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CarGurus, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 12% to $258.4 million: Revenue was $258.4 million, up from $231.7 million a year earlier. Nine-month revenue was $752.9 million, up 13%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $89.7 million: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $89.7 million, up from $82.4 million. Nine-month figure was $254.6 million. Source
  • Paying dealers rose to 34,701: Total paying dealers were 34,701, up 3% year over year and up from 34,629 in the second quarter. U.S. paying dealers were 26,402. Source
  • Consolidated QARSD rose to $6,955: Consolidated QARSD was $6,955, up 7%. U.S. QARSD was $8,308, up 7%, and International QARSD was $2,715, up 14%. QARSD is revenue primarily from subscription products per average paying dealer. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $73.9 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $73.9 million, up from $64.0 million, with operating cash flow of $80.8 million. Nine-month free cash flow was $224.7 million. Source
  • Dealer AI solutions being expanded: Management said it is bringing products to market faster and building from its marketplace foundation into AI-enabled dealer solutions. Source

“We are bringing products to market faster and building from our marketplace foundation into a broader set of AI enabled solutions across the dealer workflow”

Jason Trevisan, Chief Executive Officer of CarGurus

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total revenue SourceFourth quarter 2026$258.5 million to $263.5 millionNew
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations SourceFourth quarter 2026$93.0 million to $101.0 millionNew
Non-GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations SourceFourth quarter 2026$0.73 to $0.79New
Total revenue SourceFull-year 2026$1,011.5 million to $1,016.5 million
Revenue change YoY SourceFull-year 202611.5% to 12.1%
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations SourceFull-year 2026$347.5 million to $355.5 millionNew
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations margin change YoY SourceFull-year 2026(0.8)% to (0.2)%
Non-GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations SourceFull-year 2026$2.66 to $2.72New
Diluted weighted-average shares used in guidance SourceFourth quarter 2026 and full-year 202690.0 million and 92.0 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 guidance was given. The second-quarter release gave third-quarter guidance. Source
  • New: The company launched StockVantage as part of building out its inventory pillar. Source
  • New: The Board authorized a $250.0 million share repurchase program. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 12% to $258.4 million: Revenue was $258.4 million, up from $231.7 million a year earlier. Nine-month revenue was $752.9 million, up 13%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $89.7 million: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $89.7 million, up from $82.4 million. Nine-month figure was $254.6 million. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: GAAP net income from continuing operations was $52.8 million, up 2%. Diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.59, against $0.52 a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month net income declined: Nine-month GAAP net income from continuing operations was $134.2 million, against $143.0 million a year earlier. Nine-month diluted EPS from continuing operations was $1.46. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. revenue rose to $232.5 million: U.S. revenue was $232.5 million, up from $210.4 million. Nine-month U.S. revenue was $678.8 million, against $608.3 million. Source
  • International revenue rose to $25.9 million: International revenue was $25.9 million, up from $21.2 million. Nine-month International revenue was $74.1 million, against $57.6 million. Source
  • International was 10% of revenue: International revenue was about 10% of total third-quarter revenue, compared with about 9% a year earlier. Source

“For consumers, we are meeting shoppers in the AI tools they already use as we work toward becoming the expert guide for car shopping in an AI-led world.”

Jason Trevisan, Chief Executive Officer of CarGurus

Paying dealers and revenue per dealer

  • Paying dealers rose to 34,701: Total paying dealers were 34,701, up 3% year over year and up from 34,629 in the second quarter. U.S. paying dealers were 26,402. Source
  • International dealers fell sequentially: International paying dealers were 8,299, up 5% from a year earlier but down from 8,478 in the second quarter. Source
  • Consolidated QARSD rose to $6,955: Consolidated QARSD was $6,955, up 7%. U.S. QARSD was $8,308, up 7%, and International QARSD was $2,715, up 14%. QARSD is revenue primarily from subscription products per average paying dealer. Source

Costs, margins and impairments

  • Operating expenses rose 12%: Total GAAP operating expenses were $169.1 million, up 12%. Sales and marketing rose to $99.2 million from $87.0 million. Source
  • Gross margin was 92%: Gross profit was $237.1 million, a 92% margin, against 93% a year earlier. Cost of revenue was $21.3 million, up from $16.9 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin was 35%: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA margin from continuing operations was 35%, down from 36% a year earlier. Source
  • Nine-month impairments of $20.2 million: Nine-month impairments were $20.2 million: $19.7 million in operating expenses and $0.5 million in cost of revenue. None were recorded in the third quarter. Source

Cash, capital and returns

  • Free cash flow rose to $73.9 million: Non-GAAP free cash flow was $73.9 million, up from $64.0 million, with operating cash flow of $80.8 million. Nine-month free cash flow was $224.7 million. Source
  • Share repurchases were $22.9 million: Share repurchases were $22.9 million in the quarter, down from $110.3 million a year earlier. Nine-month repurchases were $225.1 million, against $294.9 million. Source
  • Cash rose from second quarter: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash ended the quarter at $164.9 million, up from $122.1 million at June 30 and down from $190.5 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Investing outflows were $6.9 million: Purchases of property and equipment were $1.0 million, and capitalized website development costs were $5.9 million. Source

Strategy and AI products

  • Dealer AI solutions being expanded: Management said it is bringing products to market faster and building from its marketplace foundation into AI-enabled dealer solutions. Source
  • Consumer AI shopping guide strategy: For consumers, management said the company is meeting shoppers in the AI tools they already use, working toward becoming the expert guide for car shopping. Source
  • Guru introduced in second quarter: The second-quarter release said Guru, a consumer-facing AI layer, was introduced that quarter as part of the same strategy.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Paying dealers (customer count) Source34,701 total; U.S. 26,402; International 8,299
QARSD (quarterly average revenue per subscribing dealer) Source$6,955 consolidated; $8,308 U.S.; $2,715 International

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Guidance assumptions for paid dealer acquisition, churn and expansion are based on recent market trends and industry conditions. Source
  • External: Guidance excludes macro-level industry issues that cause dealers and consumers to materially change recent market trends, or that prompt measures to assist dealers. Source
  • Financial: Guidance excludes any potential impact of future foreign currency exchange gains or losses. Source
  • Financial: Charges, gains, losses or other events could change the guidance assumptions and cause actual results to differ from guidance. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said third-quarter revenue was at the high end of its guidance range. Source
  • Met: Management said third-quarter Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was near the high end of its guidance range. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.