Fact based stock research
KAR Auction Services (NYSE:KAR)
US48238T1097
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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.
KAR Auction Services stock research in summary
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 74 (better than 74% compared with investment alternatives), KAR Auction Services (Diversified Support Services, USA) shares have above-average financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of KAR Auction Services are a good value (attractively priced) with a consolidated Value Rank of 84 (better than 84% of alternatives), are safely financed (Safety Rank of 82, which means low debt burdens), but show below-average growth (Growth Rank of 15). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 74, is a buy recommendation based on KAR Auction Services's financial characteristics. As the company KAR Auction Services's key financial metrics exhibit good value (Obermatt Value Rank of 84) but low growth (Obermatt Growth Rank of 15) while being safely financed (Obermatt Safety Rank of 82), it may be a safer investment because companies with low debt can better withstand times of crises. Yet the good value, better than 84% of comparable companies, may also indicate that the company's future is challenging. If you believe that low growth is temporary or just due to a specific current event, you may conclude that the good value of the stock provides an attractive investment opportunity and the downside is limited due to below-average financing risks. Obermatt Premium subscribers can further check the stock’s Sentiment Ranks, which also flow into the Obermatt 360° View for investors. ...read more
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360° Viewnew| Country | USA |
| Industry | Diversified Support Services |
| Index | S&P MIDCAP |
| Size class | Large |
27-Mar-2025. Stock data may be delayed. Log in or sign up to get the most recent research.
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Review the performance ranks of the individual metrics that form each investment strategy.
Research History: KAR Auction Services
| RESEARCH HISTORY | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 53 |
|
55 |
|
85 |
|
84 |
|
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 83 |
|
79 |
|
41 |
|
15 |
|
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 63 |
|
77 |
|
67 |
|
82 |
|
| SENTIMENT | ||||||||
| SENTIMENT | 9 |
|
25 |
|
29 |
|
new |
|
| 360° VIEW | ||||||||
| 360° VIEW | 55 |
|
67 |
|
51 |
|
new |
|
Combined financial peformance in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 74 (better than 74% compared with investment alternatives), KAR Auction Services (Diversified Support Services, USA) shares have above-average financial characteristics compared with similar stocks. Shares of KAR Auction Services are a good value (attractively priced) with a consolidated Value Rank of 84 (better than 84% of alternatives), are safely financed (Safety Rank of 82, which means low debt burdens), but show below-average growth (Growth Rank of 15). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 74, is a buy recommendation based on KAR Auction Services's financial characteristics. As the company KAR Auction Services's key financial metrics exhibit good value (Obermatt Value Rank of 84) but low growth (Obermatt Growth Rank of 15) while being safely financed (Obermatt Safety Rank of 82), it may be a safer investment because companies with low debt can better withstand times of crises. Yet the good value, better than 84% of comparable companies, may also indicate that the company's future is challenging. If you believe that low growth is temporary or just due to a specific current event, you may conclude that the good value of the stock provides an attractive investment opportunity and the downside is limited due to below-average financing risks. 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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 53 |
|
55 |
|
85 |
|
84 |
|
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 83 |
|
79 |
|
41 |
|
15 |
|
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 63 |
|
77 |
|
67 |
|
82 |
|
| COMBINED | ||||||||
| COMBINED | 78 |
|
93 |
|
71 |
|
74 |
|
Value Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Value Rank of 84 (better than 84% compared with alternatives) for 2025, KAR Auction Services shares are significantly less expensive than comparable stocks. The Value Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with three out of four indicators above average for KAR Auction Services. Price-to-Sales (P/S) is 79, which means that the stock price compared with what market professionals expect for future sales is lower than for 79% of comparable companies, indicating a good value regarding KAR Auction Services's revenue size. The same is valid for expected Price to Profits (or Price / Earnings, P/E), more favorable than for 61% of alternatives, and it's also true for the Price-to-Book Capital ratio (also referred to as market-to-book ratio) with a Price-to-Capital Rank of 87. But, compared with other companies in the same industry, dividend yields are expected to be lower than average; only 1% of all competitors have even lower dividend yields than KAR Auction Services (a Dividend Yield Rank of 1). 99% alternative investments in the same business provide a higher dividend yield. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Value Rank of 84, is a buy recommendation based on KAR Auction Services's stock price compared with the company's operational size and dividend yields. The below-average dividend yield may be a good sign, as it could mean the company has more attractive investment opportunities for the generated cash than to pay it out as dividends. A low dividend yield can also indicate a growth phase. 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 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. REVENUES (P/S) | 63 |
|
59 |
|
84 |
|
79 |
|
| PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. PROFITS (P/E) | 49 |
|
48 |
|
68 |
|
61 |
|
| PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | ||||||||
| PRICE VS. CAPITAL (Market-to-Book) | 86 |
|
92 |
|
88 |
|
87 |
|
| DIVIDEND YIELD | ||||||||
| DIVIDEND YIELD | 1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: VALUE | 53 |
|
55 |
|
85 |
|
84 |
|
Growth Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Growth Rank of 15 (better than 15% compared with alternatives), KAR Auction Services shows one of the most restricted growth dynamics in its industry. There is little momentum in this company. The Growth Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with three out of four indicators below average for KAR Auction Services. Sales Growth has a below market rank of 20, which means that, currently, professionals expect the company to grow less than 80% of its competitors. The same is valid for Capital Growth, with a rank of 25, and Profit Growth, with a rank of 10. Currently, professionals expect the company to grow its profits less than 90% of its competitors). Only shareholders are optimistic. Stock Returns are above average at a rank of 69, which means that the stock returns have recently been above 69% of alternative investments. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Growth Rank of 15, is a sell recommendation for growth and momentum investors. That picture may be the result for a company that has reached the bottom. All went south for KAR Auction Services, and it still looks bad, but some investors already see light at the end of the tunnel, rewarding the stock with recent above-market stock returns. It could also mean that investors are correcting an overreaction to negative news. If that were the case, the positive stock returns are not yet a sign of recovery. Investors should look closely at the Value and Sentiment indicators before they make a stock purchasing decision, because growth is unlikely to be the driving argument behind this investment. 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 low here. ...read more
| GROWTH METRICS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REVENUE GROWTH | ||||||||
| REVENUE GROWTH | 47 |
|
49 |
|
13 |
|
20 |
|
| PROFIT GROWTH | ||||||||
| PROFIT GROWTH | 79 |
|
86 |
|
52 |
|
10 |
|
| CAPITAL GROWTH | ||||||||
| CAPITAL GROWTH | 85 |
|
85 |
|
68 |
|
25 |
|
| STOCK RETURNS | ||||||||
| STOCK RETURNS | 31 |
|
49 |
|
69 |
|
69 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | 83 |
|
79 |
|
41 |
|
15 |
|
Safety Metrics in Detail
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Safety Rank of 82 (better than 82% compared with alternatives) for 2025, the company KAR Auction Services has safe financing practices, which means that their overall debt burden is low. This doesn't mean that the business of KAR Auction Services is safe, it only means that the company is on the safer side regarding possible bankruptcy, assuming that public reporting is correct. The Safety Rank is based on consolidating three financing indicators, where all three are above average for KAR Auction Services. Leverage is at 54, meaning the company has a below-average debt-to-equity ratio. It has less debt than 54% of its competitors. Refinancing is at a rank of 75, meaning that the portion of the debt about to be refinanced is below average. It has less debt in the refinancing stage than 75% of its competitors. Finally, Liquidity is also good at a rank of 78, which means that the company generates more profit to service its debt than 78% of its competitors. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated Safety Rank of 82 (better than 82% compared with alternatives), KAR Auction Services has a financing structure that is significantly safer than that of its competitors. These three positive financing indicators signal that the company is less likely to default on its debt obligations. However, it also means that its shareholder returns will be more modest if things go well. A low safety means fewer troubles in downtimes and less upside in good times. Investors may not have a debt issue with KAR Auction Services but they should also compare Obermatt’s Value, Growth, and Sentiment Ranks before making a decision. ...read more
| SAFETY METRICS | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVERAGE | ||||||||
| LEVERAGE | 48 |
|
82 |
|
55 |
|
54 |
|
| REFINANCING | ||||||||
| REFINANCING | 94 |
|
86 |
|
67 |
|
75 |
|
| LIQUIDITY | ||||||||
| LIQUIDITY | 30 |
|
19 |
|
54 |
|
78 |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | 63 |
|
77 |
|
67 |
|
82 |
|
Sentiment Metrics in Detail
| SENTIMENT | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANALYST OPINIONS | ||||||||
| ANALYST OPINIONS | n/a |
|
18 |
|
38 |
|
new |
|
| OPINIONS CHANGE | ||||||||
| OPINIONS CHANGE | 50 |
|
72 |
|
62 |
|
new |
|
| PRO HOLDINGS | ||||||||
| PRO HOLDINGS | 35 |
|
62 |
|
60 |
|
new |
|
| MARKET PULSE | ||||||||
| MARKET PULSE | 10 |
|
11 |
|
16 |
|
new |
|
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SENTIMENT | 9 |
|
25 |
|
29 |
|
new |
|
Free stock analysis by the purely fact based Obermatt Method for KAR Auction Services from March 27, 2025.
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