Cars.Com Stock Price, News & Analysis

Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS), doing business as Cars Commerce Inc., is described as an audience-driven technology company that empowers the automotive industry. According to the company’s public disclosures, it focuses on simplifying car buying and selling through products, solutions and AI-driven technologies that support activities before, during and after a vehicle sale. These offerings are intended to enable more efficient and profitable retail operations for automotive retailers and related partners.

The company is associated with the software publishers industry within the information sector and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CARS. Multiple company communications state that Cars Commerce organizes its platform around a set of industry-recognized brands that address different parts of the automotive value chain and different user needs.

Platform and Key Brands

Cars.com Inc. highlights a platform organized around several brands that together form its Cars Commerce ecosystem:

• Cars.com – described as the flagship automotive marketplace and review or dealer reputation site. Company materials characterize Cars.com as a car-shopping marketplace and an automotive marketplace brand that connects in-market consumers with automotive retailers, supported by editorial content, reviews and digital tools.
• Dealer Inspire – described as providing website and digital retail technology and marketing services. Company disclosures refer to Dealer Inspire as a source of digital retail technology and marketing services for automotive retailers.
• AccuTrade – identified as providing essential trade-in and appraisal technology. The company notes that AccuTrade offers trade and appraisal capabilities, including proprietary insights and technology used by dealer groups.
• DealerClub – characterized as a reputation-based dealer-to-dealer wholesale auction. Company statements indicate that DealerClub supports dealer-to-dealer wholesale transactions and vehicle sourcing.
• Cars Commerce Media Network – described as offering exclusive in-market media solutions. These media offerings are presented as part of the broader platform that connects automotive brands and dealers with in-market shoppers.

In addition to these brands, earlier descriptions also reference other brands such as DealerRater, FUEL, PickupTrucks.com, CreditIQ and NewCars.com as websites directed toward different consumer segments. These names appear in prior company descriptions as part of the broader Cars.com Inc. brand family.

Marketplace and Audience Focus

Company communications describe Cars.com as a car-shopping marketplace visited by tens of millions of in-market consumers each month. Cars.com is repeatedly referred to as a highly recognized automotive marketplace brand that empowers shoppers with data, resources and digital tools to make informed buying decisions and connect with automotive retailers. The company emphasizes that many shoppers arrive undecided on make and model, and that its marketplace, tools and content are designed to support research and decision-making.

Cars.com Inc. also reports metrics such as average monthly unique visitors, traffic (visits) and dealer customer counts in its earnings releases and related SEC filings. These metrics are defined by the company as indicators of marketplace reach, consumer engagement and dealer adoption of its products.

AI and Technology Capabilities

Cars.com Inc. publicly highlights the use of AI-driven technologies across its platform. Company descriptions state that its products and technologies span pretail, retail and post-sale activities. Within this context, the company has announced Carson™, described as a multilingual AI-powered search experience on Cars.com that converts conversational queries into targeted search results. According to the company, Carson assists a portion of web and mobile web searches, supports undecided shoppers, and is associated with higher engagement metrics such as repeat visitation, vehicle saves, conversion from search results to vehicle detail pages and lead generation, based on Cars.com data cited in its communications.

Cars.com Inc. also notes that Carson is part of a broader set of AI-powered offerings from Cars.com and its parent, Cars Commerce, and that these offerings are intended to simplify complex processes in automotive shopping and selling. The company’s statements describe an ongoing focus on AI integration across its marketplace and related products.

Dealer and Wholesale Solutions

In its earnings releases, Cars.com Inc. reports on Dealer Customers, defined as dealerships using the company’s products. The company describes subscription-based dealer revenue and references products such as marketplace subscriptions, websites and appraisal technology. It also highlights AccuTrade and DealerClub as tools that help address vehicle sourcing challenges, with AccuTrade appraisals and DealerClub transaction volume and user growth cited as operational metrics.

The company’s disclosures indicate that dealer revenue and dealer customer growth are important elements of its business, and that product adoption across marketplace, websites, appraisal technology and wholesale auction services contributes to its performance. The company also discusses OEM and national revenue associated with media and advertising products in its financial communications.

Editorial Content and Media Partnerships

Cars.com Inc. emphasizes the role of editorial content and research in the car shopping journey. Company statements describe Cars.com’s editorial content as extensive and developed by in-house automotive experts, covering topics such as affordability, family vehicles, electric vehicles, used car shopping tips and other car-shopping themes. The company notes that this content is designed for real, ready-to-buy shoppers and is connected to its marketplace experience.

In one partnership announcement, Cars.com is identified as the first automotive content partner in Uber Advertising’s "JourneyTV Presents" in-ride entertainment experience. The company explains that this partnership allows it to deliver curated car-shopping content to Uber riders, with functionality that can direct interested viewers to Cars.com for a more seamless shopping path.

Financial Reporting and Capital Allocation

Cars.com Inc. regularly issues earnings releases and files related Form 8-K reports describing its financial results, including total revenue, net income, adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and adjusted operating expenses. The company defines these non-GAAP financial measures in its communications and explains how they relate to its operating performance and credit agreements.

The company also reports on capital allocation decisions, including share repurchases and leverage metrics. In its earnings releases, Cars.com Inc. discusses total debt, total net leverage as defined in its credit facility, and liquidity, as well as its share repurchase activity and stated repurchase targets for specified fiscal periods.

Leadership and Governance Developments

According to a Form 8-K filed in December 2025, Cars.com Inc. reported that its then Chief Executive Officer and Director, Alex Vetter, agreed to cease serving as CEO and Director effective January 15, 2026, and to depart from the company effective March 31, 2026, after a transition period as Special Advisor. The same filing reports that the Board approved the appointment of Tobias "Tobi" Hartmann as Chief Executive Officer-Designate, with an expected start date in December 2025 and a planned elevation to Chief Executive Officer on or before January 15, 2026, along with his appointment to the Board.

The company also disclosed the adoption of the Cars.com Inc. 2025 Inducement Equity Plan, reserving shares of common stock for issuance as inducement awards to certain new or returning employees in accordance with NYSE rules. Additional Form 8-K filings report other executive transitions, such as the resignation of the Chief Product and Innovation Officer, and the company’s issuance of press releases announcing quarterly financial results.

Business Model and Sector Context

Based on the company’s own descriptions, Cars.com Inc. operates as a technology and marketplace business serving the automotive sector. It characterizes itself as audience-driven, with a focus on connecting in-market car shoppers, automotive retailers, and automotive brands through its marketplace, technology products, appraisal tools, wholesale auction platform and media solutions. The company’s communications highlight the integration of AI, data and digital tools across its offerings, as well as the importance of editorial content and consumer reviews in supporting high-consideration vehicle purchases.

FAQs about Cars.com Inc. (Cars Commerce)

• What does Cars.com Inc. do?
  

  Cars.com Inc., doing business as Cars Commerce Inc., describes itself as an audience-driven technology company that empowers the automotive industry. It focuses on simplifying car buying and selling with products, solutions and AI-driven technologies that support pretail, retail and post-sale activities.

• What are the main brands in the Cars Commerce platform?
  

  Company disclosures identify several core brands: the Cars.com automotive marketplace and review or dealer reputation site, Dealer Inspire for website and digital retail technology and marketing services, AccuTrade for trade-in and appraisal technology, DealerClub for dealer-to-dealer wholesale auctions, and the Cars Commerce Media Network for in-market media solutions. Earlier descriptions also reference brands such as DealerRater, FUEL, PickupTrucks.com, CreditIQ and NewCars.com.

• How does Cars.com describe its use of AI?
  

  Cars.com Inc. states that it uses AI-driven technologies across its platform to simplify car buying and selling. It has introduced Carson™, a multilingual AI-powered search experience on Cars.com that converts conversational queries into targeted search results and is associated with higher engagement and lead-generation metrics based on the company’s reported data.

• What is Carson™ on Cars.com?
  

  According to company announcements, Carson is an AI-powered search experience that allows shoppers to use natural language queries when searching for vehicles on Cars.com. The company reports that Carson assists a portion of web and mobile web searches and is linked to increased repeat visitation, more vehicles saved, higher conversion from search results to vehicle detail pages and more leads compared to other shoppers, based on Cars.com data for specified periods.

• How does Cars.com Inc. work with automotive dealers?
  

  Cars.com Inc. reports that it serves Dealer Customers, defined as dealerships using its products. The company describes subscription-based dealer revenue and references marketplace subscriptions, websites, appraisal technology and wholesale auction services. It also cites metrics such as dealer customer counts, monthly average revenue per dealer and adoption of products like AccuTrade and DealerClub.

• What role does editorial content play for Cars.com?
  

  The company emphasizes that Cars.com’s editorial content, developed by in-house automotive experts, covers topics such as affordability, family vehicles, electric vehicles and used car shopping tips. It states that this content supports research for car shoppers, many of whom are undecided on make and model, and that it is integrated with the marketplace experience.

• Is Cars.com involved in media partnerships?
  

  Yes. In one disclosed partnership, Cars.com is identified as the first automotive content partner in Uber Advertising’s "JourneyTV Presents" in-ride entertainment experience. The company explains that this allows it to provide curated car-shopping content to Uber riders, with functionality that can direct interested viewers to Cars.com.

• What recent leadership changes has Cars.com Inc. reported?
  

  In a Form 8-K filed in December 2025, the company reported that Alex Vetter would cease serving as Chief Executive Officer and Director effective January 15, 2026, and depart from the company on March 31, 2026 after serving as a Special Advisor during a transition period. The same filing reports that Tobias "Tobi" Hartmann would become Chief Executive Officer-Designate and then Chief Executive Officer on or before January 15, 2026, and join the Board.

• How does Cars.com Inc. describe its financial reporting metrics?
  

  Cars.com Inc. issues earnings releases and related Form 8-K filings that discuss total revenue, net income, adjusted net income, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and adjusted operating expenses. The company provides definitions for these non-GAAP measures and explains that they are used to evaluate performance, compare results between periods and, in some cases, determine incentive compensation or comply with credit agreement terms.

• On which exchange does Cars.com Inc. trade and what is its ticker symbol?
  

  Company communications identify Cars.com Inc. as trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CARS.