Carvana Stock Plunges Thursday, Deepening Its Recent Rout. Here's Why

Core Insights - Carvana's stock dropped 8% to just under $333, marking a loss of about 20% in value since the beginning of the year due to disappointing fourth-quarter profit metrics despite solid sales numbers [1][1][1] Financial Performance - The company's gross profit per unit for the fourth quarter was $6,427, which was below analysts' expectations and represented a year-over-year decline [1][1] - Carvana reported a 58% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching $5.6 billion in the fourth quarter, surpassing analyst consensus [1][1] Cost Concerns - The company indicated that some costs were higher than anticipated and warned of potentially elevated vehicle reconditioning costs in the first quarter, although it expects per-vehicle profits to improve [1][1] Analyst Sentiment - Following the results, analysts from Wedbush and JPMorgan reduced their price targets for Carvana to $425 and $490, respectively, but both firms remain optimistic about the company's growth potential [1][1] - Twelve out of thirteen analysts tracked by Visible Alpha have issued "buy" or equivalent recommendations, with an average price target of $450, suggesting a 35% upside from the current stock level [1][1]