Fact based stock research
Cars.com (NYSE:CARS)
US14575E1055
How to read the free ranks
For every stock, we judge its performance against its peers and rank it on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the rank, the better the stock performs than its peers. And, we do this for six investment strategies:
Value - shows how good of a value the stock is. Green is "inexpensive"; red is "expensive".
Growth - shows a company's growth potential. Green is "high growth" expected; red is "tough times ahead".
Safety - relates to the amount of debt a company has. Green is low debt level; red is high debt level.
Combined Financial - this isn't an average of the first three ranks but rather a consolidated view across several financial indicators. Green = good; red = tread carefully.
(NEW) Sentiment - quantifies professional analyst ratings and holdings as well as market pulse. Green = positive sentiment; red = skepticism (Only available to Premium Subscribers).
(NEW) 360° View - the ultimate rating with all financial and non-financial indicators.
Cars.com stock research in summary
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 18 (worse than 82% compared with investment alternatives), Cars.com (Interactive Media & Services, USA) shares have lower financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of Cars.com are low in value (priced high) with a consolidated Value Rank of 39 (worse than 61% of alternatives), show below-average growth (Growth Rank of 41), and are riskily financed (Safety Rank of 35), which means above-average debt burdens. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 18, is a sell recommendation based on Cars.com's financial characteristics. As the company Cars.com's key financial metrics all exhibit below-average performance, such as low value (Obermatt Value Rank of 39), low growth (Obermatt Growth Rank of 41), and risky financing practices (Obermatt Safety Rank of 35), it is a somewhat questionable stock investment, where the risk of paying too much for the shares is significant, unless the company has an exceptionally bright future. Such poor financial performance sometimes indicates that the company's business is all concentrated in some distant future. This is sometimes the case for high-tech or biotechnology companies. If they own properties that only provide cash flows in the future, the stock may look excessively expensive and risky today. In such cases, the Obermatt Method has limited value as it is based on facts we can observe today. If the facts are all in the future, stock investing becomes guesswork, and this should only be a driver in a limited number of investments that should only amount to a small fraction of a safe portfolio. Obermatt Premium subscribers can further check the stock’s Sentiment Ranks, which also flow into the Obermatt 360° View for investors. ...read more
Latest Obermatt Ranks
Log in or sign up to see the new 360° View and Sentiment ranks.
360° Viewnew| Country | USA |
| Industry | Interactive Media & Services |
| Index | |
| Size class | Medium |
14-Nov-2024. Stock data may be delayed. Log in or sign up to get the most recent research.
Analysts rarely agree on a stock’s future. So, who do you believe? Obermatt translates those collective views into a single Sentiment Rank. That plus the financial ranks give you the ultimate 360° View. Sign up to access them.
It’s easier said than done. When your stock drops, it’s easy to want to sell it and find a better performer. Think twice, or even three times, before trading. Those fees (especially the hidden ones) can eat up your gains.
Review the performance ranks of the individual metrics that form each investment strategy.
Research History: Cars.com
| RESEARCH HISTORY | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 18 |
|
99 |
|
85 |
|
39 |
|
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 81 |
|
47 |
|
49 |
|
41 |
|
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 19 |
|
27 |
|
32 |
|
35 |
|
| SENTIMENT | ||||||||
| SENTIMENT | n/a |
|
85 |
|
83 |
|
new |
|
| 360° VIEW | ||||||||
| 360° VIEW | n/a |
|
91 |
|
82 |
|
new |
|
Combined financial peformance in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 18 (worse than 82% compared with investment alternatives), Cars.com (Interactive Media & Services, USA) shares have lower financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of Cars.com are low in value (priced high) with a consolidated Value Rank of 39 (worse than 61% of alternatives), show below-average growth (Growth Rank of 41), and are riskily financed (Safety Rank of 35), which means above-average debt burdens. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 18, is a sell recommendation based on Cars.com's financial characteristics. As the company Cars.com's key financial metrics all exhibit below-average performance, such as low value (Obermatt Value Rank of 39), low growth (Obermatt Growth Rank of 41), and risky financing practices (Obermatt Safety Rank of 35), it is a somewhat questionable stock investment, where the risk of paying too much for the shares is significant, unless the company has an exceptionally bright future. Such poor financial performance sometimes indicates that the company's business is all concentrated in some distant future. This is sometimes the case for high-tech or biotechnology companies. If they own properties that only provide cash flows in the future, the stock may look excessively expensive and risky today. In such cases, the Obermatt Method has limited value as it is based on facts we can observe today. If the facts are all in the future, stock investing becomes guesswork, and this should only be a driver in a limited number of investments that should only amount to a small fraction of a safe portfolio. Obermatt Premium subscribers can further check the stock’s Sentiment Ranks, which also flow into the Obermatt 360° View for investors. ...read more
| RESEARCH HISTORY | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 18 |
|
99 |
|
85 |
|
39 |
|
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 81 |
|
47 |
|
49 |
|
41 |
|
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 19 |
|
27 |
|
32 |
|
35 |
|
| COMBINED | ||||||||
| COMBINED | 16 |
|
64 |
|
66 |
|
18 |
|
Value Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Value Rank of 39 (worse than 61% compared with alternatives), Cars.com shares are more expensive than the average comparable stock. The Value Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, where half the indicators are below and half above average for Cars.com. Price-to-Sales (P/S) is 58, which means that the stock price compared with what market professionals expect for future sales is lower than for 58% of comparable companies, indicating a good value concerning Cars.com's revenue size. The same is valid for the Price-to-Book Capital ratio (also referred to as market-to-book ratio), which is more favorable than for 65% of alternatives (35% of peers have a higher ratio). But expected dividend yields with a Dividend Yield rank of 1 are lower than average (dividends are expected to be lower than 99% of other stocks) while the Price to Profit ratio (or Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio) is higher than average with a Price-to-Profit Rank of 39, making the stock more expensive compared with the company's expected profit levels. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Value Rank of 39, is a hold recommendation based on Cars.com's stock price compared with the company's operational size and dividend yields. Low profits and low dividends as seen here for Cars.com may indicate a restructuring phase. This could be transitory, making the company a good value when profits recover and dividends return to higher levels. If the stock price is compared with the size indicators for revenue and invested capital, it is on the lower side, making this stock a good value investment (apart from current profit and dividend expectations). We recommend further analyzing the stock with Obermatt’s Value, Safety, and Sentiment Ranks, including the 360° View, before making an investment decision. ...read more
| VALUE METRICS | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | 52 |
|
81 |
|
67 |
|
58 |
|
| PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | 35 |
|
100 |
|
73 |
|
39 |
|
| PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | 28 |
|
81 |
|
70 |
|
65 |
|
| DIVIDEND YIELD | ||||||||
| DIVIDEND YIELD | 1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | 18 |
|
99 |
|
85 |
|
39 |
|
Growth Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Growth Rank of 41 (better than 41% compared with alternatives), Cars.com shows a below-average growth dynamic in its industry. There is limited momentum in this company. The Growth Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with three out of four indicators below average for Cars.com. Only Capital Growth has a good rank of 100, which means that currently professionals expect the company to grow its invested capital more than 16% of its competitors. The other three indicators are pointing South: Sales Growth has a rank of 26 which means that currently professionals expect the company to grow less than 74% of its competitors. Profit Growth with a rank of 16 and Stock Returns with a rank of 43 are also low (below 57% of alternative investments). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Growth Rank of 41, is a hold recommendation for growth and momentum investors. The good news from the invested capital side is surprising. A company with disappointing revenues, profits, and disappointed shareholders typically doesn't invest above average. Overall, the growth momentum for Cars.com is thus negative. As it is intriguing to see that company executives are optimistic about their investment policy, it is worthwhile looking into the details of the capital investment projects. They may indicate future growth and profits and thus if accompanied by a good value, a sign of good timing to invest in the stock. While momentum is a popular investment factor, the value aspect might be the more important one, in the longer term. We recommend analyzing the stock with Obermatt’s Value, Safety, and Sentiment Ranks to arrive at a 360° View of the stock purchase case, especially since the growth performance is limited here. ...read more
| GROWTH METRICS | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REVENUE GROWTH | ||||||||
| REVENUE GROWTH | 39 |
|
8 |
|
32 |
|
26 |
|
| PROFIT GROWTH | ||||||||
| PROFIT GROWTH | n/a |
|
76 |
|
96 |
|
16 |
|
| CAPITAL GROWTH | ||||||||
| CAPITAL GROWTH | n/a |
|
23 |
|
15 |
|
100 |
|
| STOCK RETURNS | ||||||||
| STOCK RETURNS | 80 |
|
91 |
|
67 |
|
43 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | 81 |
|
47 |
|
49 |
|
41 |
|
Safety Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Safety Rank of 35 (better than 35% compared with alternatives), the company Cars.com has financing practices on the riskier side, which means that their overall debt burden is above the industry average. This doesn't mean that the business of Cars.com is also risky, it only means that the company is on the riskier side in respect to bankruptcy in case things turn sour, assuming that public reporting is correct. The Safety Rank is based on consolidating three financing indicators, with just one indicator above average for Cars.com. Liquidity is at 61, meaning the company generates more profit to service its debt than 61% of its competitors. This indicates that the company is safer when it comes to debt service. But Refinancing is riskier at a rank of 32, which means that the portion of the debt that is about to be refinanced is above average. It has more debt in the refinancing stage than 68% of its competitors. Leverage is also high at a rank of 26, which means that the company has an above-average debt-to-equity ratio. It has more debt than 74% of its competitors. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated Safety Rank of 35 (worse than 65% compared with alternatives), Cars.com has a financing structure that is riskier than that of its competitors. High Leverage (a low Obermatt Leverage Rank) is good in good times, because it usually indicates that shareholders get higher returns. The good Liquidity performance of the company is an indicator that this is the case. However, if you expect an economic downturn, you may stay clear of this stock because they have an above-average debt level that needs refinancing soon. If the company is sailing with good winds, as may be visible from the Growth and Sentiment performance, the refinancing risk may be lower than the low Refinancing rank suggests. ...read more
| SAFETY METRICS | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVERAGE | ||||||||
| LEVERAGE | 24 |
|
10 |
|
26 |
|
26 |
|
| REFINANCING | ||||||||
| REFINANCING | 69 |
|
51 |
|
29 |
|
32 |
|
| LIQUIDITY | ||||||||
| LIQUIDITY | 31 |
|
64 |
|
70 |
|
61 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | 19 |
|
27 |
|
32 |
|
35 |
|
Sentiment Metrics in Detail
| SENTIMENT | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANALYST OPINIONS | ||||||||
| ANALYST OPINIONS | n/a |
|
69 |
|
59 |
|
new |
|
| OPINIONS CHANGE | ||||||||
| OPINIONS CHANGE | n/a |
|
50 |
|
50 |
|
new |
|
| PRO HOLDINGS | ||||||||
| PRO HOLDINGS | n/a |
|
63 |
|
92 |
|
new |
|
| MARKET PULSE | ||||||||
| MARKET PULSE | n/a |
|
56 |
|
69 |
|
new |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | n/a |
|
85 |
|
83 |
|
new |
|
Free stock analysis by the purely fact based Obermatt Method for Cars.com from November 14, 2024.
Obermatt Portfolio Performance
We’re so convinced about our free research, that we buy our stock tips.
See the performance of the Obermatt portfolio.