ABG vs CVNA

For growth investors, Carvana Co.

(CVNA) is the stronger pick with 48. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 7% for Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG). Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG) offers the better valuation at 7. 9x trailing P/E (7. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG) a "Hold" — based on 18 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 trailing P/E, Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.

(ABG) is the cheapest at 7. 9x versus Carvana Co. at 44. 9x. On forward P/E, Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 6x.

Over the past 5 years, Carvana Co.

(CVNA) delivered a total return of +35. 1%, compared to -3. 4% for Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CVNA returned +34. 1% versus ABG's +251. 9%. 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), Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.

(ABG) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 04β versus Carvana Co. 's 2. 14β — meaning CVNA is approximately 106% more volatile than ABG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Carvana Co. (CVNA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 163% for Asbury Automotive Group, 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 4. 7% for Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (ABG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Carvana Co. grew EPS 431. 4% year-over-year, compared to 16. 9% for Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CVNA leads at 14. 3% 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 2. 7% for Asbury Automotive Group, 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 5. 6% for ABG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CVNA leads at 20. 6%, 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, Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.

(ABG) trades at 7. 6x forward P/E versus 50. 0x for Carvana Co. — 42. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CVNA: 27. 7% to $484. 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, Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.

(ABG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 04), +251. 9% 10Y return). 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 (ABG: +251. 9%, 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.

In terms of investment character: ABG is a small-cap deep-value stock; CVNA is a mid-cap high-growth stock. 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.