Cars.com is demonstrating early signs of operating leverage, with operating margin expanding to 15.5% in 2026Q2 from 8.5% a year earlier, despite flat revenue growth of 0.7% YoY.
Price trend, volume and key moving averages
Trailing total returns as of 11/8/2026, which may include dividends or other distributions. Benchmark is S&P 500 (^GSPC).
Check whether operating performance supports the current valuation.
Recent results and news deserve attention only when they alter the forward view.
| Quarter | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|
Q4 2026Latest Nov 5, 2026 | $0.58+8.0% vs $0.54 | $182M-0.6% vs $183M |
Q3 2026 Aug 6, 2026 | $0.51-0.6% vs $0.51 | $180M-0.3% vs $181M |
Q2 2026 May 7, 2026 | $0.45-6.3% vs $0.48 | $180M+0.0% vs $180M |
Q1 2026 Feb 26, 2026 | $0.44-21.4% vs $0.56 | $184M+0.2% vs $183M |
Cars.com NYSE: CARS reported higher third-quarter profit and reaffirmed its 2026 outlook, as growth in its core marketplace business helped offset weakness in dealer solutions and advertising revenue.
Cars.com (CARS) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.58 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.55 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.48 per share a year ago.
The headline numbers for Cars.com (CARS) give insight into how the company performed in the quarter ended September 2026, but it may be worthwhile to compare some of its key metrics to Wall Street estimates and the year-ago actuals.
Focused execution drove efficiency and profitability gains while also powering Marketplace momentum, including launch of new self-service Marketplace Starter package Revenue of $181.9 million includes 5% year-over-year Marketplace revenue growth Net income increased to $16.3 million, up 113% year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA grew to $55.8 million and Adjusted EBITDA margin of 30.7% outperformed guidance range by 120 bps Share repurchases totaled 1.4 million shares for $16 million; year-to-date share repurchases totaled 7.6 million shares for $74 million and are on pace to 2026 target of $90 million CHICAGO, Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com Inc . (NYSE: CARS), a trusted audience-powered and data-driven technology platform that simplifies buying and selling cars, today released its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026.
Benchmark CARS against direct peers instead of judging its metrics in isolation.
Key metrics vs top competitors for Cars.com Inc. (CARS)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $13.35 | $746.31M | 17.18 | 0.57% | 5.92% | 9.42% | — | |
| $0.83 | $13.55M | 0.30 | -88.29% | — | — | — | |
| $33.74 | $3.26B | 16.52 | 4.99% | 18.51% | 62.43% | — | |
| $73.74 | $10.19B | 15.52 | 2.93% | 14.76% | 41.16% | 1.74% | |
| $51.48 | $7.31B | 25.08 | -1.79% | 1.06% | 4.8% | — | |
| $73.57 | $80.69B | 31.91 | 48.63% | 6.21% | 34.77% | — |
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
Verify the primary filings, follow material updates, and answer the remaining questions.
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) SEC filings — annual & quarterly reports (10-K, 10-Q)
Aug 6, 2026·SEC
Jun 5, 2026·SEC
May 7, 2026·SEC
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Cars.com Inc. (CARS) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) reported $723.2M in revenue in fiscal year 2025, which is also its trailing twelve months. That is 46% more than the $496.0M of fiscal year 2014.
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) grew revenue by 0.9% over the trailing twelve months, compared with the twelve months before.
Yes. Cars.com Inc. (CARS) earned $43.0M in net income over the trailing twelve months (a 5.9% net margin).
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) had a return on equity (ROE) of 9.4% over the trailing twelve months. That is below the market's typical 10-15%.
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) generated $150.5M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months.
