For the quarter ended December 2024, Cars.com (CARS Quick QuoteCARS - Free Report) reported revenue of $180.43 million, up 0.5% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.49, compared to $0.12 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -1.14% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $182.51 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.52, the EPS surprise was -5.77%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Cars.com performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Monthly Average Revenue Per Dealer (ARPD): $2,475 versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2,496.50.
• Dealer Customers: 19,206 compared to the 19,332 average estimate based on two analysts.
• Revenue- Dealer: $159.55 million versus $161.83 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -1.1% change.
• Revenue- Other: $3.14 million compared to the $3 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +11.8% year over year.
• Revenue- OEM and National: $17.75 million compared to the $16.68 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.2% year over year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Cars.com here>>>

Shares of Cars.com have returned -18.9% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.