STOCK TITAN

Profit returns as Cars.com (NYSE: CARS) lifts 2026 share repurchases

Filing Impact
(High)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Cars.com Inc. reported first-quarter 2026 results showing a return to profitability and solid cash generation. Revenue was $180.2 million, up 1% year-over-year, with subscription-based dealer revenue of $163.0 million rising 2% while OEM and National revenue fell 12% to $14.3 million.

Net income improved to $5.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, from a net loss of $2.0 million a year earlier, driven mainly by lower depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA was $51.0 million with a 28.3% margin, and adjusted net income rose to $26.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share. Operating cash flow increased to $39.8 million and free cash flow to $33.5 million. The company repurchased 3.8 million shares for about $33 million through April 30, 2026 and raised its 2026 share repurchase target to $90 million. Guidance calls for 2026 revenue to be flat to up 2% year-over-year with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 29.0% to 30.0%.

Positive

  • Returned to profitability with stronger margins: Net income improved from a $2.0 million loss to a $5.0 million profit, operating expenses fell 5% year-over-year, and adjusted net income rose 11% with diluted adjusted EPS up 22% to $0.45.
  • Robust cash generation and larger capital return: Operating cash flow rose to $39.8 million, free cash flow to $33.5 million, and the company increased its 2026 share repurchase target by 50% to $90 million while already buying back 3.8 million shares.

Negative

  • Sluggish top-line growth and OEM softness: Total revenue grew only 1% year-over-year to $180.2 million, and OEM and National revenue declined 12% to $14.3 million. Guidance for 2026 calls for revenue to be flat to up just 2% year-over-year.

Insights

Cars.com returned to profit, boosted cash flow, and raised its 2026 buyback target despite modest top-line growth.

Cars.com Inc. delivered Q1 2026 revenue of $180.2 million, up 1% year-over-year, with dealer subscription revenue growing 2% and OEM and National revenue declining 12%. Cost controls reduced total operating expenses by 5%, lifting operating income from $6.5 million to $16.6 million.

Net income swung from a $2.0 million loss to a $5.0 million profit, while adjusted net income rose 11% and diluted adjusted EPS increased from $0.37 to $0.45. Adjusted EBITDA margin held at 28.3%, and free cash flow improved to $33.5 million, supported by working capital and a tax refund.

Management emphasized a cost reduction program expected to yield $25–30 million in recurring annualized savings in 2027 and introduced several AI-driven product features. The company raised its fiscal 2026 share repurchase target by 50% to $90 million, with $141 million remaining under authorization as of April 30, 2026. Guidance for 2026 anticipates flat to low-single-digit revenue growth and a higher 29–30% adjusted EBITDA margin.

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition Financial
Disclosure of earnings results, typically an earnings press release or preliminary financials.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Revenue $180.2 million Q1 2026, up 1% year-over-year
Net income $5.0 million Q1 2026 vs. $2.0 million net loss in Q1 2025
Adjusted EBITDA $51.0 million Q1 2026, 28.3% of revenue
Free cash flow $33.5 million Q1 2026 vs. $23.7 million in Q1 2025
Dealer revenue $163.0 million Q1 2026 subscription-based dealer revenue, up 2% YoY
OEM and National revenue $14.3 million Q1 2026, down 12% year-over-year
2026 buyback target $90 million Raised fiscal 2026 share repurchase target
Total net leverage 1.8x As of March 31, 2026 under credit facility definition
Adjusted EBITDA financial
"Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $51.0 million, or 28.3% of revenue"
Adjusted EBITDA is a way companies measure how much money they make from their core operations, like running a business, by removing certain costs or income that aren’t part of regular business activities. It helps investors see how well a company is doing without distractions from unusual expenses or gains, making it easier to compare companies or track performance over time.
Free cash flow financial
"Free cash flow for the first quarter totaled $33.5 million, compared to $23.7 million in the prior year"
Free cash flow is the amount of money a company has left over after paying all its expenses and investing in its business, like buying equipment or updating facilities. It shows how much cash is available to reward shareholders, pay down debt, or save for future growth. This helps investors understand if a company is financially healthy and able to grow.
Adjusted net income financial
"Adjusted net income for the first quarter was $26.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share"
Adjusted net income is a company's reported profit after removing unusual, one-time, or non-operational items so the number reflects the business’s regular earning power. Investors use it like a cleaned-up scorecard — similar to judging a player’s season performance without a few fluke games — to compare companies or assess trends without being misled by rare gains or losses that won’t affect future cash flow.
Total net leverage financial
"Total net leverage (as defined in the Company’s credit facility) was 1.8x as of March 31, 2026"
Total net leverage is a simple ratio that compares a company’s total debt minus its cash holdings to its annual operating cash flow (commonly measured by EBITDA), showing roughly how many years of that cash flow would be needed to pay off the net debt. For investors it signals financial risk and flexibility—higher leverage means a company is more stretched and may struggle with interest or downturns, while lower leverage suggests more cushion, similar to how many months of your salary it would take to clear a mortgage.
Average Monthly Unique Visitors technical
"Average Monthly Unique Visitors | 25.8 | | 21.7 | | 29.0"
Adjusted operating expenses financial
"Adjusted operating expenses for the quarter were $145.9 million, down 6% year-over-year"
Adjusted operating expenses are a company’s routine costs of running the business (like payroll, rent and supplies) after removing unusual, one‑time or nonrecurring items so investors can see the recurring spending level. Think of it like cleaning a household budget of a one‑off repair to understand typical monthly bills. It matters because it helps investors compare underlying performance across periods and companies, but the adjustments can vary by company.
Revenue $180.2 million +1% YoY
Net income $5.0 million from $2.0 million net loss YoY
Adjusted EBITDA $51.0 million +1% YoY
Adjusted EPS (diluted) $0.45 up from $0.37 YoY
Free cash flow $33.5 million up from $23.7 million YoY
Guidance

For Q2 2026, revenue is expected to be flat to up 2% year-over-year with Adjusted EBITDA margin of 28.0–29.0%. For full-year 2026, revenue is expected to be flat to up 2% year-over-year with Adjusted EBITDA margin of 29.0–30.0%.

false000168360600016836062026-05-072026-05-07

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 07, 2026

 

 

Cars.com Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware

001-37869

81-3693660

(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

 

 

 

 

300 S. Riverside Plaza

 

Chicago, Illinois

 

60606

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 312 601-5000

 

 

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 


Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock

 

CARS

 

The New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 


Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On May 7, 2026, Cars.com Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

 

Exhibit

No.

 

Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Cars.com Inc. Press Release, dated May 7, 2026, concerning financial results

 

 

 

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information furnished in this report, including Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing made by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as otherwise expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

 


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Cars.com Inc.

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 7, 2026

By:

/s/ Sonia Jain

 

 

 

Sonia Jain
Chief Financial Officer

 


Exhibit 99.1

Cars.com Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

 

Revenue grew in line with guidance to $180.2 million, up 1% year-over-year
Net income increased to $5.0 million compared to net loss of ($2.0) million in the prior year
Adjusted EBITDA grew to $51.0 million, up 1% year-over-year; Adjusted EBITDA margin of 28.3% outperformed guidance of 26% to 27%
Net cash provided by operating activities was $39.8 million compared to $29.5 million in the prior year
Share repurchases totaled 3.8 million shares for $33 million through April 30, 2026; 2026 repurchase target has been increased to $90 million

CHICAGO, May 7, 2026 -- Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS), a trusted audience-powered and data-driven technology platform that simplifies buying and selling cars, today released its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

“We delivered revenue growth in line with guidance in the first quarter on the back of continued Marketplace momentum and Adjusted EBITDA margin above the high end of guidance,” said Tobias Hartmann, Chief Executive Officer of Cars.com, Inc. "Disciplined execution on 2026 initiatives represents the first step in our evolution toward an interconnected product experience that drives value across our Marketplace and solutions suite. We are in the early innings of a plan to unlock platform differentiation, product integrations and AI enablement. To support this roadmap and establish a healthy foundation for future growth, we have reduced annual run-rate costs to operate with more agility and efficiency. Based on our progress to date and our commitment to returning value to shareholders, we also raised our full year share repurchase target. Looking ahead, we are focused on driving further financial and product improvements as we create a leading and trusted automotive marketplace experience."

Financial Highlights

 

(in thousands, except per share data)

Quarter Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2026

 

2025

 

Change %

 

Revenue

$ 180,223

 

$ 179,024

 

1%

 

Net income (loss)

4,978

 

(2,013)

 

NM

 

Adjusted net income

26,651

 

23,956

 

11%

 

Adjusted EBITDA

51,020

 

50,721

 

1%

 

Net income (loss) per diluted share

0.08

 

(0.03)

 

NM

 

Adjusted net income per diluted share

0.45

 

0.37

 

22%

 

 

 

Key Metrics and Operational Highlights

 

 

 

(in millions, except dealer data)

Quarter Ended

 

 

March 31, 2026

 

December 31, 2025

 

March 31, 2025

 

Change %

Q/Q

 

Change % Y/Y

Average Monthly Unique Visitors

25.8

 

21.7

 

29.0

 

19%

 

(11%)

Traffic (“Visits”)

159.6

 

138.8

 

170.1

 

15%

 

(6%)

Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer (“ARPD”)

$ 2,473

 

$ 2,472

 

$ 2,473

 

NM

 

NM

Dealer Customers

19,390

 

19,544

 

19,250

 

(1%)

 

1%

 

NM = Not meaningful

 


Page 2

Recent cost reductions and process and organizational improvements build a healthier foundation for future growth and are expected to yield $25-30 million in recurring annualized savings in 2027.
New AI-powered features include conversational capabilities for the Cars.com Carson shopping assistant and model context protocol (MCP) integrations that embed Marketplace into agentic AI platforms.
New Dealer App, available to all Marketplace customers, offers a broad range of on-the-go analytics to improve dealership efficiency across inventory, merchandising and leads.

Q1 2026 Results

Revenue for the first quarter was $180.2 million, up 1% compared to the prior year period. Subscription-based Dealer revenue of $163.0 million was up 2% year-over-year, supported by continued improvements in website and Marketplace value delivery, and Marketplace dealer customer growth. OEM and National revenue of $14.3 million was down 12% year-over-year due to continued OEM spending shifts.

Total operating expenses for the first quarter were $163.6 million compared to $172.6 million in the prior year period, down 5% year-over-year. For the quarter, lower depreciation and amortization and improved marketing efficiencies more than offset severance-related costs. Adjusted operating expenses for the quarter were $145.9 million, down 6% year-over-year largely due to lower depreciation and amortization.

Net income for the first quarter was $5.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, compared to Net loss of ($2.0) million, or ($0.03) per diluted share, in the year-ago period. The change in Net income is primarily attributable to lower depreciation and amortization. Adjusted net income for the first quarter was $26.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared to $24.0 million, or $0.37 per diluted share a year ago.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $51.0 million, or 28.3% of revenue, compared to $50.7 million, or 28.3% of revenue in the year-ago period. Adjusted EBITDA grew 1% year-over-year, in line with revenue growth.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

Net cash provided by operating activities for the first quarter was $39.8 million, compared to $29.5 million in the prior year, which is largely attributable to compensation accruals and the 2024 federal tax refund. Free cash flow for the first quarter totaled $33.5 million, compared to $23.7 million in the prior year, primarily due to the aforementioned favorable working capital changes.

Total debt outstanding was $455.0 million as of March 31, 2026. Total net leverage (as defined in the Company’s credit facility) was 1.8x as of March 31, 2026. Total liquidity as of March 31, 2026 was $359.6 million, which is defined as Cash and cash equivalents of $64.6 million and revolver capacity of $295.0 million.

Share Repurchase

The Company repurchased 3.8 million shares of common stock for $32.9 million from January 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026, of which 2.5 million shares of common stock was repurchased for $20.2 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. On April 9, 2026, the Company raised its fiscal 2026 share repurchase target to $90 million, a 50% increase over the prior target of $60-plus million, reflecting its commitment to returning capital to shareholders.

As of April 30, 2026, approximately $141 million remains available under the current share repurchase authorization, which expires in February 2028.


Page 3

“Our performance year-to-date demonstrates our ability to establish a foundation for revenue growth at increasing operating margins. We were pleased to outperform our Adjusted EBITDA guidance, improve free cash flow conversion, and increase capital return to shareholders via an enhanced 2026 share repurchase commitment,” said Sonia Jain, Chief Financial Officer of Cars.com, Inc. “Our cost reduction program is resulting in a healthier underlying cost structure that is aligned to our Marketplace strategy, which we believe is positioning us to continue growing both top- and bottom-line to create shareholder value.”

Outlook

Second Quarter 2026

Revenue is expected to be flat to up 2% year-over-year, driven by continued Dealer revenue growth. OEM and National revenue is expected to remain under pressure, and guidance assumes that current advertising spending trends remain consistent for the quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to be between 28.0% and 29.0%, reflecting operating efficiencies and a partial quarter of cost savings benefit from the cost reduction program undertaken in April.

Full Year 2026

The Company reaffirms its full year 2026 guidance:

Revenue is expected to be flat to up 2% year-over-year
Adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to be between 29.0% to 30.0%

Q1 2026 Earnings Call

As previously announced, management will hold a conference call and webcast today at 8:00 a.m. CT. This webcast may be accessed at the Cars.com Investor Relations website, investor.cars.com. An archive of the webcast will be available at investor.cars.com following the conclusion of the call.

About Cars Commerce

Cars.com Inc. (NYSE:CARS) is a trusted audience-powered and data-driven technology platform that simplifies buying and selling cars. The flagship Cars.com marketplace connects millions of consumers to dealerships across the U.S., powering the car buying experience with artificial intelligence ("AI") shopping tools and comprehensive vehicle reviews and content. Our interconnected ecosystem of products enables dealers and OEMs to sell more cars by efficiently leveraging our marketplace, dealer websites, trade and appraisal tools, and proprietary in-market media solutions. Learn more at www.carscommerce.inc.

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

This earnings release discusses Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted net (loss) income, Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Operating Expenses. These financial measures are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). These financial measures are presented as supplemental measures of operating performance because the Company believes they provide meaningful information regarding the Company’s performance and provide a basis to compare operating results between periods. In addition, the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure for determining incentive compensation targets. Adjusted EBITDA also is used as a performance measure under the Company’s credit agreement and includes adjustments such as the items defined below and other further adjustments, which are defined in the credit agreement. These non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by the Company’s lenders, securities analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in the Company’s industry.

 


Page 4

While a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to, as applicable, the timing, amount, valuation and number of future employee equity awards and the uncertainty relating to the timing, frequency, and effect of acquisitions and the significance of the resulting transaction-related expenses, the Company has provided a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measure prepared in accordance with GAAP in this earnings release, see "Non-GAAP Reconciliations" below.

 

Other companies may define or calculate these measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the tables below.

 

The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before (1) interest expense, net, (2) income tax (benefit) expense, (3) depreciation, (4) amortization of intangible assets, (5) stock-based compensation expense, (6) unrealized mark-to-market adjustments and cash transactions related to derivative instruments, (7) unrealized foreign currency exchange gains and losses, and (8) certain other items, such as transaction-related items, severance, transformation and other exit costs and write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets.

 

Transaction-related items result from actual or potential transactions such as business combinations, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, spin-offs, financing transactions, and other strategic transactions, including, without limitation, (1) transaction-related bonuses and (2) expenses for advisors and representatives such as investment bankers, consultants, attorneys and accounting firms. Transaction-related items may also include, without limitation, transition and integration costs such as retention bonuses and acquisition-related milestone payments to acquired employees, consulting, compensation and other incremental costs associated with integration projects, fair value changes to contingent considerations and amortization of deferred revenue related to the AccuTrade acquisition.

 

The Company defines Adjusted Net Income as GAAP net (loss) income excluding, net of their related tax effects: (1) amortization of intangible assets, (2) stock-based compensation expense, (3) unrealized mark-to-market adjustments and cash transactions related to derivative instruments, (4) unrealized foreign currency exchange gains and losses, and (5) certain other items, such as transaction-related costs, severance, transformation and other exit costs and write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets.

 

The Company defines Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, including purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internally developed technology.

 

The Company defines Adjusted Operating Expenses as total operating expenses adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation, write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets, severance, transformation and other exit costs and transaction-related items.

 

Key Metric Definitions

 

Average Monthly Unique Visitors (“UVs”) and Traffic (“Visits”). The Company defines UVs in a given month as the number of distinct visitors that engage with its platform during that month. Visitors are identified upon first visit to an individual Cars.com property on an individual device/browser combination or installation of one of its mobile apps on an individual device. If a visitor accesses more than one of its web properties or apps or uses more than one device or browser, each of those unique property/browser/app/device combinations counts toward the number of UVs. Traffic is defined as the number of visits to Cars.com desktop and mobile properties (responsive sites and mobile apps). The Company measures UVs and Traffic via RudderStack. These metrics do not include traffic to Dealer Inspire, D2C Media, or DealerClub websites.

 


Page 5

Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer ("ARPD"). The Company believes that its ability to grow ARPD is an indicator of the value proposition of its platform. The Company defines ARPD as Dealer revenue, excluding digital advertising services and DealerClub, during the period divided by the monthly average number of Dealer Customers during the same period.

 

Dealer Customers. Dealer Customers represent dealerships using the Company’s products as of the end of each reporting period. Each physical or virtual dealership location is counted separately, whether it is a single-location proprietorship or part of a large, consolidated dealer group. Multi-franchise dealerships at a single location are counted as one dealer. Dealer Customer metrics do not include DealerClub.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements often use words such as “believe,” “expect,” “project,” “anticipate,” “outlook,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “seek,” “will,” “may,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “forecasts,” “mission,” “strive,” “more,” “goal” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, strategies, estimates, projections and assumptions, experience in the industry as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors we think are appropriate. Such forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Cars Commerce and its management based on their knowledge and understanding of the business and industry, are inherently uncertain. While Cars Commerce and its management make such statements in good faith and believe such judgments are reasonable, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of future strategic action, performance or results. Our actual results, performance, achievements, strategic actions or prospects could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not rely on forward-looking statements in making investment decisions. When we make comparisons of results between current and prior periods, we do not intend to express any future trends, or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and you should view such comparisons as historical data. Whether or not any such forward-looking statement is in fact achieved will depend on future events, some of which are beyond our control.

 

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results and strategic actions to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. For a detailed discussion of many of these and other risks and uncertainties, see “Part I, Item 1A., Risk Factors” and “Part II, Item 7., Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 26, 2026 and our other filings filed with the SEC and available on our website at investor.cars.com or via EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

 

You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this press release in the context of these risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based only on information currently available to us and speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation, other than as may be required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking or cautionary statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of events, unanticipated or otherwise, or changes in future operating results over time or otherwise. The forward-looking statements in this report are intended to be subject to the safe harbor protection provided by the federal securities laws.

 

Cars Commerce Investor Relations Contact:

Katherine Chen

kchen@carscommerce.inc

 

Cars Commerce Media Contact:

Christine Spinelli

pr@cars.com

###


Page 6

Cars.com Inc.

 

Consolidated Statements of Income

 

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Revenue:

 

 

 

 

 

Dealer

$

163,007

 

 

$

159,144

 

OEM and National

 

14,279

 

 

 

16,279

 

Other

 

2,937

 

 

 

3,601

 

Total revenue

 

180,223

 

 

 

179,024

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of revenue and operations

 

31,741

 

 

 

31,483

 

Product and technology

 

31,495

 

 

 

30,617

 

Marketing and sales

 

61,818

 

 

 

62,540

 

General and administrative

 

21,818

 

 

 

20,885

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

16,718

 

 

 

27,039

 

Total operating expenses

 

163,590

 

 

 

172,564

 

Operating income

 

16,633

 

 

 

6,460

 

Nonoperating expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

(7,231

)

 

 

(7,668

)

Other expense, net

 

(686

)

 

 

(25

)

Total nonoperating expense, net

 

(7,917

)

 

 

(7,693

)

Income (loss) before income taxes

 

8,716

 

 

 

(1,233

)

Income tax expense

 

3,738

 

 

 

780

 

Net income (loss)

$

4,978

 

 

$

(2,013

)

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

58,928

 

 

 

64,467

 

Diluted

 

59,594

 

 

 

64,467

 

Net income (loss) per share:

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

$

0.08

 

 

$

(0.03

)

Diluted

 

0.08

 

 

 

(0.03

)

 


Page 7

Cars.com Inc.

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2026

 

 

December 31, 2025

 

 

(unaudited)

 

 

 

 

Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

64,598

 

 

$

56,236

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

135,030

 

 

 

131,945

 

Prepaid expenses

 

14,181

 

 

 

15,491

 

Other current assets

 

4,221

 

 

 

7,920

 

Total current assets

 

218,030

 

 

 

211,592

 

Property and equipment, net

 

35,521

 

 

 

35,223

 

Goodwill

 

166,620

 

 

 

167,207

 

Intangible assets, net

 

516,131

 

 

 

527,082

 

Deferred tax assets, net

 

85,499

 

 

 

88,594

 

Investments and other assets, net

 

31,612

 

 

 

32,720

 

Total assets

$

1,053,413

 

 

$

1,062,418

 

Liabilities and stockholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

$

29,307

 

 

$

27,749

 

Accrued compensation

 

33,921

 

 

 

38,074

 

Other accrued liabilities

 

53,319

 

 

 

47,564

 

Total current liabilities

 

116,547

 

 

 

113,387

 

Noncurrent liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt, net

 

451,819

 

 

 

451,516

 

Deferred tax liabilities, net

 

6,053

 

 

 

6,241

 

Other noncurrent liabilities

 

18,246

 

 

 

18,744

 

Total noncurrent liabilities

 

476,118

 

 

 

476,501

 

Total liabilities

 

592,665

 

 

 

589,888

 

Commitments and contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' equity:

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred Stock at par, $0.01 par value; 5,000 shares authorized; no shares
   issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025,
   respectively

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock at par, $0.01 par value; 300,000 shares authorized; 57,191
   and 58,636 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2026 and
   December 31, 2025, respectively

 

572

 

 

 

586

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

1,397,696

 

 

 

1,413,994

 

Accumulated deficit

 

(936,516

)

 

 

(941,494

)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

(1,004

)

 

 

(556

)

Total stockholders' equity

 

460,748

 

 

 

472,530

 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

1,053,413

 

 

$

1,062,418

 

 


Page 8

Cars.com Inc.

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

(In thousands)

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

$

4,978

 

 

$

(2,013

)

Adjustments to reconcile Net income to Net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation

 

6,175

 

 

 

9,661

 

Amortization of intangible assets

 

10,543

 

 

 

17,378

 

Stock-based compensation

 

8,569

 

 

 

8,334

 

Deferred income taxes

 

3,003

 

 

 

(343

)

Provision for doubtful accounts

 

607

 

 

 

359

 

Amortization of debt issuance costs

 

473

 

 

 

473

 

Unrealized loss (gain) on foreign currency denominated transactions

 

637

 

 

 

(12

)

Other, net

 

182

 

 

 

958

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

(3,845

)

 

 

2,410

 

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

5,739

 

 

 

970

 

Accounts payable

 

1,546

 

 

 

(4,696

)

Accrued compensation

 

(4,458

)

 

 

(8,420

)

Other liabilities

 

5,659

 

 

 

4,396

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

39,808

 

 

 

29,455

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

     Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired

 

 

 

 

(24,422

)

     Capitalization of internally developed technology

 

(6,000

)

 

 

(4,984

)

     Purchase of property and equipment

 

(262

)

 

 

(811

)

     Proceeds from sale of equity investment

 

 

 

 

9,481

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

(6,262

)

 

 

(20,736

)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

     Proceeds from Revolving Loan borrowings

 

 

 

 

10,000

 

     Payments of Revolving Loan borrowings and long-term debt

 

 

 

 

(10,000

)

     Payments for stock-based compensation plans, net

 

(4,542

)

 

 

(5,849

)

     Repurchases of common stock

 

(20,452

)

 

 

(21,538

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

(24,994

)

 

 

(27,387

)

Effect of exchange rate changes on Cash and cash equivalents

 

(190

)

 

 

(570

)

Net increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents

 

8,362

 

 

 

(19,238

)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

56,236

 

 

 

50,673

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

64,598

 

 

$

31,435

 

Supplemental cash flow information:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash (received) paid for income taxes

$

(3,504

)

 

$

1,321

 

Cash paid for interest

 

983

 

 

 

1,164

 

 


Page 9

Cars.com Inc.

 

Non-GAAP Reconciliations

 

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted EBITDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Net income (loss)

$

4,978

 

 

$

(2,013

)

Interest expense, net

 

7,231

 

 

 

7,668

 

Income tax expense

 

3,738

 

 

 

780

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

16,718

 

 

 

27,039

 

Stock-based compensation, including related payroll tax expense

 

8,815

 

 

 

8,703

 

Transaction-related and other one-time items

 

8,854

 

 

 

8,519

 

Non-operating foreign exchange loss

 

686

 

 

 

25

 

Adjusted EBITDA

$

51,020

 

 

$

50,721

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of Net income (loss) to Adjusted Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Net income (loss)

$

4,978

 

 

$

(2,013

)

Stock-based compensation, including related payroll tax expense

 

8,815

 

 

 

8,703

 

Amortization of intangible assets

 

10,543

 

 

 

17,378

 

Transaction-related items

 

6

 

 

 

2,930

 

Non-operating foreign exchange loss

 

686

 

 

 

25

 

Other one-time items

 

8,848

 

 

 

5,589

 

Income tax impact of adjustments

 

(7,225

)

 

 

(8,656

)

Adjusted net income

$

26,651

 

 

$

23,956

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjusted net income per share, diluted

$

0.45

 

 

$

0.37

 

Weighted-average common shares outstanding, diluted*

 

59,594

 

 

 

65,137

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Weighted-average common shares outstanding, diluted, includes shares excluded from GAAP loss per share due to the net loss position for the three months ended March 31, 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of Net cash provided by operating activities to Free cash flow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2026

 

 

2025

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

$

39,808

 

 

$

29,455

 

Capitalization of internally developed technology

 

(6,000

)

 

 

(4,984

)

Purchase of property and equipment

 

(262

)

 

 

(811

)

Free cash flow

$

33,546

 

 

$

23,660

 

 


Page 10

Reconciliation of Operating expenses to Adjusted operating expenses for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2026:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Reported

 

 

Adjustments (1)

 

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

 

As Adjusted

 

Cost of revenue and operations

$

31,741

 

 

$

(931

)

 

$

(242

)

 

$

30,568

 

Product and technology

 

31,495

 

 

 

(3,351

)

 

 

(2,474

)

 

 

25,670

 

Marketing and sales

 

61,818

 

 

 

(2,140

)

 

 

(2,303

)

 

 

57,375

 

General and administrative

 

21,818

 

 

 

(2,432

)

 

 

(3,796

)

 

 

15,590

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

16,718

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16,718

 

Total operating expenses

$

163,590

 

 

$

(8,854

)

 

$

(8,815

)

 

$

145,921

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total nonoperating expense, net

$

(7,917

)

 

$

686

 

 

$

 

 

$

(7,231

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes severance, unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency denominated transactions, write-off of long-lived assets and transformation and other exit costs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconciliation of Operating expenses to Adjusted operating expenses for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2025:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Reported (1)

 

 

Adjustments (1)(2)

 

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

 

As Adjusted

 

Cost of revenue and operations

$

31,483

 

 

$

(544

)

 

$

(178

)

 

$

30,761

 

Product and technology

 

30,617

 

 

 

(2,139

)

 

 

(2,513

)

 

 

25,965

 

Marketing and sales

 

62,540

 

 

 

(2,356

)

 

 

(2,187

)

 

 

57,997

 

General and administrative

 

20,885

 

 

 

(3,480

)

 

 

(3,825

)

 

 

13,580

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

27,039

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27,039

 

Total operating expenses

$

172,564

 

 

$

(8,519

)

 

$

(8,703

)

 

$

155,342

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total nonoperating expense, net

$

(7,693

)

 

$

25

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

(7,668

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2) Includes severance, transaction-related items, write-off of long-lived assets, unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency denominated transactions and transformation and other exit costs.

 

 

 

 


FAQ

How did Cars.com (CARS) perform financially in Q1 2026?

Cars.com posted revenue of $180.2 million, up 1% year-over-year, and returned to profitability with $5.0 million in net income. Adjusted EBITDA was $51.0 million with a 28.3% margin, and adjusted net income reached $26.7 million.

What were Cars.com’s key profitability metrics in Q1 2026?

Cars.com generated $5.0 million in net income, or $0.08 per diluted share, versus a prior-year loss. Adjusted net income was $26.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, and Adjusted EBITDA totaled $51.0 million with a 28.3% margin.

How strong was Cars.com’s cash flow and balance sheet in Q1 2026?

Net cash provided by operating activities was $39.8 million, and free cash flow was $33.5 million. Total debt stood at $455.0 million, total net leverage was 1.8x, and liquidity totaled $359.6 million, including cash and revolver capacity.

What share repurchase activity did Cars.com report for 2026?

From January 1 to April 30, 2026, Cars.com repurchased 3.8 million shares for about $32.9 million. The company raised its 2026 repurchase target to $90 million, with approximately $141 million remaining under its authorization expiring in February 2028.

What guidance did Cars.com give for Q2 and full-year 2026?

For Q2 2026, Cars.com expects revenue to be flat to up 2% year-over-year and Adjusted EBITDA margin of 28.0–29.0%. For full-year 2026, it forecasts revenue flat to up 2% and an Adjusted EBITDA margin between 29.0–30.0%.

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