Workflow
Cars.com
icon
Search documents
Cars.com(CARS) - 2025 Q3 - Quarterly Report
2025-11-06 21:06
Financial Performance - Revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $181,573,000, a 1% increase from $179,651,000 in the same period of 2024[73] - Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $7,658,000, a 59% decrease from $18,719,000 in the same period of 2024[86] - Total revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $539.3 million, a slight increase of $0.6 million or 0% compared to $538.7 million in 2024[100] - Operating income rose to $38.5 million, an increase of $4.8 million or 14% compared to $33.7 million in 2024[100] - Net income decreased significantly to $12.7 million, down $18.2 million or 59% from $30.9 million in 2024[100] Visitor and Customer Metrics - Average Monthly Unique Visitors increased by 4% to 25,454,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to 24,547,000 in 2024[74] - Dealer Customers increased by 1% to 19,526 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to 19,255 in 2024[74] Revenue Breakdown - Dealer revenue accounted for 89% of total revenue, decreasing by $1.5 million or 0% due to a lower average dealer count and changes in customer mix[100] - OEM and National revenue increased by $0.9 million or 2%, representing 9% of total revenue, driven by increased OEM spending[101] - Other revenue grew by $1.2 million or 13%, maintaining a 2% share of total revenue[101] Expenses - Cost of revenue and operations decreased by 5% to $30,063,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $31,610,000 in 2024[89] - Marketing and sales expenses increased by 2% to $59,336,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $58,288,000 in 2024[92] - General and administrative expenses increased by 13% to $24,325,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $21,511,000 in 2024[93] - Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer decreased by 1% to $2,460 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $2,478 in 2024[74] - Interest expense decreased by 5% to $7,631,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $8,028,000 in 2024[95] Share Repurchase and Debt - The company repurchased 5.2 million shares for $63.9 million at an average price of $12.39 per share during the nine months ended September 30, 2025[117] - The company repurchased a total of 1,493,127 shares during the three months ended September 30, 2025, with an average price per share of $12.76 in July, $12.69 in August, and $13.23 in September[138] - The Board of Directors authorized a three-year share repurchase program to acquire up to $250.0 million of the company's common stock[138] - As of September 30, 2025, the maximum dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased under the repurchase program is $195,869,000[138] - The outstanding aggregate principal amount of indebtedness was $455.0 million, with an average interest rate of 6.3%[115] Cash and Liquidity - Cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2025, were $55.1 million, with total liquidity of $350.1 million including an undrawn Revolving Loan[114] Internal Controls and Risk Factors - There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting that materially affected the company's financial reporting during the period covered by the report[132] - The company's disclosure controls and procedures were evaluated and deemed effective by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer[130] - There have been no material changes in risk factors affecting the company since the last annual report[136] - The company continues to monitor market risks, with no material changes since December 31, 2024[129] Other Financial Activities - An investment of $8.0 million was made in a secured convertible note for a new customer relationship management platform, maturing in five years[126] - The Chief Financial Officer adopted a trading plan to sell a maximum of 14,818 shares of the company's common stock for tax withholdings[142] - The company reported no unregistered sales of equity securities during the period[137] - The company has not experienced any defaults upon senior securities[140]
Cars.com(CARS) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-11-06 15:00
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q3 2025 was $181.6 million, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase, aligning with expectations for low single-digit growth in the second half of the year [16] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 was $55 million, a 7% year-over-year increase, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 30.1%, demonstrating strong revenue flow-through and cost management [22][21] - Net income for Q3 was $7.7 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, compared to $18.7 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, a year ago, primarily due to changes in the fair value of contingent consideration for prior acquisitions [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Dealer revenue increased by 2% year-over-year, driven by successful repackaging activities and an increase in customer count [16] - The marketplace continues to be the largest contributor to dealer count growth, with over 300 net new dealer customers added since the start of the year [17] - AccuTrade and Dealer Club saw significant growth, with AccuTrade surpassing 1 million quarterly appraisals and Dealer Club increasing active users by nearly 40% quarter-over-quarter [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average monthly visitors to the marketplace reached 25.4 million, up 4% year-over-year, with total traffic year-to-date at 488 million visits, setting a new record [7] - OEM and national revenue was down 5% year-over-year, primarily due to reduced spending from two OEM partners, although the overall OEM revenue pipeline remains strong [13][18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on 2025 growth initiatives, including enhancing dealer engagement through new sales leadership and improved go-to-market strategies [5] - The phased marketplace repackaging exercise aims to align pricing with product value, helping dealers drive more leads per listing [6] - AI integration is central to the company's product innovation roadmap, enhancing the shopping experience for consumers and improving lead conversion for dealers [8][9] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the business's ability to grow OEM revenue despite near-term headwinds, citing strong enthusiasm for the audience and dealer adoption [31] - The company reaffirmed expectations for low single-digit revenue growth in the second half of 2025, driven by continued execution of growth initiatives [26] - Adjusted EBITDA margin outlook for fiscal 2025 is between 29%-31%, reflecting disciplined cost management and high contribution margins from pricing initiatives [26] Other Important Information - The company has utilized over two-thirds of free cash flow for share buybacks, totaling $64 million year-to-date, with a full-year repurchase target raised to $70 million-$90 million [24][25] - Total liquidity was reported at $350 million as of September 30, 2025, providing ample capacity for capital allocation priorities [25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Drivers of revenue in Q3 and dealer navigation of the current industry backdrop - Management noted that while there are near-term headwinds for manufacturers, enthusiasm for the audience remains strong, and dealers are increasingly recognizing the value of the platform [30][31] Question: Insights on repackaging and its impact on ARPD - Management highlighted that repackaging has led to sequential momentum in ARPD, with premium-plus packages showing significant adoption [36][37] Question: Competitive landscape changes and capital allocation priorities - Management indicated that while the competitive landscape is evolving, the company's platform strategy remains differentiated, focusing on driving down dealer advertising costs [44][47]
Cars.com Inc. 2025 Q3 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation (NYSE:CARS) 2025-11-06
Seeking Alpha· 2025-11-06 14:36
Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]
Cars.com(CARS) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Presentation
2025-11-06 14:00
Financial Performance - Cars Commerce achieved record Q3 revenue of $181.6 million, a 1% year-over-year increase[37] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 7% year-over-year to $55 million[45] - Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 160+ bps year-over-year to 30.1%[15, 45] - The company repurchased 5.2 million shares year-to-date in 2025, totaling $64 million, compared to $36 million in the same period of 2024[12] Key Metrics - Average Monthly Unique Visitors increased by 4% year-over-year to 25.5 million[15, 46] - Total traffic (visits) increased by 1% year-over-year in Q3, reaching 156.2 million[19, 46] - Dealer Customers increased QoQ by 114, reaching 19,526[15, 32] - Average Revenue Per Dealer (ARPD) was $2,460, up 1% QoQ[15, 34] Business Growth - AccuTrade appraisals increased by 56% year-over-year, surpassing 1 million quarterly vehicle appraisals[24] - DealerClub active dealers increased by almost 40% QoQ[26] Outlook - The company anticipates low-single digit year-over-year revenue growth for the second half of 2025[53] - The company projects an Adjusted EBITDA margin between 29% and 31% for the full year 2025[57] - The company targets share repurchases between $70 million and $90 million for the full year 2025[57]
Cars.com(CARS) - 2025 Q3 - Quarterly Results
2025-11-06 12:45
Revenue Performance - Total revenue for Q3 2025 reached a record $181.6 million, up 1% year-over-year[4] - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $181.573 million, a slight increase from $179.651 million in Q3 2024, representing a growth of 1.0%[35] - The company anticipates low-single digit revenue growth for the second half of 2025 based on current market conditions[14] Customer and Dealer Metrics - Dealer revenue grew by 2% year-over-year, driven by increased adoption of websites and appraisal products[6] - The customer base expanded by 271 year-over-year, totaling 19,526 dealer customers, marking a three-year high[2] - The average monthly unique visitors increased by 4% year-over-year to 25.5 million[5] Income and Earnings - Adjusted net income for the quarter was $30.4 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, an 18% increase from the previous year[8] - Adjusted net income for Q3 2025 was $30.381 million, compared to $27.704 million in Q3 2024, representing an increase of 9.1%[42] - Net income for Q3 2025 decreased to $7.658 million compared to $18.719 million in Q3 2024, reflecting a decline of 59.0%[35] - Basic earnings per share for Q3 2025 were $0.12, down from $0.28 in Q3 2024, a decline of 57.1%[35] Operating Performance - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $54.6 million, representing 30.1% of revenue, up from 28.5% in the prior year[8] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $54.631 million, compared to $51.131 million in Q3 2024, indicating an increase of 6.0%[41] - Operating income increased to $16.805 million in Q3 2025, up from $11.456 million in Q3 2024, marking a growth of 46.0%[35] Cash Flow and Expenses - The company reported a net cash provided by operating activities of $114.521 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $122.517 million for the same period in 2024, a decrease of 6.5%[39] - Net cash provided by operating activities for Q3 2025 was $58,838 million, an increase from $53,795 million in Q3 2024, while free cash flow rose to $52,642 million from $47,254 million[43] - Total operating expenses decreased to $164.8 million, down from $168.2 million in the prior year[7] - Total operating expenses for Q3 2025 were reported at $164,768 million, adjusted to $150,407 million after accounting for adjustments, compared to $168,195 million reported in Q3 2024, adjusted to $156,083 million[44][45] Debt and Financial Position - Total debt outstanding was $455 million, with a net leverage ratio of 1.9x, below the target range of 2.0x to 2.5x[10] - Long-term debt as of September 30, 2025, was $451.206 million, slightly down from $455.288 million at the end of 2024, a decrease of 0.5%[37] Asset Management - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of Q3 2025 were $55.072 million, up from $50.673 million at the end of Q4 2024, a rise of 8.7%[39] - Total assets as of September 30, 2025, were $1.071 billion, a decrease from $1.112 billion at the end of 2024, reflecting a decline of 3.6%[37] Expense Breakdown - The cost of revenue and operations for Q3 2025 was $30,063 million, adjusted to $29,841 million, down from $31,610 million reported in Q3 2024, adjusted to $31,395 million[44][45] - Marketing and sales expenses for Q3 2025 were $59,336 million, adjusted to $57,800 million, compared to $58,288 million in Q3 2024, adjusted to $56,775 million[44][45] - General and administrative expenses for Q3 2025 were $24,325 million, adjusted to $14,036 million, significantly lower than $21,511 million reported in Q3 2024, adjusted to $14,083 million[44][45] Capital Expenditures - The company capitalized $5,637 million on internally developed technology in Q3 2025, slightly up from $5,594 million in Q3 2024[43] - Depreciation and amortization for Q3 2025 remained stable at $23,464 million, consistent with the previous year[44][45]
Meet "Carson™": Cars.com's New AI Engine for Car Shopping
Prnewswire· 2025-11-06 12:45
Core Insights - Cars.com has launched Carson™, a multilingual AI-powered search tool designed to enhance the car shopping experience for its 25 million monthly users by converting conversational queries into targeted search results [1][2]. Group 1: AI Implementation and User Engagement - Carson aims to simplify the car shopping process by allowing users to input natural language queries, addressing the fact that over 70% of shoppers are undecided about make and model at the start of their search [2][5]. - The AI tool has shown strong performance, assisting approximately 15% of web and mobile searches on Cars.com, and users of Carson return to the site twice as often as other shoppers [5][6]. Group 2: User Behavior and Search Trends - Shoppers are utilizing Carson for various types of searches, including practical needs (e.g., "reliable"), emotional needs (e.g., "cool"), lifestyle needs (e.g., "good for a new teen driver"), and specific automotive terms (e.g., "c6 vette") [6]. - Carson users save three times more vehicles compared to other shoppers and exhibit a nearly 30% higher conversion rate from search results to vehicle detail pages [5][6]. Group 3: Future Developments - The company plans to evolve Carson further by providing AI summaries, search refinement prompts, and personalized options for users, reinforcing its commitment to innovation in the automotive industry [4][5].
Cars.com Reports Third Quarter 2025 Results
Prnewswire· 2025-11-06 12:30
Core Insights - Cars.com Inc. achieved record total revenue of $182 million in Q3 2025, with dealer revenue growing by 2% year-over-year [1][5] - The company expanded its customer base by 271 year-over-year, reaching 19,526 dealer customers, supported by the launch of AI-powered search features [1][4] - The company repurchased $64 million of stock year-to-date, on track to meet its target of $70 to $90 million for FY25 [1][10] Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $181.6 million, a 1% increase from $179.7 million in Q3 2024 [3][5] - Net income decreased to $7.7 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, down 59% from $18.7 million, or $0.28 per diluted share in the prior year [7] - Adjusted net income rose by 10% to $30.4 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to $27.7 million, or $0.41 per diluted share a year ago [3][7] Operational Highlights - Average monthly unique visitors increased to 25.5 million, a 4% year-over-year growth [4] - The company reported a 1% increase in traffic, totaling 156.2 million visits [4] - Monthly average revenue per dealer (ARPD) was $2,460, reflecting a 1% increase quarter-over-quarter but a 1% decrease year-over-year [4] Cost Management - Total operating expenses decreased to $164.8 million from $168.2 million in the prior year, with adjusted operating expenses down 4% to $150.4 million [6][7] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2025 was $54.6 million, representing 30.1% of revenue, an increase from 28.5% in the previous year [7] Cash Flow and Balance Sheet - Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, was $114.5 million, down from $122.5 million in the prior year [8] - Free cash flow for the same period totaled $94.5 million, compared to $103.7 million in the previous year [8] - Total debt outstanding was $455 million, with a net leverage ratio of 1.9x, below the target range of 2.0x to 2.5x [9] Shareholder Returns - The company repurchased 1.5 million shares for $19.3 million in Q3, totaling 5.2 million shares for $63.9 million year-to-date [10] - The company reaffirmed its target for share repurchases of $70 to $90 million for fiscal 2025 [10][11] Future Outlook - The company anticipates low-single digit revenue growth for the second half of 2025, based on current market conditions and execution of growth initiatives [12] - Full-year adjusted EBITDA margin guidance remains at 29% to 31%, reflecting confidence in managing operating levers [13]
U.S. Auto Market Steady in Q3 as Policy Changes Influence Pricing and Production, According to Cars Commerce Q3 Industry Insights Report
Prnewswire· 2025-10-31 18:01
Core Insights - U.S. new-car sales increased in Q3 2025, driven by consumer incentives and the final days of the federal electric vehicle tax credit [2] - Average new-car prices remained stable at approximately $49,000, reflecting a 0.5% year-over-year increase [2][3] - U.S.-built vehicles accounted for 56% of dealer inventory, marking an 8.9% increase from July [4] Pricing Trends - Mass-market vehicle prices slightly declined by 0.2% to just over $45,000, while luxury vehicle prices rose by 3% to about $72,000 [3] - The overall average price increase is attributed more to vehicle mix and timing rather than market instability [3] Production and Inventory - Automakers are introducing 2026 model-year inventory earlier, with one-third of dealer inventory being 2026 models by the end of September [3] - The shift towards U.S. assembly is a structural change aimed at reducing tariff exposure and supply disruptions [5] Used and Wholesale Markets - The used-vehicle market saw a 0.6% year-over-year decline in inventory, with prices increasing by 2.8% for the second consecutive quarter [5] - Wholesale prices decreased by 3.4% quarter over quarter, with electric vehicles experiencing a significant value drop of 10.4% [6]
BROAD ARROW ZÜRICH AUCTION CATALOGUE FEATURES EXCEPTIONAL COLLECTOR CARS WITH VALUED SWISS PROVENANCE
Globenewswire· 2025-10-15 15:00
Core Insights - Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty company, is set to hold its inaugural Zürich Auction featuring over 60 collectible cars with notable Swiss provenance [1][2][4] Auction Details - The auction will take place on November 1, 2025, at the Dolder Grand Hotel, coinciding with the Auto Zürich motor show [2] - Bidders can register for in-person, telephone, or online participation [13] Featured Cars - The auction includes a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy, estimated between CHF 2,200,000 and CHF 2,600,000, known for its lightweight alloy body and continuous Swiss ownership [5] - A 1956 Jaguar D-Type, estimated at CHF 5,250,000 to CHF 6,250,000, is notable for never having been used in competitive motorsport [6] - The 2020 Bugatti Chiron Sport, with an estimate of CHF 2,900,000 to CHF 3,200,000, has only 11,000 km on the odometer and is capable of reaching 420 km/h [7] - A unique 1991 Isdera Sbarro Espera Turbo S20E, estimated between CHF 140,000 and CHF 230,000, is highlighted for its Swiss pedigree and design by Franco Sbarro [4] Company Background - Broad Arrow Auctions is recognized as a leading global collector car auction house, having rapidly expanded since its founding in 2021 [15] - The company has established itself as the fastest-growing auction house in its segment, with flagship events in the U.S. and recent expansions into Europe [15][16]
Best Value Stock to Buy for October 2nd
ZACKS· 2025-10-02 14:46
Group 1: Cars.com - Cars.com operates an online automotive platform offering new and used vehicle listings, expert and consumer reviews, and research tools [1] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and a 7% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [1] - Cars.com has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 6.93, significantly lower than the industry average of 22.20, and possesses a Value Score of A [2] Group 2: Grupo Cibest S.A. - Grupo Cibest S.A. is Colombia's largest bank by assets, with the largest market participation in deposit products and loans [2] - The company also carries a Zacks Rank of 1 and has seen a 7% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [2] - Grupo Cibest has a P/E ratio of 7.58 compared to the industry average of 11.50, and it holds a Value Score of A [3] Group 3: Smithfield Foods, Inc. - Smithfield Foods is a pork producer and food-processing company with a Zacks Rank of 1 [3] - The company has experienced a 3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current year earnings over the last 60 days [3] - Smithfield Foods has a P/E ratio of 9.69, which is lower than the industry average of 10.90, and it also possesses a Value Score of A [4]