Cars.com (NYSE:CARS) Stock Price Target Raised at B. Riley Financial

Cars.com (NYSE:CARS) had its price target lifted by analysts at B. Riley Financial from $13.00 to $15.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. B. Riley Financial‘s price objective points to a potential upside of 7.21% from the company’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Cars.com from $13.00 to $11.50 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Zacks Research upgraded Cars.com from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 9th. Weiss Ratings lowered Cars.com from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their target price on Cars.com from $14.00 to $16.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Cars.com presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $15.25.

Cars.com Stock Up 3.2%

Shares of NYSE:CARS traded up $0.43 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $13.99. 165,836 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 938,267. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 2.00 and a quick ratio of 2.00. Cars.com has a 12 month low of $7.40 and a 12 month high of $13.81. The company has a market cap of $748.94 million, a PE ratio of 24.16 and a beta of 1.66. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $10.92 and a 200-day moving average price of $10.59.

Cars.com (NYSE:CARS) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.04. Cars.com had a net margin of 4.73% and a return on equity of 18.82%. The business had revenue of $181.88 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $183.05 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.48 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Cars.com will post 1.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Cars.com

In other news, insider Angelique Marks sold 57,980 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.94, for a total value of $692,281.20. Following the transaction, the insider owned 149,636 shares in the company, valued at $1,786,653.84. The trade was a 27.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Donald McGovern sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.25, for a total value of $98,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 102,900 shares in the company, valued at $1,260,525. The trade was a 7.21% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 3.36% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Cars.com

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CARS. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio purchased a new position in Cars.com in the second quarter worth $26,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position in shares of Cars.com by 250.1% during the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 5,356 shares of the company’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 3,826 shares during the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Cars.com during the 3rd quarter valued at $104,000. Hennessy Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Cars.com during the 2nd quarter valued at $144,000. Finally, Amundi purchased a new stake in shares of Cars.com during the 2nd quarter valued at $192,000. 89.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Cars.com News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Cars.com this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter EPS was $0.58, above the $0.54 consensus and up from $0.48 a year earlier. Net income rose 113% year over year to $16.3 million, while adjusted EBITDA reached $55.8 million and its 30.7% margin beat the company’s guidance range by 120 basis points. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Marketplace revenue grew 5% year over year, and Cars.com highlighted the launch of a self-service Marketplace Starter package. The company also repurchased $16 million of shares during the quarter, supporting its capital-return plan. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: BTIG Research raised its price target to $16 from $14 and maintained a Buy rating, signaling a more optimistic analyst view. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $723.2 million to $737.7 million brackets the $728.7 million consensus estimate. Fourth-quarter guidance of $183.9 million to $187.6 million is also close to the $185.6 million consensus, offering no clear indication of a major change in expectations.
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly revenue of $181.9 million missed analyst expectations of $183.05 million and increased only 0.2% year over year. The revenue shortfall and modest growth may offset some of the earnings and margin improvements. Read More.

About Cars.com

Cars.com Inc (NYSE: CARS) operates a digital automotive marketplace that connects consumers with automotive dealers and manufacturers. Its platform enables shoppers to research vehicles, compare listings, read reviews, obtain financing information and connect with sellers when buying new or used cars.

The company provides automotive retailers with digital marketing, advertising, inventory merchandising, website and digital retailing solutions, as well as data and analytics tools. Its portfolio includes the Cars.com marketplace and related brands and services focused on dealer reviews, vehicle financing, automotive content and customer engagement.

Cars.com primarily serves the United States automotive market, working with consumers, franchised and independent dealerships, original equipment manufacturers and other industry participants.