
Balance sheet, Jun 30, 2026Cash & short-term investments $33.3M · Total debt $447.1M · Total assets $1.01B · Shareholders' equity $443.6M
Dividends
No dividends on record.
Ownership
A 13F quarter can total more than the shares outstanding — sub-advisers file the same block twice, and a filer's own share count can be a quarter stale. No split is drawn from it.
Shares outstanding 55.90M · Float 47.07M · 84.2% free float
Top shareholders13F · 13D/G · Form 4
| Holder | Shares | % outstanding | Form | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMR LLC | 8.38M | 15.00% | 13F | Aug 13, 2026 |
| BlackRock, Inc. | 4.17M | 7.46% | 13F | Aug 7, 2026 |
| Pale Fire Capital SE | 4.01M | 7.17% | 13F | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Dimensional Fund Advisors LP | 3.35M | 6.00% | 13F | Aug 11, 2026 |
| Hill Path Capital LP | 2.48M | 4.44% | 13F | Aug 14, 2026 |
Insider tradesForm 4
| Date | Insider | Role | Shares | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2026 | Jr. Donald A. McGovern | director | −8,000 | $12.25 |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Angelique Strong Marks | officer: Chief Legal Officer | −57,980 | $11.94 |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Sonia Jain | officer: Chief Financial Officer | −34,021 | $9.49 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Sonia Jain | officer: Chief Financial Officer | −52,579 | $9.56 |
| Mar 13, 2026 | Jenell Ross | director | +1,995 | $7.56 |
Peers
- CarGurus
Closest public pure-play auto marketplace peer
- CarMax
Edmunds-backed online research and used-car retail rival
- Carvana
Online used-car retailer competing for buyers and sellers
- Alphabet Class A
Search, ads, and AI discovery pressure on auto traffic
- ACV Auctions
Digital wholesale auction and vehicle-data competitor
- Meta
Social marketplace and ad-budget competitor
- OPENLANE
Wholesale used-vehicle marketplace peer
- S&P Global
CARFAX-backed vehicle-history and listing competitor
CompareAfter-hours close
| Company | Price | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars.com | $11.71 | −1.92% | $667.5M | 20.8 | 4.9 | 0.9 | +0.7% |
| CarGurus | $36.56 | −0.05% | $3.53B | 19.9 | 13.1 | 3.6 | +7.2% |
| CarMax | $62.57 | +0.74% | $8.81B | 38.6 | 22.3 | 0.3 | +6.2% |
| Carvana | $74.29 | +0.34% | $81.21B | 34.3 | 38.0 | 3.2 | +52.4% |
| Alphabet Class A | $346.00 | −0.14% | $4.19T | 17.4 | 25.8 | 9.4 | +24.2% |
| ACV Auctions | $7.16 | +0.07% | $1.25B | — | 26.0 | 1.6 | +10.5% |
| Meta | $578.36 | +0.06% | $1.47T | 21.8 | 19.0 | 6.5 | +28.0% |
| OPENLANE | $35.09 | −0.03% | $3.72B | — | 22.2 | 1.8 | +15.1% |
| S&P Global | $442.90 | +0.00% | $130.56B | 27.0 | 23.4 | 8.1 | −2.1% |
| Median | 24.4 | 22.9 | 3.4 | +12.8% |