What is the 13F Pro Quality Score for CARS?

13F Pro ranks Cars.com Inc. (CARS) on the 13F Pro Quality Score, a 0–100 composite of 32 fundamental signals including return on invested capital, free cash flow consistency, balance-sheet strength, earnings quality, growth durability, and valuation discipline. The score refreshes after each 10-K and 10-Q filing on SEC EDGAR. View CARS's current score at https://13fpro.ai/research/CARS (free sign-up required for the full ranking).

Which hedge funds own the most CARS stock?

Based on the most recent Form 13F-HR filings on SEC EDGAR, the largest reported institutional holders of CARS include FMR, BlackRock,, Pale Fire Capital SE. Holdings are reported quarterly within 45 days of quarter-end and updated on https://13fpro.ai/research/CARS as soon as new 13F filings post.

Where does 13F Pro source CARS data?

All Cars.com Inc. fundamentals and ownership data come directly from SEC EDGAR. Cars.com Inc. files with the SEC under CIK 1683606. 13F Pro ingests XBRL financial facts from 10-K and 10-Q filings, Form 13F-HR institutional holdings, and Form 4 insider transactions, with no third-party rewrites or estimates.

What sector is CARS in?

Cars.com Inc. (CARS) is classified in the Technology sector. 13F Pro publishes sector-level fund flow analysis and quality leaders at https://13fpro.ai/research/sector/technology.

How often is CARS research updated on 13F Pro?

CARS's fundamentals refresh within hours of each new 10-K or 10-Q filing on SEC EDGAR. Institutional ownership updates after each quarterly 13F filing window. Insider transactions update after each Form 4 filing. The 13F Pro Quality Score recalculates after every fundamentals refresh.

Cars.com Inc.(CARS)Stock Analysis

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13F Pro Quality Score

43.4/100

Rank #1,817 of 2,879 stocks

View Technology peers →

Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Aug 14, 2026.

Revenue Growth

40.5/100

Profitability

37.5/100

Balance Sheet

49.1/100

Earnings Quality

2.3/100

Free Cash Flow

79.0/100

Institutional Flow

12.0/100

Revenue Scale

43.0/100

Dilution Risk

27.9/100

CARS Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score

AI stock analysis and institutional research for Cars.com Inc. (CARS), a Technology sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores CARS at 43.4/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #1,817 of 2,879 stocks — the bottom half of the AI-ranked universe. CARS scores in the top quartile across free cash flow (79.0). Areas of concern include earnings quality (2.3) and institutional flow (12.0), which score below median versus the broader universe. Shareholder dilution risk is elevated at 27.9/100, reflecting ongoing share issuance or stock-based compensation. Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q1 2026), Cars.com Inc. reports quarterly revenue of $180.2M, net income of $5.0M, an operating margin of 9.2%. Top institutional holders of CARS by reported 13-F value include FMR, BlackRock,, Pale Fire Capital SE, based on the most recent SEC filings. CARS trades on the NYSE exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 1683606. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate CARS daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for Cars.com Inc. directly from SEC EDGAR. Cars.com Inc.'s 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 27 and 71 since 2021, currently 43.4 — an improving long-term trajectory across 28 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.

Revenue

Q1 2026

$180.2M

Net Income

Q1 2026

$5.0M

Free Cash Flow

Q1 2026

$39.5M

Operating Margin

Q1 2026

9.2%

ROIC

Q1 2026

1.8%

D/E Ratio

Q1 2026

0.98

Revenue & Net Income

Earnings Per Share

Key Financials Over Time

Export Financial Table · Pro+

Revenue

+5.4% YoY

$689.2MFY 2023

FY20 $547.5MFY21 $623.7MFY22 $653.9MFY23 $689.2M

Net Income

+588.4% YoY

$118.4MFY 2023

FY20 $-789.1MFY21 $10.8MFY22 $17.2MFY23 $118.4M

Operating Income

-18.1% YoY

$54.1MFY 2023

FY20 $-887.3MFY21 $48.3MFY22 $66.0MFY23 $54.1M

EPS (Diluted)

+596.0% YoY

$1.74FY 2023

FY20 $-11.74FY21 $0.15FY22 $0.25FY23 $1.74

Total Assets

+14.4% YoY

$1.17BFY 2023

FY20 $1.08BFY21 $1.01BFY22 $1.02BFY23 $1.17B

Total Debt

+3.6% YoY

$513.1MFY 2023

FY20 $605.3MFY21 $486.4MFY22 $495.4MFY23 $513.1M

Op. Cash Flow

+6.4% YoY

$136.7MFY 2023

FY20 $138.6MFY21 $138.0MFY22 $128.5MFY23 $136.7M

Metric	FY 2023	FY 2022	FY 2021	FY 2020	FY 2019	FY 2018
Revenue	$689.2M +5.4%	$653.9M +4.8%	$623.7M +13.9%	$547.5M -9.8%	$606.7M -8.4%	$662.1M
Net Income	$118.4M +588.4%	$17.2M +59.4%	$10.8M +101.4%	$-789.1M -77.2%	$-445.3M -1247.5%	$38.8M
Operating Income	$54.1M -18.1%	$66.0M +36.6%	$48.3M +105.4%	$-887.3M -98.9%	$-446.1M -631.5%	$83.9M
EPS (Diluted)	$1.74 +596.0%	$0.25 +66.7%	$0.15 +101.3%	$-11.74 -76.5%	$-6.65 -1309.1%	$0.55
Total Assets	$1.17B +14.4%	$1.02B +1.8%	$1.01B -6.4%	$1.08B -47.0%	$2.03B -22.0%	$2.60B
Total Debt	$513.1M +3.6%	$495.4M +1.8%	$486.4M -19.6%	$605.3M -10.9%	$679.5M -6.0%	$723.1M
Operating Cash Flow	$136.7M +6.4%	$128.5M -6.9%	$138.0M -0.4%	$138.6M +36.6%	$101.5M -37.9%	$163.5M

AI Insight: CARS Financial Trends

Cars.com revenue is effectively flat at ~$180M but operating income is recovering, while equity erosion and stagnant top-line growth remain concerns.

• Operating income recovered from $6M in Q1 2025 to $17M in Q1 2026, approaching Q4 2025's peak of $22M.

• Revenue has been range-bound between $179M–$184M across all eight quarters, showing no meaningful growth.

• Total debt declined modestly from $470M in Q2 2024 to $452M in Q1 2026, a reduction of $18M over six quarters.

• Equity has declined from $511M in Q4 2024 to $461M in Q1 2026, a $50M erosion in just three quarters.

⚠ Operating cash flow dropped from $59M in Q3 2025 to $40M in Q1 2026 — monitor for sustained FCF compression.

⚠ Net income remains volatile, swinging from -$2M in Q1 2025 to $19M in Q3 2024; Q1 2026 at $5M is near cyclical lows.

⚠ Total debt ticked up $4M sequentially from Q3 2025 to Q4 2025 — first increase in five quarters; watch deleveraging pace.

AI Insight: CARS Ratio Trends

Operating margins recovering steadily but net profitability remains thin, with Q1 2026 ROE slipping to 4.3% — less than a third of Q3 2024's peak.

• Operating margin rebounded from a trough of 3.6% in Q1 2025 to 11.8% in Q4 2025, though Q1 2026 eased back to 9.2%.

• ROIC improved from 2.7% in Q1 2025 to 9.4% in Q4 2025, but retreated to 7.3% in Q1 2026.

• Net profit margin has compressed sharply — from 10.4% in Q3 2024 to just 2.8% in Q1 2026 — indicating rising below-the-line costs.

⚠ D/E ticked back up to 0.98 in Q1 2026 after reaching a low of 0.90 in Q4 2024, reversing deleveraging progress.

⚠ The gap between operating margin (9.2%) and net margin (2.8%) in Q1 2026 warrants scrutiny of interest expense and non-operating items.

⚠ Q1 seasonality has historically crushed margins; whether Q2 2026 rebounds toward 8–9% will test the recovery narrative.

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Available Research

13F Pro tracks comprehensive data for Cars.com Inc. including:

SEC EDGAR filings (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K)

XBRL financial facts (revenue, EPS, margins)

Insider transactions (Form 4)

Institutional 13F holdings

Quality rankings (32 signals)

AI analyst debates & daily meetings

Historical financial trends

Peer comparison & sector analysis

Top Institutional Holders of CARS

FMR LLC
$71.4M8,794,522 sh
BlackRock, Inc.
$35.0M4,306,076 sh
Pale Fire Capital SE
$32.1M3,956,618 sh
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP
$27.6M3,401,523 sh
Hill Path Capital LP
$20.1M2,481,032 sh
BROWN ADVISORY INC
$19.5M2,398,330 sh
BREACH INLET CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
$17.2M2,124,184 sh
AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC
$14.7M1,813,328 sh
STATE STREET CORP
$11.9M1,468,945 sh
GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
$10.8M1,326,614 sh

Fund	Value	Shares
FMR LLC	$71.4M	8,794,522
BlackRock, Inc.	$35.0M	4,306,076
Pale Fire Capital SE	$32.1M	3,956,618
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP	$27.6M	3,401,523
Hill Path Capital LP	$20.1M	2,481,032
BROWN ADVISORY INC	$19.5M	2,398,330
BREACH INLET CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC	$17.2M	2,124,184
AMERICAN CENTURY COMPANIES INC	$14.7M	1,813,328
STATE STREET CORP	$11.9M	1,468,945
GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC	$10.8M	1,326,614

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Is CARS a good stock to buy?

13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of Cars.com Inc. (CARS) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Technology sector (listed on NYSE). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for CARS are available on the CARS stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing.

Which hedge funds own CARS?

Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling CARS. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of Cars.com Inc.'s investment landscape.