For the quarter ended December 2024, Cars.com (CARS) reported revenue of $180.43 million, up 0.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.49, compared to $0.12 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.14% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $182.51 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.52, the EPS surprise was -5.77%.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Cars.com performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
- Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer (ARPD): $2,475 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2,496.50.
- Dealer Customers: 19,206 compared to the 19,332 average estimate based on two analysts.
- Revenue- Dealer: $159.55 million versus $161.83 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -1.1% change.
- Revenue- Other: $3.14 million compared to the $3 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +11.8% year over year.
- Revenue- OEM and National: $17.75 million compared to the $16.68 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.2% year over year.
Shares of Cars.com have returned -18.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Cars.com Inc. (CARS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
%20Q4%20Earnings%3A%20A%20Look%20at%20Key%20Metrics%20%7C%20Nasdaq&_biz_n=36&rnd=93415&cdn_o=a&_biz_z=1741992615365)
%20Q4%20Earnings%3A%20A%20Look%20at%20Key%20Metrics%20%7C%20Nasdaq&rnd=465527&cdn_o=a&_biz_z=1741992615374)