Avis Budget Group's Q4 Results Fall Short of Expectations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 13 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy CAR?
Source: seekingalpha
- Sales Decline: Avis Budget Group reported a 0.4% year-over-year drop in Q4 sales to $2.7 billion, falling short of market expectations, reflecting a 1% decrease in rental days that intensified challenges during the company's repositioning efforts.
- Narrowed Losses: The company's net loss decreased by 56% to $856 million, translating to a per-share loss of $21.25, which still significantly exceeded expectations of a $0.38 loss per share, indicating improved profitability but undermined market confidence.
- Operational Efficiency Gains: Adjusted EBITDA in the Americas improved to $1 million from a loss of $63 million last year, despite a 4% decline in revenue per day, showcasing the company's efforts to enhance operational efficiency through reduced fleet costs.
- Utilization Rate Improvement: Combined vehicle utilization in the Americas and International markets rose by 30 basis points to 68.0%, while monthly per unit fleet costs decreased by 18%, indicating that the company's strategic adjustments are gradually yielding positive results.
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Analyst Views on CAR
Wall Street analysts forecast CAR stock price to rise
1 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 122.100
Low
142.00
Averages
142.00
High
142.00
Current: 122.100
Low
142.00
Averages
142.00
High
142.00
About CAR
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a provider of mobility solutions through its three brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, as well as several other brands. Its brands offer a range of options, from car and truck rental to car sharing. Its segments include Americas and International. The Americas segment consists primarily of vehicle rental operations in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean and operates car-sharing operations in certain of these markets. The International segment consists of vehicle rental operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia, and operates car-sharing operations in certain of these markets. The Avis brand provides vehicle rental and other mobility solutions at price points generally above non-branded and value-branded vehicle rental companies and serves the premium commercial and leisure segments of the travel industry. Its other brands include Payless, Apex, AmicoBlu, Maggiore, Morini Rent, FranceCars, and others.
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.
- Sales Decline: Avis Budget Group reported a 0.4% year-over-year drop in Q4 sales to $2.7 billion, falling short of market expectations, reflecting a 1% decrease in rental days that intensified challenges during the company's repositioning efforts.
- Narrowed Losses: The company's net loss decreased by 56% to $856 million, translating to a per-share loss of $21.25, which still significantly exceeded expectations of a $0.38 loss per share, indicating improved profitability but undermined market confidence.
- Operational Efficiency Gains: Adjusted EBITDA in the Americas improved to $1 million from a loss of $63 million last year, despite a 4% decline in revenue per day, showcasing the company's efforts to enhance operational efficiency through reduced fleet costs.
- Utilization Rate Improvement: Combined vehicle utilization in the Americas and International markets rose by 30 basis points to 68.0%, while monthly per unit fleet costs decreased by 18%, indicating that the company's strategic adjustments are gradually yielding positive results.
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- Earnings Miss: Avis Budget's Q4 GAAP EPS of -$21.25 fell short by $21.06, indicating significant challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence and stock performance.
- Revenue Decline: The company reported revenue of $2.7 billion, a 0.4% year-over-year decrease, missing expectations by $40 million, which reflects weakened market demand and increased competition, potentially impacting future market share.
- Adjusted EBITDA Improvement: Adjusted EBITDA in the Americas was $1 million, a significant recovery from a $63 million loss last year, driven by lower fleet costs despite a decrease in revenue per day, showcasing effective cost management strategies.
- Liquidity Position: At the end of the quarter, Avis Budget had approximately $818 million in liquidity, along with an additional $2.1 billion in fleet funding capacity, indicating some financial flexibility to navigate upcoming challenges despite ongoing financial pressures.
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- Earnings Announcement Schedule: Avis Budget is set to release its Q4 earnings after market close on February 18, with market participants closely monitoring the results, which could impact stock performance.
- Earnings Expectations: Analysts have a consensus EPS estimate of -$0.38, indicating challenges the company faces in the current market environment, which may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Forecast: The projected revenue for Q4 is $2.74 billion, reflecting a modest year-over-year growth of 1.1%, suggesting some market resilience that could lay the groundwork for future recovery.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Given the backdrop of soft used car prices, Avis Budget's attractiveness is being questioned, potentially leading investors to adopt a cautious stance regarding its future performance.
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