CARS
Cars.com Inc.
Auto - Dealerships
Market Cap$704M
5Y Perf.+100.0%
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Try these comparisons:
Stock Comparison
CARS vs SCI
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
SCI
Service Corporation International
Personal Products & Services
Market Cap$10.89B
5Y Perf.+99.1%
CARS vs SCI — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | CARS | SCI |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Auto - Dealerships | Personal Products & Services |
| Market Cap | $704M | $10.89B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $724M | $4.33B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $27M | $626M |
| Gross Margin | 82.9% | 26.2% |
| Operating Margin | 9.7% | 22.4% |
| Forward P/E | 5.8x | 18.8x |
| Total Debt | $468M | $5.14B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $56M | $244M |
CARS vs SCI — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
CARS
SCI
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars.com Inc. (CARS) | 100 | 200.0 | +100.0% |
| Service Corporation… (SCI) | 100 | 199.1 | +99.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: CARS vs SCI
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: SCI leads in 5 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and profitability and margin quality. Cars.com Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for valuation and capital efficiency and recent price momentum and sentiment. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
CARS
Cars.com Inc.
The Defensive Pick
CARS is the clearest fit if your priority is sleep-well-at-night.
- Lower volatility, beta 1.27, Low D/E 99.1%, current ratio 1.87x
- Lower P/E (5.8x vs 18.8x)
- +9.0% vs SCI's +4.9%
Best for: sleep-well-at-night
SCI
Service Corporation International
The Income Pick
SCI carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 12 yrs, beta 0.11, yield 1.6%
- Rev growth 2.9%, EPS growth 7.6%, 3Y rev CAGR 1.6%
- 225.6% 10Y total return vs CARS's -54.8%
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | SCI | 2.9% revenue growth vs CARS's 0.6% |
| Value | CARS | Lower P/E (5.8x vs 18.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | SCI | 14.5% margin vs CARS's 3.7% |
| Stability / Safety | SCI | Beta 0.11 vs CARS's 1.27 |
| Dividends | SCI | 1.6% yield; 12-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CARS | +9.0% vs SCI's +4.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SCI | 3.4% ROA vs CARS's 2.5%, ROIC 11.3% vs 5.0% |
CARS vs SCI — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2022
FY 2025
CARS vs SCI — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLSCILAGGINGCARS
CARSCars.com Inc.
1leads
SCIService Corporation I…
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs CARSMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
Tied
—
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
CARS5/6
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
Tied
—
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
SCI4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
SCI2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
SCI1/1
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
Evenly matched — CARS and SCI each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SCI is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.3B annually — 6.0x CARS's $724M. SCI is the more profitable business, keeping 14.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CARS's 3.7%.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $724M | $4.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $152M | $1.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $27M | $626M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $158M | $629M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +82.9% | +26.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.7% | +22.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.7% | +14.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +21.8% | +14.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.7% | +2.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.6% | +65.3% |
Evenly matched — CARS and SCI each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
CARS leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 20.7x trailing earnings, SCI trades at a 46% valuation discount to CARS's 38.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CARS's 7.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SCI's 12.0x.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $704M | $10.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.1B | $15.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 38.56x | 20.66x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 5.84x | 18.79x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.62x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.34x | 12.01x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.97x | 2.53x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.61x | 6.83x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.78x | 19.65x |
CARS leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
Evenly matched — CARS and SCI each lead in 4 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
SCI delivers a 39.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $39 in annual profit, vs $6 for CARS. CARS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.99x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SCI's 3.14x.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.7% | +39.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.0% | +11.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.2% | +5.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.99x | 3.14x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $412M | $4.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $56M | $244M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $468M | $5.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.76x | 3.78x |
Evenly matched — CARS and SCI each lead in 4 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
SCI leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SCI five years ago would be worth $15,061 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,821 for CARS. Over the past 12 months, CARS leads with a +9.0% total return vs SCI's +4.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SCI at 7.8% vs CARS's -11.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.5% | +2.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +9.0% | +4.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.3% | +25.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -11.8% | +50.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -54.8% | +225.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -11.8% | +7.8% |
SCI leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SCI leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SCI is the less volatile stock with a 0.11 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CARS's 1.27 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.27x | 0.11x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $13.97 | $88.67 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.40 | $74.31 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +88.3% | +88.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 68.9 | 37.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 1.2M |
SCI leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
SCI leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CARS as "Buy" and SCI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 18.5% upside for SCI (target: $93) vs 5.3% for CARS (target: $13). SCI is the only dividend payer here at 1.64% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CARSCars.com Inc. | SCIService Corporati… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $13.00 | $93.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 9 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.29 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +12.4% | +4.2% |
SCI leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Key Takeaway
SCI leads in 3 of 6 categories (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility). CARS leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Best OverallService Corporation Interna… (SCI)Leads 3 of 6 categories
Loading custom metrics...
CARS vs SCI: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CARS or SCI a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Service Corporation International (SCI) is the stronger pick with 2.
9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 6% for Cars. com Inc. (CARS). Service Corporation International (SCI) offers the better valuation at 20. 7x trailing P/E (18. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Cars. com Inc. (CARS) a "Buy" — based on 16 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.
02Which has the better valuation — CARS or SCI?
On trailing P/E, Service Corporation International (SCI) is the cheapest at 20.
7x versus Cars. com Inc. at 38. 6x. On forward P/E, Cars. com Inc. is actually cheaper at 5. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CARS or SCI?
Over the past 5 years, Service Corporation International (SCI) delivered a total return of +50.
6%, compared to -11. 8% for Cars. com Inc. (CARS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SCI returned +225. 6% versus CARS's -54. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CARS or SCI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Service Corporation International (SCI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
11β versus Cars. com Inc. 's 1. 27β — meaning CARS is approximately 1016% more volatile than SCI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cars. com Inc. (CARS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 99% versus 3% for Service Corporation International — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — CARS or SCI?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Service Corporation International (SCI) is pulling ahead at 2.
9% versus 0. 6% for Cars. com Inc. (CARS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Service Corporation International grew EPS 7. 6% year-over-year, compared to -55. 6% for Cars. com Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, CARS leads at 3. 4% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — CARS or SCI?
Service Corporation International (SCI) is the more profitable company, earning 12.
6% net margin versus 2. 8% for Cars. com Inc. — meaning it keeps 12. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SCI leads at 22. 6% versus 8. 3% for CARS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CARS leads at 83. 0%, 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.
07Is CARS or SCI more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Cars.
com Inc. (CARS) trades at 5. 8x forward P/E versus 18. 8x for Service Corporation International — 12. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SCI: 18. 5% to $93. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — CARS or SCI?
In this comparison, SCI (1.
6% yield) pays a dividend. CARS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is CARS or SCI better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Service Corporation International (SCI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
11), 1. 6% yield, +225. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SCI: +225. 6%, CARS: -54. 8%), 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.
10What are the main differences between CARS and SCI?
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.
SCI pays a dividend while CARS does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
Revenue Growth>
%
(CARS: 0.7% · SCI: 2.1%)Net Margin>
%
(CARS: 3.7% · SCI: 14.5%)P/E Ratio<
x
(CARS: 38.6x · SCI: 20.7x)You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.