ACVA vs CVNA

For growth investors, Carvana Co.

(CVNA) is the stronger pick with 48. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 19. 2% for ACV Auctions Inc. (ACVA). Carvana Co. (CVNA) offers the better valuation at 46. 1x trailing P/E (50. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ACV Auctions Inc. (ACVA) a "Buy" — based on 17 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, ACV Auctions Inc.

is actually cheaper at 27. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Carvana Co.

(CVNA) delivered a total return of +47. 8%, compared to -84. 2% for ACV Auctions Inc. (ACVA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CVNA returned +34. 1% versus ACVA's -83. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), ACV Auctions Inc.

(ACVA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 33β versus Carvana Co. 's 2. 14β — meaning CVNA is approximately 61% more volatile than ACVA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Carvana Co. (CVNA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 44% for ACV Auctions Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Carvana Co.

(CVNA) is pulling ahead at 48. 6% versus 19. 2% for ACV Auctions Inc. (ACVA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Carvana Co. grew EPS 431. 4% year-over-year, compared to 18. 8% for ACV Auctions Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ACVA leads at 21. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Carvana Co.

(CVNA) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 9% net margin versus -8. 7% for ACV Auctions Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CVNA leads at 9. 3% versus -8. 1% for ACVA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ACVA leads at 62. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, ACV Auctions Inc.

(ACVA) trades at 27. 0x forward P/E versus 50. 0x for Carvana Co. — 23. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACVA: 72. 4% to $9. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, ACV Auctions Inc.

(ACVA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Carvana Co. (CVNA) carries a higher beta of 2. 14 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ACVA: -83. 3%, CVNA: +34. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.