Carvana's Comeback: From Bankruptcy Brink to Profit Growth
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CVNA?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Profitability Improvement: Carvana has successfully reversed its unprofitable growth strategy, significantly enhancing margins, with fourth-quarter gross profit per unit at $6,427, despite a $244 decline from last year, indicating a strong trajectory towards profitability.
- Market Share Expansion: As the second-largest used car retailer in the U.S., Carvana currently holds only 1.6% of the industry market share, with significant potential for growth through industry consolidation, especially as competition intensifies between traditional retailers and e-commerce platforms.
- Operational Efficiency Optimization: The company identified that if all production locations had per-unit costs aligned with the top quartile, fourth-quarter reconditioning costs could have been $220 lower per unit, presenting a critical opportunity for margin enhancement, particularly through the application of data-driven software.
- Strategic Acquisition Moves: Carvana's recent acquisition of six Stellantis dealerships not only opens avenues for new car sales but also enhances trade-in inventory and parts service revenue with higher margins, further solidifying its competitive advantage in the market.
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Analyst Views on CVNA
Wall Street analysts forecast CVNA stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
16 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 302.040
Low
395.00
Averages
497.94
High
550.00
Current: 302.040
Low
395.00
Averages
497.94
High
550.00
About CVNA
Carvana Co. is a holding company. The Company operates an e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars. The Company primarily acquires used vehicle inventory directly from customers, used car auctions, and wholesale used vehicle suppliers, including retail marketplace partners. Once it acquires a vehicle, the Company leverages its in-house logistics network or a vendor to transport the vehicle to one of its inspection and reconditioning centers (IRC) or auction locations with reconditioning capabilities, at which point the vehicle enters its inventory management system. The Company offers a mobile-optimized Website, where prospective retail car buyers can immediately begin browsing, researching, filtering, and identifying their vehicle of choice, where it offers an annotated virtual vehicle tour, which includes a 360-degree view of the interior and exterior of the actual vehicle. The Company also offers integrated financing using its loan origination platform.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Rising Negative Equity Among New Car Buyers
- Rising Negative Equity: According to J.D. Power, 30.5% of new car buyers are facing negative equity on trade-ins, up 4.2 percentage points from last year, indicating increasing market pressures that affect consumer purchasing decisions.
- Record High Debt Levels: As of Q4 2025, the average amount owed on underwater trade-ins reached $7,214, a record high, with 27% of these trade-ins carrying over $10,000 in negative equity, reflecting a deterioration in consumer financial health.
- Increased Payment Burden: The average monthly payment for buyers rolling negative equity into new loans hit $916, which is $144 higher than the average payment for all new car purchases, indicating greater financial strain on consumers when buying vehicles.
- Extended Loan Terms Trend: Among new car purchases involving negative equity, 40.7% are financed with 84-month loans, suggesting that consumers are extending loan terms to cope with high vehicle prices, thereby increasing future negative equity risks.
See More
Three Companies Worth Holding Forever
- Carvana's Market Potential: Carvana has emerged from restructuring and improved profitability over the past three years, leveraging the fragmentation of over 43,000 used car dealerships in the U.S. to position itself as a more efficient competitor poised to thrive during upcoming industry consolidation, driving market share growth.
- Ferrari's Unique Advantages: Despite a 34% drop in stock price over the past six months, Ferrari's stock has nearly tripled the S&P 500 returns over the past decade, showcasing strong pricing power and resilience due to its exclusivity and loyal customer base, ensuring long-term investment returns.
- Nvidia's AI Dominance: Nvidia is set to achieve significant growth through 2030, driven by its dominance in the GPU market for global AI data centers, particularly as demand surges for autonomous and software-defined vehicles, establishing itself as a backbone of AI infrastructure expansion.
- Challenges of Long-Term Investing: While the strategy of buying and holding stocks seems straightforward, the rapid turnover of top businesses necessitates careful selection; however, with their unique competitive advantages, Ferrari, Nvidia, and Carvana demonstrate potential for long-term holding, warranting investor attention.
See More
Investment Opportunities in the Consolidating Auto Industry
- Carvana's Market Potential: After overcoming potential restructuring or bankruptcy scares, Carvana has transformed into a more efficient, vertically integrated, and profitable company, positioning itself favorably in the upcoming consolidation of the used car industry, where over 43,000 dealerships in the U.S. have a mere 2.3% market share.
- Ferrari's Competitive Edge: Despite a roughly 34% drop in Ferrari's stock over the past six months, it has nearly tripled the returns of the S&P 500 over the last decade, showcasing its strong competitive position and brand value in the luxury automotive market, with a unique sales strategy that excels during economic cycles.
- Nvidia's AI Dominance: Nvidia has become the backbone of AI infrastructure expansion by providing GPUs for global AI data centers, with substantial growth in demand expected through 2030, further solidifying its market position and profitability.
- Challenges of Long-Term Investment: While the strategy of holding quality stocks seems straightforward, the rapid market changes necessitate careful selection, with companies like Carvana, Ferrari, and Nvidia potentially thriving in the long run due to their unique competitive advantages.
See More
Bearish Thesis on Carvana Co. Stock Performance
- Profitability Decline: Carvana reported a revenue of $5.60 billion in Q4 2025, exceeding estimates, yet the EPS of $4.22 led to a stock drop of over 20%, indicating market concerns about deteriorating fundamentals.
- Unit Economics Pressure: Despite strong unit growth, Carvana's gross profit per unit (GPU) declined, with adjusted EBITDA margins falling from 10.1% to 9.1%, suggesting significant risks to profitability at a critical juncture.
- Tightening Financing Conditions: As Ally Financial reduced its loan purchase commitments, Carvana was forced to offload riskier loans under inferior economic conditions, compressing its high-margin financial GPU and increasing financial risks.
- Market Confidence Erosion: Allegations from Gotham City Research regarding undisclosed related-party transactions and overstated earnings, coupled with insider selling and institutional exits, have significantly shaken market confidence in Carvana's future prospects.
See More
Carvana Investors Experience Business Turnaround
- Significant Investment Returns: Investors who put $10,000 into Carvana at the beginning of 2023 could see their investment grow to approximately $890,340 by the end of 2025, highlighting a strong business turnaround and market appeal.
- Amazon Market Entry: Amazon's new automotive marketplace provides a digital platform for traditional dealers, and while it currently does not compete directly with Carvana, its potential threat could impact Carvana's market share.
- EV Market Transformation: As the automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles and software-defined cars, Carvana has rapidly expanded its e-commerce strategy, with online car buying expected to triple by 2030, further solidifying its market position.
- Competitive Advantage Analysis: Carvana integrates traditional dealership models to offer nationwide vehicle delivery, while Amazon relies on local dealers' inventory and has yet to replicate Carvana's delivery capabilities, showcasing Carvana's unique competitive edge in the market.
See More
ETF Component Trading Dynamics Analysis
- Palantir Trading Status: Palantir Technologies experienced a decline of approximately 3.7% on Thursday, with over 24.2 million shares traded, indicating market caution regarding its future performance, which may impact investor confidence.
- Brown Forman Strong Performance: Brown Forman's stock rose about 17.7% with a trading volume exceeding 13.0 million shares, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its earnings, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Carvana's Weak Performance: Carvana lagged in the AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF, trading down about 4% on Thursday, which reflects market concerns about its business outlook, possibly leading investors to reassess their investment strategies.
- Overall ETF Dynamics: Thursday's ETF trading revealed significant volatility in Palantir and Brown Forman, which could influence the overall ETF performance, prompting investors to monitor these component stocks' future trends to adjust their portfolios.
See More
Rising Negative Equity Among New Car Buyers
- Rising Negative Equity: According to J.D. Power, 30.5% of new car buyers are facing negative equity on trade-ins, up 4.2 percentage points from last year, indicating increasing market pressures that affect consumer purchasing decisions.
- Record High Debt Levels: As of Q4 2025, the average amount owed on underwater trade-ins reached $7,214, a record high, with 27% of these trade-ins carrying over $10,000 in negative equity, reflecting a deterioration in consumer financial health.
- Increased Payment Burden: The average monthly payment for buyers rolling negative equity into new loans hit $916, which is $144 higher than the average payment for all new car purchases, indicating greater financial strain on consumers when buying vehicles.
- Extended Loan Terms Trend: Among new car purchases involving negative equity, 40.7% are financed with 84-month loans, suggesting that consumers are extending loan terms to cope with high vehicle prices, thereby increasing future negative equity risks.
See More
Three Companies Worth Holding Forever
- Carvana's Market Potential: Carvana has emerged from restructuring and improved profitability over the past three years, leveraging the fragmentation of over 43,000 used car dealerships in the U.S. to position itself as a more efficient competitor poised to thrive during upcoming industry consolidation, driving market share growth.
- Ferrari's Unique Advantages: Despite a 34% drop in stock price over the past six months, Ferrari's stock has nearly tripled the S&P 500 returns over the past decade, showcasing strong pricing power and resilience due to its exclusivity and loyal customer base, ensuring long-term investment returns.
- Nvidia's AI Dominance: Nvidia is set to achieve significant growth through 2030, driven by its dominance in the GPU market for global AI data centers, particularly as demand surges for autonomous and software-defined vehicles, establishing itself as a backbone of AI infrastructure expansion.
- Challenges of Long-Term Investing: While the strategy of buying and holding stocks seems straightforward, the rapid turnover of top businesses necessitates careful selection; however, with their unique competitive advantages, Ferrari, Nvidia, and Carvana demonstrate potential for long-term holding, warranting investor attention.
See More
Investment Opportunities in the Consolidating Auto Industry
- Carvana's Market Potential: After overcoming potential restructuring or bankruptcy scares, Carvana has transformed into a more efficient, vertically integrated, and profitable company, positioning itself favorably in the upcoming consolidation of the used car industry, where over 43,000 dealerships in the U.S. have a mere 2.3% market share.
- Ferrari's Competitive Edge: Despite a roughly 34% drop in Ferrari's stock over the past six months, it has nearly tripled the returns of the S&P 500 over the last decade, showcasing its strong competitive position and brand value in the luxury automotive market, with a unique sales strategy that excels during economic cycles.
- Nvidia's AI Dominance: Nvidia has become the backbone of AI infrastructure expansion by providing GPUs for global AI data centers, with substantial growth in demand expected through 2030, further solidifying its market position and profitability.
- Challenges of Long-Term Investment: While the strategy of holding quality stocks seems straightforward, the rapid market changes necessitate careful selection, with companies like Carvana, Ferrari, and Nvidia potentially thriving in the long run due to their unique competitive advantages.
See More
Bearish Thesis on Carvana Co. Stock Performance
- Profitability Decline: Carvana reported a revenue of $5.60 billion in Q4 2025, exceeding estimates, yet the EPS of $4.22 led to a stock drop of over 20%, indicating market concerns about deteriorating fundamentals.
- Unit Economics Pressure: Despite strong unit growth, Carvana's gross profit per unit (GPU) declined, with adjusted EBITDA margins falling from 10.1% to 9.1%, suggesting significant risks to profitability at a critical juncture.
- Tightening Financing Conditions: As Ally Financial reduced its loan purchase commitments, Carvana was forced to offload riskier loans under inferior economic conditions, compressing its high-margin financial GPU and increasing financial risks.
- Market Confidence Erosion: Allegations from Gotham City Research regarding undisclosed related-party transactions and overstated earnings, coupled with insider selling and institutional exits, have significantly shaken market confidence in Carvana's future prospects.
See More
Carvana Investors Experience Business Turnaround
- Significant Investment Returns: Investors who put $10,000 into Carvana at the beginning of 2023 could see their investment grow to approximately $890,340 by the end of 2025, highlighting a strong business turnaround and market appeal.
- Amazon Market Entry: Amazon's new automotive marketplace provides a digital platform for traditional dealers, and while it currently does not compete directly with Carvana, its potential threat could impact Carvana's market share.
- EV Market Transformation: As the automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles and software-defined cars, Carvana has rapidly expanded its e-commerce strategy, with online car buying expected to triple by 2030, further solidifying its market position.
- Competitive Advantage Analysis: Carvana integrates traditional dealership models to offer nationwide vehicle delivery, while Amazon relies on local dealers' inventory and has yet to replicate Carvana's delivery capabilities, showcasing Carvana's unique competitive edge in the market.
See More
ETF Component Trading Dynamics Analysis
- Palantir Trading Status: Palantir Technologies experienced a decline of approximately 3.7% on Thursday, with over 24.2 million shares traded, indicating market caution regarding its future performance, which may impact investor confidence.
- Brown Forman Strong Performance: Brown Forman's stock rose about 17.7% with a trading volume exceeding 13.0 million shares, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its earnings, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Carvana's Weak Performance: Carvana lagged in the AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF, trading down about 4% on Thursday, which reflects market concerns about its business outlook, possibly leading investors to reassess their investment strategies.
- Overall ETF Dynamics: Thursday's ETF trading revealed significant volatility in Palantir and Brown Forman, which could influence the overall ETF performance, prompting investors to monitor these component stocks' future trends to adjust their portfolios.
See More
