What is Cars.com Inc. worth?
With the base-case assumptions below, a discounted cash flow model on Cars.com Inc.'s reported free cash flow gives $37.88 per share. The share price was $13.37 on November 10, 2026, 65% below that value.
Inputs from the filings
Three sets of assumptions
| Case | Growth yrs 1-5 | Discount rate | Value per share | Value vs price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | 0.5% | 10.0% | $21.49 | +61% |
| Base | 5.5% | 9.0% | $37.88 | +183% |
| Bull | 10.5% | 8.0% | $70.56 | +428% |
Sensitivity: base case value per share
| 1.5% | 2.0% | 2.5% | 3.0% | 3.5% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0% | $49.91 | $53.57 | $58.05 | $63.65 | $70.84 |
| 8.0% | $40.94 | $43.32 | $46.12 | $49.49 | $53.61 |
| 9.0% | $34.38 | $36.01 | $37.88 | $40.07 | $42.65 |
| 10.0% | $29.38 | $30.54 | $31.85 | $33.34 | $35.07 |
| 11.0% | $25.45 | $26.30 | $27.24 | $28.31 | $29.51 |
Where the presets come from
Base: years 1 to 5 grow at Cars.com Inc.'s revenue growth rate over the last 5 fiscal years (5.7% a year), held between -5% and 15%. Years 6 to 10 grow halfway between that and the long-run rate of 2.5%. Future cash is discounted at 9% a year.
Bear: 5 points less growth, 2% long-run growth, 10% discount rate. Bull: 5 points more growth (at most 25%), 3% long-run growth, 8% discount rate.
Value per share = (present value of 10 years of free cash flow + present value of everything after + cash - debt) / diluted shares.
This is a model run on assumptions, not a recommendation or a price target. Small changes in the discount rate or growth move the result a lot, as the table above shows. Change them yourself in the calculator.
Adjust the assumptions
Move the sliders for growth, long-run growth and discount rate, or switch to average free cash flow, and see the value per share change.
Adjust the assumptions