CARS
Cars com
PE ratio, current and historical analysis
- Stocks
- Consumer Cyclical
- NYSE: CARS
- PE Ratio
As of Jul 31, 2026, the CARS stock has a P/E ratio of 27.56. The calculation is based on the latest EPS of $0.43 and the stock price of $11.85 per share. An increase of 7% has been observed in the PE ratio compared to its average of 25.7 of the past four quarters.
CARS PE ratio history
The mean historical PE ratio of Cars com over the last ten years is 46.59. The current 27.56 price-to-earnings ratio is 41% less than the historical average. Analyzing the last ten years, CARS's PE ratio reached its highest point in the Mar 2021 quarter at 216, with a price of $12.96 and an EPS of $0.06. The Dec 2017 quarter saw the lowest point at 9.21, with a price of $28.84 and an EPS of $3.13.
Cars com PE ratio by year
Maximum annual increase: 324.43% in 2018
Maximum annual decrease: -80.54% in 2023
| Year | PE ratio | PE change | Price | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38.13 | 60.61% | $12.2 | $0.32 |
| 2024 | 23.74 | 121.46% | $17.33 | $0.73 |
| 2023 | 10.72 | -80.54% | $18.97 | $1.77 |
| 2022 | 55.08 | -45.23% | $13.77 | $0.25 |
| 2021 | 100.56 | N/A | $16.09 | $0.16 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | $11.3 | -$11.74 |
| 2019 | N/A | N/A | $12.22 | -$6.65 |
| 2018 | 39.09 | 324.43% | $21.5 | $0.55 |
| 2017 | 9.21 | N/A | $28.84 | $3.13 |
| 2016 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $2.46 |
| 2015 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $2.2 |
Cars com PE ratio by quarter (TTM)
| Year | PE ratio | PE change | Price | EPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | 18.88 | -50.49% | $8.12 | $0.43 |
| Dec 2025 | 38.13 | 43.51% | $12.2 | $0.32 |
| Sep 2025 | 26.57 | 39.04% | $12.22 | $0.46 |
| Jun 2025 | 19.11 | 15.33% | $11.85 | $0.62 |
| Mar 2025 | 16.57 | -30.2% | $11.27 | $0.68 |
| Dec 2024 | 23.74 | -17.85% | $17.33 | $0.73 |
| Sep 2024 | 28.9 | -45.72% | $16.76 | $0.58 |
| Jun 2024 | 53.24 | 398.97% | $19.7 | $0.37 |
| Mar 2024 | 10.67 | -0.47% | $17.18 | $1.61 |
| Dec 2023 | 10.72 | 14.41% | $18.97 | $1.77 |
| Sep 2023 | 9.37 | -20.12% | $16.86 | $1.8 |
| Jun 2023 | 11.73 | -78.12% | $19.82 | $1.69 |
| Mar 2023 | 53.61 | -2.67% | $19.3 | $0.36 |
| Dec 2022 | 55.08 | -71.26% | $13.77 | $0.25 |
| Sep 2022 | 191.67 | 184.55% | $11.5 | $0.06 |
CARS Price vs fair value
CARS average PE ratio chart
What this chart measures
The Historical Valuation Regime chart shows where the stock's current valuation sits relative to its own historical valuation range over the selected lookback period.
This is a history-relative tool, not a market-relative percentile. It does not compare the stock to other companies. Instead, it compares each historical valuation reading to the stock's own past readings.
Percentile logic
The threshold lines are calculated them from the stock's real historical values using percentile interpolation. That is why some colored bands are narrow while others are wide: the band widths reflect how the stock actually traded through time.
Regime map
| Historical percentile | Regime | Chart meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | Historically Low | Deep cheap zone |
| >10-25 | Below Average | Cheap relative to history |
| >25-75 | Average | Within the normal historical range |
| >75-90 | Above Average | Expensive relative to history |
| >90-100 | Historically High | Extreme or stretched valuation |
How to read each part
| Chart element | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Main line | The actual historical valuation values over time for the selected metric. |
| Dashed horizontal lines | The stock's computed P10, P25, Median, P75, and P90 thresholds for the selected period. |
| Colored bands | The historical valuation zones between those thresholds. |
| Metric boxes | Current ratio, historical median, current percentile, and current regime. |
| Timeline strip | A condensed regime history showing how the stock moved between cheap, fair, and expensive states across each observation. |
Important metric definitions
Current Percentile is the percentile rank of the latest valid historical observation within the selected lookback range.
Current Regime is assigned directly from the latest observation's percentile bucket using the fixed 10 / 25 / 75 / 90 cutoffs shown above.
How to use it well
This chart is most useful for answering a narrow question: Is this stock trading high, low, or normal relative to its own history? It works best alongside growth, profitability, and forward-looking business analysis, because a stock can deserve a higher or lower regime if its business quality has changed.
Currently, CARS's PE ratio is above its 3-year average, but it is under its 5-year average.
PE comparison
With a price to earnings (P/E) of 27.56, CARS stands higher than the Consumer Cyclical sector and the industry average. Looking at the Consumer Cyclical sector average of 20.94, Cars com's price to earnings (P/E) is 32% higher.
CARS PE vs peers
CARS's PE ratio is below its peer stock PINS.
| Stock name | PE ratio | Market cap |
|---|---|---|
| CARS Cars.com | 27.56 | $662.45M |
| PINS Pinterest Inc - Class A | 49 | $13.45B |
Frequently asked questions
What is Cars com's PE ratio?
The price to earnings ratio for CARS stock as of Jul 31, 2026, stands at 27.56.
What is the 3-year average PE ratio for Cars com (CARS)?
As an average over the last 3 years, CARS stock has a PE ratio of 23.26.
What is the 5-year average PE ratio for Cars com (CARS)?
As an average over the last 5 years, CARS stock has a PE ratio of 44.69.
What is the highest PE ratio for CARS?
Over the last ten years, the Mar 2021 quarter recorded the highest quarterly PE ratio at 216.
How does the current PE ratio for CARS compare to its historical average?
CARS's current price to earnings ratio is 41% below its 10-year historical average.
How is CARS's PE ratio calculated (Cars com PE ratio formula)?
You can calculate the P/E ratio by dividing the most recent stock price by the trailing twelve months earnings per share(EPS). As of today (Jul 31, 2026), Cars com's share price is $11.85. The company's earnings per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ending Mar 2026 is $0.43. Therefore, Cars com's price to earnings ratio for today is 27.56. PE RATIO(27.56) = STOCK PRICE($11.85) / TTM EPS($0.43)
All PE ratio stats are based on quarterly TTM periods, unless otherwise specified.