Cars.com (CARS) Operating Margin (2016 - 2026)
Cars.com (CARS) posted quarterly Operating Margin of 9.23% for Q1 2026, up 562.0% year-over-year from 1.39% in Q1 2025, and down 21.93% quarter-over-quarter from 11.82% in Q4 2025.
Cars.com (CARS) Operating Margin (2016 - 2026) Analysis & Trends
Cars.com (CARS) has reported Operating Margin for 11 consecutive years, with 9.23% the latest figure, recorded in Q1 2026.
- In Q1 2026, Operating Margin rose 562.0% year-over-year to 9.23%; the TTM figure through Mar 2026 stood at 9.72% (up 315.0% YoY), while the FY2025 annual figure was 8.33%, up 89.0% from the prior year.
- Operating Margin slipped to 9.23% in Q1 2026 per CARS's latest filing, from 11.82% in the prior quarter.
- Across five years, Operating Margin topped out at 12.09% in Q3 2022 and bottomed at 3.61% in Q1 2025.
- Historically, Operating Margin has averaged 8.46% across 5 years, with a median of 8.32% in 2023.
- On a YoY basis, Operating Margin climbed as much as 921 bps in 2022 and fell as far as 388 bps in 2022.
- Cars.com's Operating Margin stood at 11.78% in 2022, then declined by 29 bps to 8.32% in 2023, then surged by 32 bps to 10.96% in 2024, then advanced by 8 bps to 11.82% in 2025, then fell by 22 bps to 9.23% in 2026.
- Business Quant data shows CARS's Operating Margin at 9.23% in Q1 2026, 11.82% in Q4 2025, and 9.26% in Q3 2025.
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Peer Comparison
| # | Company | Market Cap | Enterprise Value | Gross Profit (Qtr) | Operating Margin (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alphabet | 4,165.61 Bn | 3,736.57 Bn | 73.85 Bn | 34.03% |
| 2 | Meta Platforms | 1,523.46 Bn | 1,433.20 Bn | 49.47 Bn | 30.88% |
| 3 | Taboola.com | 1,141.85 Bn | 1,141.71 Bn | 139.48 Mn | 1.52% |
| 4 | Baidu | 288.34 Bn | 283.85 Bn | 1.88 Mn | 10.65% |
| 5 | Spotify Technology | 103.44 Bn | 93.20 Bn | 1.75 Bn | 23.32% |
| 6 | Joyy | 77.39 Bn | 76.50 Bn | 205.64 Mn | 3.14% |
| 7 | BILI Social International | 60.58 Bn | 60.58 Bn | 405,933.00 | 18.99% |
| 8 | Nebius | 50.20 Bn | 40.57 Bn | 295.20 Mn | -32.08% |
| 9 | 30.00 Bn | 27.22 Bn | 734.60 Mn | 28.79% | |
| 10 | Cars.com | 658.72 Mn | 625.43 Mn | - | 15.49% |
Historic Data
Download Data| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | 15.49% |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 9.23% |
| Dec 31, 2025 | 11.82% |
| Sep 30, 2025 | 9.26% |
| Jun 30, 2025 | 8.53% |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 3.61% |
| Dec 31, 2024 | 10.96% |
| Sep 30, 2024 | 6.38% |
| Jun 30, 2024 | 5.32% |
| Mar 31, 2024 | 7.07% |
| Dec 31, 2023 | 8.32% |
| Sep 30, 2023 | 8.21% |
| Jun 30, 2023 | 7.33% |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 7.50% |
| Dec 31, 2022 | 11.78% |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 12.09% |
| Jun 30, 2022 | 9.45% |
| Mar 31, 2022 | 6.92% |
| Dec 31, 2021 | 2.57% |
| Sep 30, 2021 | 7.71% |