Home 
Today's Top Picks 
Top Performers 
Watchlist 
My Robo Portfolios 
ETF Zone 
Help & Tutorial 
Cancel anytime
- Chart
- Upturn Summary
- Highlights
- Revenue
- Valuation
Upturn AI SWOT - About
CARS 
Cars.com Inc (CARS)
- BUY Advisory
- SELL Advisory (Profit)
- SELL Advisory (Loss)
- Profit
- Loss
- Pass (Skip investing)
Stock price based on last close (see disclosures)
- ALL
- YEAR
- MONTH
- WEEK
Upturn Advisory Summary
08/28/2025: CARS (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
Upturn Star Rating
Not Recommended Performance
These Stocks/ETFs, based on Upturn Advisory, consistently fall short of market performance, signaling caution before investing.
Number of Analysts
7 Analysts rated it
Limited analyst coverage, niche firm, research info may be scarce.
1 Year Target Price $16.43
1 Year Target Price $16.43
| 3 | Strong Buy |
| 1 | Buy |
| 2 | Hold |
| 0 | Sell |
| 1 | Strong Sell |
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -0.6% | Avg. Invested days 27 | Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating |
Upturn Star Rating | Upturn Advisory Performance  3.0 | Stock Returns Performance  1.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 08/28/2025 |
Key Highlights
Company Size Small-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 801.25M USD | Price to earnings Ratio 21.03 | 1Y Target Price 16.43 |
Price to earnings Ratio 21.03 | 1Y Target Price 16.43 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 7 | Beta 1.76 | 52 Weeks Range 9.56 - 20.47 | Updated Date 08/29/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 9.56 - 20.47 | Updated Date 08/29/2025 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) 0.62 |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Earnings Date
Report Date 2025-08-07 | When - | Estimate 0.42 | Actual 0.41 |
Profitability
Profit Margin 5.71% | Operating Margin (TTM) 8.53% |
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (TTM) 3.04% | Return on Equity (TTM) 8.37% |
Valuation
Trailing PE 21.03 | Forward PE 7.63 | Enterprise Value 1229442267 | Price to Sales(TTM) 1.12 |
Enterprise Value 1229442267 | Price to Sales(TTM) 1.12 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 1.71 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 6.52 | Shares Outstanding 61445500 | Shares Floating 56698217 |
Shares Outstanding 61445500 | Shares Floating 56698217 | ||
Percent Insiders 9.98 | Percent Institutions 96.65 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Cars.com Inc
Company Overview
History and Background
Cars.com Inc. was founded in 1998 as a consortium of newspaper companies to create a digital marketplace for car shopping. It evolved from a classified advertising platform to a comprehensive automotive marketplace. It was acquired by Gannett in 2014, and later spun off as an independent publicly traded company in 2017.
Core Business Areas
- Cars.com Marketplace: Connects car shoppers with local dealers and provides a wide range of vehicle listings, reviews, and shopping tools.
- Dealer Solutions: Offers digital advertising solutions, including targeted advertising, inventory management, and website development, to help dealers reach and engage with car buyers.
- FUEL, Finance, Underwriting, Lending: The FUEL platform offers a suite of digital finance and insurance (F&I) solutions designed to streamline the car-buying process.
Leadership and Structure
The leadership team includes the CEO, CFO, CTO, and other key executives. The organizational structure is hierarchical, with various departments responsible for different aspects of the business, such as sales, marketing, product development, and technology.
Top Products and Market Share
Key Offerings
- Cars.com Website & App: The core marketplace platform for car shoppers, providing vehicle listings, reviews, and shopping tools. The platform has millions of unique visitors per month. Competitors include AutoTrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.
- Dealer Inspire Websites: Website platform for automotive dealers. Competitors include Dealer.com and CDK Global.
- Accu-Trade: Vehicle valuation and appraisal tool for dealers. Competitors include vAuto and Black Book.
- FUEL: Provides digital F&I solutions. Competitors include Darwin Automotive and Cox Automotive.
Market Dynamics
Industry Overview
The automotive marketplace industry is highly competitive and rapidly evolving. Key trends include the increasing shift to online car shopping, the rise of electric vehicles, and the growing importance of data and analytics.
Positioning
Cars.com Inc. is a leading player in the automotive marketplace, offering a comprehensive platform for both car shoppers and dealers. Its competitive advantages include its established brand, large user base, and comprehensive suite of solutions.
Total Addressable Market (TAM)
The total addressable market for automotive advertising and related services is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars. Cars.com Inc. is positioned to capture a significant portion of this market through its established brand, large user base, and comprehensive suite of solutions.
Upturn SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Established brand recognition
- Large user base
- Comprehensive suite of solutions for car shoppers and dealers
- Strong relationships with dealer partners
- Technology expertise
Weaknesses
- Dependence on advertising revenue
- Intense competition
- Potential for disruption from new entrants
- Highly leveraged
- Negative working capital
Opportunities
- Expanding into new markets and geographies
- Developing new products and services
- Acquiring complementary businesses
- Leveraging data and analytics to improve customer experience
- Capitalizing on the growth of electric vehicles
Threats
- Economic downturns
- Changes in consumer behavior
- Increased competition
- Technological advancements that could disrupt the industry
- Changes in government regulations
Competitors and Market Share
Key Competitors
- TRUE
- KMX
- AN
- CVNA
Competitive Landscape
Cars.com Inc. faces intense competition from other online automotive marketplaces, as well as traditional dealerships and car manufacturers. Its advantages include its established brand, large user base, and comprehensive suite of solutions. Its disadvantages include its dependence on advertising revenue and the potential for disruption from new entrants.
Major Acquisitions
Accu-Trade
- Year: 2021
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 41
- Strategic Rationale: Enhanced dealer solutions with vehicle valuation and appraisal tools.
Dealer Inspire
- Year: 2018
- Acquisition Price (USD millions): 165
- Strategic Rationale: Added website and digital marketing capabilities for dealers.
Growth Trajectory and Initiatives
Historical Growth: Cars.com Inc. has experienced moderate growth in recent years, driven by the increasing shift to online car shopping. There have been strategic acquisitions.
Future Projections: Analysts project continued growth for Cars.com Inc. in the coming years, driven by its strategic initiatives and the overall growth of the automotive marketplace.
Recent Initiatives: Recent initiatives include expanding its suite of dealer solutions, enhancing its mobile app, and investing in data and analytics.
Summary
Cars.com Inc. is a significant player in the automotive marketplace but operates in a highly competitive environment. The company has a strong brand and comprehensive suite of solutions, but must continue to innovate and adapt to changing consumer behavior. Its strong cash flows will have to be used wisely to pay down debt and make strategic acquisitions to keep it relevant. Economic downturns and increased competition present significant challenges.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Company filings (10-K, 10-Q)
- Analyst reports
- Industry publications
- Company Investor Relations
Disclaimers:
This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Market data can be subject to rapid changes. Data may be lagged.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Cars.com Inc
Exchange NYSE | Headquaters Chicago, IL, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 2017-05-18 | Co-Founder, CEO & Director Mr. T. Alex Vetter | ||
Sector Communication Services | Industry Internet Content & Information | Full time employees 1800 | Website https://www.cars.com |
Full time employees 1800 | Website https://www.cars.com | ||
Cars.com Inc., an audience-driven technology company, provides solutions for the automotive industry in the United States. The company offers cars commerce platforms, such as Marketplace, allowing OEMs and dealers to merchandise their inventory and allowing consumers to add and save vehicles to virtual garage and track the Cars.com market value of current vehicle, as well as provides reputation management technology and digital financing tools and access to in-market consumers who are ready to trade-in its vehicle for a new one. It also provides website creation and platform hosting; digital retailing solutions; and trade and appraisal product, including AccuTrade, uses real-time market data and diagnostic scans to determine the right trade-in offer for every VIN in minutes. In addition, the company offers Cars Commerce Media Network products comprising Cars Social, allows dealers to target and serve native advertisements displaying real-time inventory to in-market car shoppers on Facebook and Instagram; VIN Performance Media, a machine-learning for media campaign, including audience targeting, real-time inventory, and ad placement across search, social, and display; In-Market Video, provides OEMs and dealers to pinpoint serious, ready-to-buy shoppers geographically; and In-Market Display, enable dealers and OEMs to extend reach and access audience of in-market car shoppers. The company serves local dealers, OEMs, dealer groups, and auto-adjacent companies. Cars.com Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Note: This website is maintained by Upturn Corporation, which is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Investing in securities has risks. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. No assurance is provided as to any particular investment return, and you may lose money using our services. You are strongly advised to consult appropriate counsel before making any investments in companies you learn about through our services. You should obtain appropriate legal, tax, investment, accounting, and other advice that takes into account your investment portfolio and overall financial situation. You are solely responsible for conducting due diligence on a potential investment. We do not affect trades for you. You will select your own broker through which to transact. Investments are not FDIC insured, they are not guaranteed, and they may lose value. Please see the Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, and Disclosure for more information.