CARS (Cars.com) OCF Margin %: 22.09% (As of Mar. 2026) — Near Median


CARS Cars.com Inc CARS
69 GF Score
Price $10.32
GF Value $19.43
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 3 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Cars.com OCF Margin %?

Cars.com CARS +4.88% 69 OCF Margin % is 22.09% as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% above its 10-year median of 21.67. GuruFocus rates CARS with a GF Score™ of 69/100 and a GF Value™ of $19.43 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 551 Interactive Media companies, Cars.com ranks better than 75.68% on this metric.

OCF Margin % is calculated as Cash Flow from Operations divided by its Revenue. Cars.com's Cash Flow from Operations for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $39.8 Mil. Cars.com's Revenue for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $180.2 Mil. Therefore, Cars.com's OCF Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 22.09%.

As of today, Cars.com's current OCF Yield % is 28.08%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Cars.com's OCF Margin % or its related term are showing as below:

CARS' s OCF Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 16.73   Med: 21.67   Max: 31.46
Current: 22.36


During the past 13 years, the highest OCF Margin % of Cars.com was 31.46%. The lowest was 16.73%. And the median was 21.67%.

CARS's OCF Margin % is ranked better than
75.68% of 551 companies
in the Interactive Media industry
Industry Median: 8.84 vs CARS: 22.36


Cars.com OCF Margin % Related Terms


Cars.com OCF Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Cars.com's OCF Margin % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Cars.com OCF Margin % Chart

Cars.com Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
OCF Margin %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 22.13 19.65 19.84 21.21 20.97

Cars.com Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
OCF Margin % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 16.45 14.67 32.40 20.18 22.09

CARS vs NRDS, SSTK, MAX: OCF Margin % Comparison

For the Internet Content & Information subindustry, Cars.com's OCF Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and OCF Margin % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Cars.com OCF Margin % vs Interactive Media Industry

For the Interactive Media industry and Communication Services sector, Cars.com's OCF Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Cars.com's OCF Margin % falls into.


CARS
69GF Score
Cars.com Inc CARS
OCF Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Cars.com OCF Margin % Calculation

OCF Margin % is the ratio of Cash Flow from Operations divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.

Cars.com's OCF Margin for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

OCF Margin=Cash Flow from Operations (A: Dec. 2025 )/Revenue (A: Dec. 2025 )
=151.639/723.239
=20.97 %

Cars.com's OCF Margin for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

OCF Margin=Cash Flow from Operations (Q: Mar. 2026 )/Revenue (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=39.808/180.223
=22.09 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about OCF Margin % →
What does a OCF Margin % of 22.09% mean?
Cars.com (CARS) has a OCF Margin % of 22.09% as of Mar. 2026. OCF Margin is the ratio of Cash Flow from Operations to Total Revenue. View historical data on Cars.com and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 21.67. Over the past decade, Cars.com's OCF Margin % has ranged from 16.73 to 31.46. According to the industry distribution chart, Cars.com ranks #134 out of 551 companies in the Interactive Media industry, placing it in the top 24.3%.
Is Cars.com's OCF Margin % too high?
Cars.com's current OCF Margin % of 22.09% is near median its 10-year median of 21.67. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 16.73 to a high of 31.46. The Interactive Media industry median OCF Margin % is 8.84. Cars.com's value of 22.09% is 149.9% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Cars.com ranks #134 out of 551 companies in the Interactive Media industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Cars.com has a GF Score™ of 69/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Cars.com's OCF Margin % compare to NRDS and SSTK?
According to the Interactive Media industry distribution chart, Cars.com ranks #134 out of 551 companies for OCF Margin %. This places Cars.com in the top 24% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median OCF Margin % is 8.84. Cars.com's value of 22.09% is 149.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Cars.com's own OCF Margin % has ranged from 16.73 to 31.46 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 21.67 vs. the industry median of 8.84, Cars.com has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good OCF Margin % for an Interactive Media company?
The median OCF Margin % among Interactive Media companies is 8.84, based on 551 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a OCF Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, OCF Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Cars.com's current OCF Margin % of 22.09% is 149.9% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high OCF Margin % mean?
A high OCF Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. OCF Margin is the ratio of Cash Flow from Operations to Total Revenue. View historical data on Cars.com and its competitors. For the Interactive Media industry, the median OCF Margin % is 8.84 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cars.com's current OCF Margin % is 22.09%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 21.67. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Cars.com stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cars.com (CARS) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $19.43, compared to a current price of $10.32 — trading 46.9% below its estimated fair value. The current OCF Margin % is 22.09%, which is near median its 10-year median of 21.67 and 149.9% above the Interactive Media industry median of 8.84. Cars.com's overall GF Score™ is 69/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is OCF Margin % calculated?
OCF Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cars.com (CARS), the current OCF Margin % is 22.09% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Cars.com (CARS) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cars.com stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $10.32 is trading 46.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $19.43. GuruFocus considers Cars.com to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for CARS:

  • OCF Margin %: 22.09% (near median its 10-year median of 21.67)
  • GF Value™: $19.43 vs. price of $10.32 (46.9% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 69/100 with 3 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 149.9% above the Interactive Media median (#134 of 551)

No single metric tells the full story. See the CARS stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Cars.com Business Description

Other Exchanges 0HTZ:UKCK3:Germany
Address 300 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, USA, 60606
Cars.com Inc is an audience-powered and data-driven technology platform that simplifies buying and selling cars. The flagship Cars.com marketplace connects consumers to dealerships across the U.S., powering the car-buying experience with artificial intelligence (AI) shopping tools, vehicle reviews and content. Its ecosystem of products enables dealers and OEMs to sell more cars by leveraging the marketplace, dealer websites, trade and appraisal tools and proprietary in-market media solutions. The platform provides shoppers with data, resources and digital tools to make informed buying decisions and connect with automotive retailers. The Company also provides dealerships and OEMs with solutions and data-driven intelligence to reach and influence its 26 million monthly shoppers.
69GF Score

Get the complete analysis for CARS

OCF Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$10.32
Price
$19.43
GF Value