Cars.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS)

Cars.com Inc., a technology company with the ticker symbol CARS, operates as a leading provider of automotive solutions, empowering the automotive industry with its powerful products, solutions, and AI-driven technologies. The company's platform is organized around four industry-leading brands: Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, AccuTrade, and Cars Commerce Media Network. Cars.com has established itself as a trusted resource for car buyers and sellers, offering data, resources, and digital tools for shoppers.

The company's main business activities revolve around providing automotive solutions, with a focus on empowering the automotive industry through technology. Cars.com operates in the United States and Canada, providing its services to both OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and dealers. The company's platform is organized around four key brands, each addressing different needs within the automotive industry.

Cars.com generates revenue through its marketplace, digital experience, trade and appraisal, and media solutions. The marketplace, powered by Cars.com, allows OEMs and dealers to merchandise their inventory to its 26 million average monthly shoppers. This segment provides a platform for car buyers and sellers to connect, offering a wide range of vehicles, including new and used cars, trucks, and SUVs.

The digital experience solutions, including Dealer Inspire websites and technology, provide dealers with innovative tools to connect with in-market car buyers and drive profitable sales. Dealer Inspire offers a range of solutions, including website design, digital marketing, and data analytics, to help dealerships connect with potential customers and drive sales.

The trade and appraisal segment, powered by AccuTrade, helps dealers efficiently identify and source the exact vehicles they require. This segment provides dealers with a comprehensive solution for managing their inventory, including trade-in and appraisal services, vehicle pricing, and inventory management.

The media solutions segment, Cars Commerce Media Network, enables OEMs and dealers to reach proven in-market and in-context consumers. This segment is designed to provide OEMs and dealers with a range of advertising and marketing solutions, including display advertising, search engine marketing, and social media advertising.

Cars.com competes with other online automotive marketplaces, OEM websites, free listing services, general search engines, social media, and dealer websites. The company believes its consumer experience compares favorably due to the scale of its vehicle listings, the content and unbiased transparency of the information it provides, and the intuitive nature of its user interface. The company's competitive advantages include its industry-leading brand, high-quality audience, and differentiated technology solutions.

Cars.com's human capital is a critical component of its business, with a commitment to building a culture and business that cares about its employees, customers, industry, and communities. The company's values include rising together, caring to challenge, taking ownership, doing the right thing, and being open to all. With a highly innovative and collaborative team, Cars.com is well-positioned to achieve its mission to simplify everything about buying and selling cars.

The primary products and services offered by Cars.com include Cars.com, a flagship automotive marketplace and dealer reputation site; Dealer Inspire, a digital retail technology and marketing services provider; AccuTrade, a trade-in and appraisal technology company; and Cars Commerce Media Network, a commerce media network created exclusively for the automotive industry.