CARS
BEARISH
$11.15
Live
Cars.com Inc. · NYSE
Target $12.36
(+10.8%)
$7.4
52W Range
$13.97
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
Updated Apr 25, 2026
Market cap
$635.77M
P/E
34.84
ROE
4.1%
Profit margin
2.8%
Debt/Equity
0.99
Dividend yield
N/A
AI Analysis
AI-powered fundamental assessment
Confidence
85%
CARS exhibits a stable financial foundation with a Piotroski F-Score of 6/9, but this is overshadowed by severe fundamental deterioration. The stock is trading at a significant premium to both its Graham Number ($7.62) and Intrinsic Value ($2.24), while experiencing a collapse in earnings growth (-53.60% YoY). Despite a low forward P/E of 4.85, the company has failed to beat earnings estimates in the last four consecutive quarters, suggesting that analyst expectations are disconnected from operational reality.
Key Strengths
Stable financial health indicated by Piotroski F-Score of 6/9
Strong liquidity position with a Current Ratio of 1.87 and Quick Ratio of 1.67
High Gross Margins (66.72%) providing a buffer for operating costs
Low Price-to-Sales ratio (0.88) suggesting the market is not overvaluing revenue
Manageable Debt/Equity ratio of 0.99
Key Risks
Severe earnings contraction with YoY growth at -53.60%
Consistent failure to meet earnings expectations (0/4 beats in last 4 quarters)
Stagnant revenue growth (1.90% YoY) indicating a lack of market expansion
Significant valuation gap between current price ($11.15) and intrinsic value ($2.24)
Bearish insider sentiment with recent sales by the CFO and other officers
AI Fair Value Estimate
Based on comprehensive analysis
$7.62
-31.7% below current price
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
Overall
31
Weak
40
20
30
65
0
AI Verdict
Underperforming Value Trap
Key drivers: Earnings collapse, Valuation premium over intrinsic value, Consistent earnings misses, Bearish insider activity
Confidence
90%
Value
40/100
Ref P/E, PEG, Graham Number
Positives
- Low P/S ratio
- Low Forward P/E
Watchpoints
- Price significantly exceeds Graham Number ($7.62)
- Price is ~5x Intrinsic Value ($2.24)
Future
20/100
Ref Growth rates
Positives
- Analyst target price of $12.36
Watchpoints
- Negative earnings growth (-53.6%)
- Flat revenue growth (1.9%)
- Poor earnings surprise track record
Past
30/100
Ref Historical trends
Positives
- Recent 1-month price recovery (+34.8%)
Watchpoints
- 3-year price decline of -41.1%
- Consistent quarterly EPS misses
Health
65/100
Ref Altman Z-Score, Piotroski F-Score
Positives
- Piotroski F-Score 6/9
- Current Ratio 1.87
Watchpoints
- Low ROE (4.08%)
- Thin profit margins (2.77%)
Dividend
0/100
Ref Yield, Payout
Positives
No standout positives identified.
Watchpoints
- No dividend paid
- 0/100 dividend strength
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Current Price
$11.15
Analyst Target
$12.36
Upside/Downside
+10.8%
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for CARS and closest competitors.
Updated 2026-04-24
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CARS
Cars.com Inc.
Primary
|
-18.6% | -41.1% | -5.3% | -1.3% | +34.8% | +5.3% |
|
GOGO
Gogo Inc.
Peer
|
-55.9% | -68.0% | -40.0% | -49.1% | -0.7% | +11.7% |
|
RSVR
Reservoir Media, Inc.
Peer
|
+1.0% | +60.0% | +40.2% | +33.0% | +5.9% | -0.5% |
|
CABO
Cable One, Inc.
Peer
|
-94.0% | -83.8% | -60.1% | -36.0% | +7.0% | -4.2% |
|
EVER
EverQuote, Inc.
Peer
|
-55.6% | +20.1% | -21.4% | -27.6% | -0.7% | +9.4% |
CAR
Cars.com Inc.
Primary
5Y
-18.6%
3Y
-41.1%
1Y
-5.3%
6M
-1.3%
1M
+34.8%
1W
+5.3%
GOG
Gogo Inc.
Peer
5Y
-55.9%
3Y
-68.0%
1Y
-40.0%
6M
-49.1%
1M
-0.7%
1W
+11.7%
RSV
Reservoir Media, Inc.
Peer
5Y
+1.0%
3Y
+60.0%
1Y
+40.2%
6M
+33.0%
1M
+5.9%
1W
-0.5%
CAB
Cable One, Inc.
Peer
5Y
-94.0%
3Y
-83.8%
1Y
-60.1%
6M
-36.0%
1M
+7.0%
1W
-4.2%
EVE
EverQuote, Inc.
Peer
5Y
-55.6%
3Y
+20.1%
1Y
-21.4%
6M
-27.6%
1M
-0.7%
1W
+9.4%
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Historical data shows last 12 quarters (3 years)
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
P/E Ratio
34.84
Forward P/E
4.85
PEG Ratio
2.35
P/B Ratio
1.38
P/S Ratio
0.88
EV/Revenue
1.47
EV/EBITDA
6.99
Market Cap
$635.77M
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Profit Margin
2.77%
Operating Margin
11.82%
Gross Margin
66.72%
ROE
4.08%
ROA
3.48%
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Revenue Growth
+1.9%
Earnings Growth
-53.6%
Q/Q Revenue Growth
+1.92%
Q/Q Earnings Growth
-57.2%
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Debt/Equity
0.99
Moderate
Current Ratio
1.87
Good
Quick Ratio
1.67
Excellent
Cash/Share
$0.98
Financial Statement Flow
Interactive flow visualization showing how money moves through the company Q4 2025
Revenue
$0.2B
Gross Margin
82.7%
Op. Margin
11.8%
Net Margin
4.0%
Total Assets
$1.1B
Liabilities
$0.6B
Equity
$0.5B
Debt/Equity
1.25x
Operating CF
$0.0B
CapEx
$-0.0B
Free Cash Flow
$0.0B
FCF Yield
84%
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
2026-05-07
$N/A
2026-02-26
$0.44
-19.7% surprise
2025-11-06
$0.48
-1.4% surprise
2025-08-07
$0.41
-1.6% surprise
Communication Services Sector Comparison
Comparing CARS against 179 companies in the Communication Services sector
(13 bullish, 50 neutral, 116 bearish)
P/E Ratio
34.84
This Stock
vs
60.06
Sector Avg
-42.0%
(Discount)
Return on Equity (ROE)
4.08%
This Stock
vs
-46.33%
Sector Avg
-108.8%
(Below Avg)
Profit Margin
2.77%
This Stock
vs
-8.15%
Sector Avg
-134.0%
(Weaker)
Debt to Equity
0.99
This Stock
vs
1.47
Sector Avg
-32.6%
(Less Debt)
Revenue Growth
1.9%
This Stock
vs
581.78%
Sector Avg
-99.7%
(Slower)
Current Ratio
1.87
This Stock
vs
2.2
Sector Avg
-15.2%
(Weaker)
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CARS
Cars.com Inc.
|
BEARISH | $635.77M | 34.84 | 4.1% | 2.8% | $11.15 | |
|
GOGO
Gogo Inc.
|
BEARISH | $619.54M | 46.0 | 15.2% | 1.4% | $4.6 | Compare |
|
RSVR
Reservoir Media, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $656.0M | 100.0 | 1.8% | 3.9% | $10.0 | Compare |
|
CABO
Cable One, Inc.
|
BEARISH | $584.23M | - | -22.1% | -23.7% | $103.0 | Compare |
|
EVER
EverQuote, Inc.
|
BULLISH | $581.16M | 5.84 | 53.2% | 14.3% | $16.13 | Compare |
CARS
Cars.com Inc.
BEARISH
Mkt Cap
$636M
P/E
34.8
ROE
4.1%
Price
$11.15
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-13 | ROSS JENELL | Director | Purchase | 1,995 | $15,082 |
| 2026-03-11 | HARTMANN TOBIAS | Chief Executive Officer | Stock Award | 344,150 | - |
| 2026-03-11 | JAIN SONIA | Chief Financial Officer | Stock Award | 156,267 | - |
| 2026-03-11 | MARKS ANGELIQUE STRONG | Officer | Stock Award | 64,603 | - |
| 2026-03-11 | GOSSELIN LISA | Officer | Stock Award | 124,282 | - |
| 2026-03-02 | VETTER THOMAS ALEX | Chief Executive Officer | Stock Award | 137,797 | - |
| 2026-03-02 | JAIN SONIA | Chief Financial Officer | Stock Award | 26,536 | - |
| 2025-12-22 | HARTMANN TOBIAS | Chief Executive Officer | Stock Award | 233,827 | - |
| 2025-12-17 | JAIN SONIA | Chief Financial Officer | Sale | 11,400 | $153,330 |
| 2025-12-02 | CRAWFORD MATTHEW B | Officer | Sale | 27,358 | $329,117 |
ROSS JENELL
Director
2026-03-13
1,995 shares
·
$15,082
HARTMANN TOBIAS
Chief Executive Officer
2026-03-11
344,150 shares
JAIN SONIA
Chief Financial Officer
2026-03-11
156,267 shares
MARKS ANGELIQUE STRONG
Officer
2026-03-11
64,603 shares
GOSSELIN LISA
Officer
2026-03-11
124,282 shares
VETTER THOMAS ALEX
Chief Executive Officer
2026-03-02
137,797 shares
JAIN SONIA
Chief Financial Officer
2026-03-02
26,536 shares
HARTMANN TOBIAS
Chief Executive Officer
2025-12-22
233,827 shares
JAIN SONIA
Chief Financial Officer
2025-12-17
11,400 shares
·
$153,330
CRAWFORD MATTHEW B
Officer
2025-12-02
27,358 shares
·
$329,117
Insider transactions can signal confidence or concerns about company prospects
SEC Filings
Recent regulatory filings from the SEC EDGAR database
DEF 14A
8-K
10-K
8-K
10-Q
8-K
10-Q
8-K
Data sourced from SEC EDGAR. AI summaries generated automatically.
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Consensus
BUY
7 analysts
DA Davidson
2026-04-13
Buy
Buy
BTIG
2026-04-10
Buy
Buy
Barrington Research
2026-02-27
Outperform
Outperform
JP Morgan
2026-02-27
Overweight
Neutral
BTIG
2026-02-26
Buy
Buy
UBS
2026-01-14
Neutral
Neutral
DA Davidson
2025-11-18
Buy
Buy
Barrington Research
2025-11-03
Outperform
Outperform
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning CARS from our newsroom.
Newest → oldest
No matching news yet.