CarGurus (NASDAQ:CARG) Updates Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

CarGurus (NASDAQ:CARG) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.520-0.580 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 0.560. The company issued revenue guidance of $240.5 million-$245.5 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $238.8 million. CarGurus also updated its FY 2026 guidance to EPS.

CarGurus Trading Up 3.2%

CARG traded up $0.90 on Thursday, hitting $29.20. 2,820,644 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,098,534. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $34.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $34.85. CarGurus has a one year low of $24.65 and a one year high of $39.42. The firm has a market cap of $2.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.35.

CarGurus (NASDAQ:CARG) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.02. CarGurus had a net margin of 16.41% and a return on equity of 41.31%. CarGurus has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 0.520-0.580 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that CarGurus will post 1.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

CARG has been the topic of a number of research reports. DA Davidson set a $37.50 price target on shares of CarGurus in a report on Monday, November 17th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of CarGurus in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen downgraded CarGurus from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday. Needham & Company LLC cut their price target on CarGurus from $44.00 to $37.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price objective on CarGurus from $37.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 28th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $40.23.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other CarGurus news, insider Jennifer Ladd Hanson sold 2,358 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.10, for a total transaction of $89,839.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 50,466 shares in the company, valued at $1,922,754.60. The trade was a 4.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Jason Trevisan sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total value of $740,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 655,483 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $24,252,871. The trade was a 2.96% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 49,003 shares of company stock valued at $1,858,494. Company insiders own 16.99% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CarGurus

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. bought a new position in shares of CarGurus during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $46,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in CarGurus by 491.7% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,639 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 1,362 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of CarGurus during the second quarter worth $87,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in shares of CarGurus by 48.0% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 3,018 shares of the company’s stock valued at $116,000 after purchasing an additional 979 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of CarGurus during the 3rd quarter valued at $148,000. Institutional investors own 86.90% of the company’s stock.

About CarGurus

CarGurus, Inc operates an online automotive marketplace designed to connect buyers and sellers of new and used vehicles. Through its proprietary search engine and data-driven pricing tools, the platform enables consumers to compare listings, assess fair market values and locate local dealers offering competitive deals. CarGurus also provides detailed vehicle history reports, dealer reviews and financing options to streamline the car-shopping process for both private parties and franchised dealerships.

The company’s core product offerings include Instant Market Value (IMV), which leverages pricing algorithms to help buyers identify over- or under-priced vehicles, as well as dealer subscription services that grant automotive retailers access to lead generation tools, targeted advertising and dynamic pricing insights.