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CARS Stock Forecast: Cars.com, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 14 Aug 2026
$12
−1.35% on the day

The 7 Wall Street analysts covering Cars.com, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $13 — +5.0% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 86 of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.

Market cap
$662.7M
Ticker Nerd rank
86 / 100
Median analyst target
$13
Analysts covering
7
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+0.5%
1M
+9.8%
YTD
+1.5%
1Y
−0.6%
From 52W high
−10.2%
From 52W low
+63.3%
$8
$14
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

CARS stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Cars.com, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 15 Aug 2026
86 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Issuance
96
Value
94
Accruals
93
Quality
67
Volatility
66
Size
50
Growth
50
Revisions
44
Momentum
44

Issuance (96): The share count has been shrinking and the company is not leaning on new borrowing.

Momentum (44): The shares have been drifting down relative to others.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

CARS stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on CARS, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$6$8$10$12$14$16$18Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26CARSHigh $18Median $13Low $9

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

What Wall Street says7 analysts
3 Buy3 Hold1 Sell
Low $9Median $13High $18

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +5.0% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 4 moved their price target up and 0 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
7 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$12 → $13
6 Aug 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy$14
8 May 2026B. Riley SecuritiesDowngradeNeutral—
8 May 2026B. Riley SecuritiesDowngradeNeutral$13
8 May 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral—
8 May 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$10 → $11
8 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
8 May 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral$11 → $12
7 May 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy$13 → $14
7 May 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
13 Apr 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsBuy—
10 Apr 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy—
27 Feb 2026Barrington ResearchMaintainsOutperform—
27 Feb 2026JP MorganDowngradeNeutral—
26 Feb 2026BTIGMaintainsBuy—
14 Jan 2026UBSMaintainsNeutral—
18 Nov 2025DA DavidsonMaintainsBuy—
3 Nov 2025Barrington ResearchMaintainsOutperform—
14 Oct 2025JP MorganMaintainsOverweight—
6 Oct 2025UBSMaintainsNeutral—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. CARS appears on the weeks it earns a place.

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Estimates

CARS analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
−6.2%
Analysts raising
1
Analysts cutting
0
Fundamentals

Cars.com, Inc. (CARS) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
21.7×

Cheaper than 37% of US stocks

Price / sales
0.9×

Cheaper than 72% of US stocks

Price / book
1.5×

Cheaper than 56% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
6.8×

Cheaper than 49% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
0.7%

Higher than 29% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
103.5%

Higher than 85% of US stocks

Gross margin
83.2%

Higher than 93% of US stocks

Operating margin
15.5%

Higher than 73% of US stocks

Net margin
4.7%

Higher than 59% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
7.4%

Higher than 58% of US stocks

Return on assets
5.0%

Higher than 76% of US stocks

Dividend yield
—

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Peers

CARS vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelInternet Content & Information
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
CARSCars.com, Inc.$662.7M
86
NRDSNerdWallet, Inc.$657.2M
99
MAXMediaAlpha, Inc.$806.8M
86
EVEREverQuote, Inc.$860.6M
85
GRPNGroupon, Inc.$874.7M
38
NXDRNextdoor Holdings, Inc.$960.1M
97
UPWKUpwork, Inc.$1.0B
70

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Cars.com, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest CARS news & analysis

Cars.com Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

MarketBeat · 8 Aug 2026positive

Cars.com reported second-quarter revenue growth and higher profitability, driven by marketplace subscription gains that offset a decline in OEM and national advertising revenue. Management reaffirmed its full-year outlook.

Why it matters — A watcher of CARS would care because the quarter shows a revenue and profitability uptick from subscriptions despite weaker OEM and national advertising, with management standing by its full-year guidance.

Cars.com: Consumers And Dealers Are Leaving The Platform

Seeking Alpha · 7 Aug 2026negative

Cars.com is described as a value trap despite a recent 10% rally, with fundamentals deteriorating amid double-digit traffic declines and sequential dealer churn. A tough macroeconomic backdrop, including rising used vehicle prices and weaker consumer demand, is further pressuring sales volumes.

Why it matters — A CARS watcher would care because the report points to erosion of both consumer traffic and dealer retention, which are central to the company's core business and brand positioning.

Cars.com Inc. (CARS) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Seeking Alpha · 6 Aug 2026neutral

Seeking Alpha published the transcript of Cars.com Inc.'s (CARS) Q2 2026 earnings call. The document covers the company's second-quarter fiscal 2026 results and investor discussion.

Why it matters — The earnings call transcript provides CARS watchers with direct insight into the company's Q2 2026 performance and management commentary.

Cars.com (CARS) Beats Q2 Earnings Estimates

Zacks Investment Research · 6 Aug 2026positive

Cars.com (CARS) reported quarterly earnings of $0.51 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.49 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.41 per share a year ago.

Why it matters — A CARS watcher would care because the company exceeded analyst earnings expectations, marking a year-over-year improvement in quarterly profit.

Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Cars.com (CARS) Q2 Earnings

Zacks Investment Research · 6 Aug 2026neutral

Zacks discusses Cars.com's Q2 earnings, noting that the company's revenue and EPS show how the business performed in the quarter ended June 2026. The report examines how key metrics compare with Wall Street estimates and results from the prior year.

Why it matters — A Cars.com watcher would care because this analysis frames whether the company's quarterly revenue and earnings met analyst expectations versus year-ago levels.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about CARS stock

What is the CARS stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 7 Wall Street analysts covering Cars.com, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $13, with estimates ranging from $9 to $18. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is CARS stock a buy right now?

Of the 7 analysts covering Cars.com, Inc., 3 rate it a Buy, 3 a Hold and 1 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Cars.com, Inc. 86 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 15 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank CARS?

As at 15 Aug 2026, Cars.com, Inc. ranks 86 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Issuance (96 of 100).

Will CARS stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 7 analysts implies +5.0% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Cars.com, Inc. 86 out of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the CARS stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Cars.com, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for CARS are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $9 to $18 over the next 12 months.

How has CARS stock performed over the past year?

Cars.com, Inc. returned -0.6% over the 12 months to 14 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Cars.com, Inc. do?

Cars.com Inc. is a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, primarily serving car buyers and sellers.

What is the latest news on CARS?

The most recent item we track (MarketBeat, 8 Aug 2026): "Cars.com Q2 Earnings Call Highlights". Cars.com reported second-quarter revenue growth and higher profitability, driven by marketplace subscription gains that offset a decline in OEM and national advertising revenue. Management reaffirmed its full-year outlook.

Company

About Cars.com, Inc.

Cars.com Inc. is a leading digital automotive marketplace and solutions provider, primarily serving car buyers and sellers. Established with the aim to simplify the car-buying process, Cars.com offers a comprehensive platform where users can research, compare, and connect with a vast inventory of new and used vehicles. The company plays a pivotal role in the automotive industry by facilitating consumer access to vehicle listings, expert reviews, and dealership information. Cars.com also empowers dealers with digital marketing solutions, including advertising and lead generation services, enhancing their online presence and sales potential. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Cars.com operates in a highly competitive sector that influences automotive retail trends and consumer behavior. Its robust platform helps streamline transactions between buyers and sellers, reflecting its commitment to innovation and customer service in the evolving digital marketplace for automobiles.

CEO Mr. Tobias Hartmann · 1,700 employees · United States · https://www.cars.com