CARS Reviews First Quarter 2022 Outcomes

Continued Development in Income, Seller Clients and ARPD

Closed Accu-Commerce Group Acquisition

CHICAGO, Might 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Vehicles.com Inc. (NYSE: CARS) (“CARS” or the “Firm”), the main automotive market platform that gives a sturdy set of digital options, immediately launched its monetary outcomes for the primary quarter ended March 31, 2022.

Q1 2022 Monetary and Key Metric Highlights

• Income of $158.2 million, up $4.9 million, or 3% year-over-year
• Web revenue of $4.3 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, in comparison with Web revenue of $5.3 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, within the prior 12 months
• Adjusted EBITDA of $42.0 million, or 27% of income, down $6.1 million, year-over-year
• Common Month-to-month Distinctive Guests (“UVs”) of 26.6 million, up 2% year-over-year
• Visitors (“Visits”) of 148.5 million, down 5% year-over-year
• Month-to-month Common Income Per Seller (“ARPD”) of $2,291, up 1% from $2,268 within the prior 12 months interval
• Seller Clients of 19,500 as of March 31, 2022, up 321 in comparison with 19,179 as of December 31, 2021, and up 677, or 4%, in comparison with March 31, 2021

Operational Highlights

• Closed the acquisition of the Accu-Commerce Group, a number one automobile appraisal and acquisition answer, additional advancing the corporate’s platform technique and accelerating CARS’ end-to-end capabilities
• Closed practically 200 gross sales throughout the three-day Nationwide Car Sellers Affiliation present (“NADA”)
• Demonstrated EV management with CARS’ EV Shopping for Information and client dwell stream occasion, complete assets for customers contemplating an electrical automobile for his or her subsequent automobile buy

“We’re beginning the 12 months robust, delivering development in income, seller prospects and ARPD, regardless of persevering with macro-economic challenges. Curiosity in our expanded suite of digital options stays excessive, with sellers viewing the CARS platform as distinct and well-integrated,” mentioned Alex Vetter, Chief Government Officer of CARS. “We proceed to efficiently execute our differentiated technique and put money into our end-to-end capabilities, positioning CARS for sustainable development for 2022 and past.”

Q1 2022 Outcomes

Income for the primary quarter totaled $158.2 million, a rise of $4.9 million, or 3%, in comparison with the prior 12 months interval. Seller income grew 6% year-over-year, pushed by 4% development in seller prospects and 1% development in ARPD, primarily associated to continued penetration of the Firm’s digital options and FUEL. As anticipated, strong development in Seller income was offset by a 16% year-over-year lower in OEM and nationwide income, reflecting decrease OEM promoting budgets as new automobile stock shortages persist.

Whole working bills for the primary quarter have been $147.3 million, in comparison with $136.7 million for the prior 12 months interval. Adjusted Working Bills for the quarter have been $141.0 million, a $10.1 million enhance in comparison with the prior 12 months interval pushed by a rise in advertising investments, together with a return to in-person {industry} occasions that had been curtailed because of the pandemic in addition to greater Product and Expertise expense pushed by greater compensation and consulting prices, together with the addition and integration of CreditIQ and Accu-Commerce.

Web revenue for the quarter was $4.3 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, in comparison with Web revenue of $5.3 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, within the first quarter of 2021.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter totaled $42.0 million, or 27% of income, in comparison with $48.1 million, or 31% of income, for the prior 12 months interval.

For the quarter, we delivered double-digit lead development and a couple of% development in Common Month-to-month Distinctive Guests, in comparison with the prior 12 months. Whole Visitors was 5% decrease in comparison with the primary quarter of 2021.

As of March 31, 2022, Seller Clients totaled 19,500, a rise of 321 Seller Clients in comparison with the tip of the fourth quarter of 2021, pushed by continued robust retention charges and new buyer additions. In comparison with March 31, 2021, Seller Clients elevated 677, or 4%.

First quarter ARPD was $2,291, up 1% year-over-year, pushed by continued development in digital options and FUEL.

Money Circulate and Stability Sheet

Web money supplied by working actions within the first quarter was $30.4 million, $20.0 million decrease in comparison with the prior 12 months. Free Money Circulate within the first quarter was $26.4 million in comparison with $44.1 million within the prior 12 months. This decline was primarily as a result of a $9.1 million tax refund that we obtained final 12 months associated to the carryback of NOLs on account of the CARES act and better compensation funds within the present 12 months interval.

The Firm borrowed $45.0 million on its revolving credit score facility to fund the Accu-Commerce Group acquisition and made $2.5 million in debt repayments throughout the quarter, leading to complete debt excellent of $520.0 million as of March 31, 2022. The Firm’s complete web leverage ratio at quarter-end was 2.7x, in comparison with 2.9x as of March 31, 2021. Whole liquidity was $215.5 million, together with money and money equivalents of $30.5 million and $185.0 million of revolver capability, as of March 31, 2022.

As beforehand introduced on February 24, 2022, the Firm’s Board of Administrators authorized a share repurchase program of as much as $200 million of excellent shares of CARS widespread inventory over the subsequent three years. Through the first quarter, the Firm repurchased 338 thousand of its widespread shares for $5.0 million.

“Our basis for delivering one other quarter of income development and powerful money move, in-line with our expectations is the worth we offer our Seller Clients. We preserve a powerful steadiness sheet, an energetic concentrate on the combination of our just lately acquired digital options and a return of capital to shareholders whereas sustaining modest web leverage,” mentioned Jandy Tomy, Interim Chief Monetary Officer of CARS. 

2022 Outlook

For the second quarter of 2022, the Firm expects Income of roughly $161 million to $163 million. Steering displays the continuation of our robust first quarter 2022 efficiency balanced in opposition to the continuation of the influence of the macro-economic surroundings together with industry-wide stock shortages. The Firm expects year-over-year income development to speed up all year long because the Firm rolls-out just lately acquired options and stock replenishes. The Firm reaffirms its full-year income steering of 6% to eight% year-over-year development, with double-digit income development within the fourth quarter, assuming stock shortages start to get better within the fourth quarter and the financial surroundings doesn’t have a worsening influence on client automobile shopping for conduct.

Adjusted EBITDA margin for the second quarter is predicted to be between 26% and 28% and consists of the margin influence of our anticipated income combine in addition to greater year-over-year bills as we put money into the combination and launch of our just lately acquired seller options, in advertising and in our individuals. Adjusted EBITDA margin is predicted to method 30% by the fourth quarter as income development accelerates and OEM and Nationwide income begins to get better in reference to stock ranges.

Q1 2022 Earnings Name

As beforehand introduced, administration will maintain a convention name and webcast immediately at 8:00 a.m. CT. This webcast could also be accessed at investor.vehicles.com. A replay of the webcast might be out there at this web site following the conclusion of the decision till Might 19, 2022.

About CARS

CARS is the main automotive market platform that gives a sturdy set of digital options to attach automobile customers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship market Vehicles.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Firm empowers customers with the information, assets and digital instruments wanted to make knowledgeable shopping for choices and seamlessly join with automotive retailers. In a quickly altering market, CARS allows dealerships and OEMs with revolutionary technical options and data-driven intelligence to higher attain and affect ready-to-buy customers, enhance stock flip and achieve market share.

Along with Vehicles.com, CARS manufacturers embody Seller Encourage, a know-how supplier constructing options that future-proof dealerships with extra environment friendly operations and related digital experiences; FUEL, which provides sellers and OEMs the chance to harness the untapped energy of digital video by leveraging Vehicles.com’s pure viewers of in-market automobile customers, DealerRater, a number one automobile seller evaluate and popularity administration platform, automotive fintech platform CreditIQ, and Accu-Commerce, a number one supplier of car acquisition know-how and valuation information.

The complete suite of CARS properties consists of Vehicles.com™, Seller Encourage®, FUEL™, DealerRater®, CreditIQ™, Accu-Commerce™, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For extra data, go to www.Vehicles.com.

Non-GAAP Monetary Measures

This earnings launch discusses Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Free Money Circulate and Adjusted Working Bills. These monetary measures will not be ready in accordance with typically accepted accounting ideas in america (“GAAP”). These monetary measures are offered as supplemental measures of working efficiency as a result of the Firm believes they supply significant data relating to the Firm’s efficiency and supply a foundation to check working outcomes between intervals. As well as, the Firm makes use of Adjusted EBITDA as a measure for figuring out incentive compensation targets. Adjusted EBITDA is also used as a efficiency measure underneath the Firm’s credit score settlement and consists of changes such because the objects outlined under and different additional changes, that are outlined within the credit score settlement. These non-GAAP monetary measures are continuously utilized by the Firm’s lenders, securities analysts, buyers and different events to judge firms within the Firm’s {industry}. For a reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures offered on this earnings launch to their most instantly comparable monetary measure ready in accordance with GAAP, see “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” under.

Different firms might outline or calculate these measures otherwise, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Due to these limitations, non-GAAP monetary measures shouldn’t be thought of in isolation or as substitutes for efficiency measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Definitions of those non-GAAP monetary measures and reconciliations to essentially the most instantly comparable GAAP monetary measures are offered within the tables under.

The Firm defines Adjusted EBITDA as web revenue (loss) earlier than (1) curiosity expense, web, (2) revenue tax (profit) expense, (3) depreciation, (4) amortization of intangible belongings, (5) stock-based compensation expense, (6) unrealized mark-to-market changes and money transactions associated to spinoff devices, and (7) sure different objects, comparable to transaction-related objects, severance, transformation and different exit prices and write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible belongings and different long-lived belongings.

Transaction-related objects outcome from precise or potential transactions comparable to enterprise mixtures, mergers, acquisitions, inclinations, spin-offs, financing transactions, and different strategic transactions, together with, with out limitation, (1) transaction-related bonuses and (2) bills for advisors and representatives comparable to funding bankers, consultants, attorneys and accounting companies. Transaction-related objects may embody, with out limitation, transition and integration prices comparable to retention bonuses and acquisition-related milestone funds to acquired staff, consulting, compensation and different incremental prices related to integration tasks, and amortization of deferred income associated to the Accu-Commerce acquisition.

The Firm defines Free Money Circulate as web money supplied by working actions much less capital expenditures, together with purchases of property and tools and capitalization of internal-use software program and web site improvement prices.

The Firm defines Adjusted Working Bills as complete working bills adjusted to exclude stock-based compensation, write-off and impairments of goodwill, intangible belongings, long-lived belongings, severance, transformation and different exit prices and transaction-related objects.

Key Metric Definitions

Visitors (“Visits”). Visitors is prime to the Firm’s enterprise. Visitors to the CARS community of internet sites and cell apps supplies worth to the Firm’s advertisers when it comes to viewers, consciousness, consideration and conversion. Along with monitoring visitors quantity and sources, the Firm screens exercise on its properties, permitting the Firm to innovate and refine its consumer-facing choices. Visitors is outlined because the variety of visits to CARS desktop and cell properties (responsive websites and cell apps), measured utilizing Adobe Analytics. Visitors doesn’t embody visitors to Seller Encourage web sites. Visitors supplies a sign of the Firm’s client attain. Though the Firm’s client attain doesn’t instantly end in income, the Firm believes its potential to achieve in-market automobile customers is enticing to its seller prospects and nationwide advertisers.

Common Month-to-month Distinctive Guests (“UVs”). Development in distinctive guests and client visitors to the Firm’s community of internet sites and cell apps will increase the variety of impressions, clicks, leads and different occasions it might monetize to generate income. The Firm defines UVs in a given month because the variety of distinct guests that have interaction with its platform throughout that month. Guests are recognized when a person first visits a person CARS property on a person gadget/browser mixture or installs one in all its cell apps on a person gadget. If a customer accesses greater than one of many Firm’s net properties or apps or makes use of multiple gadget or browser, every of these distinctive property/browser/app/gadget mixtures counts towards the variety of UVs. UVs don’t embody Seller Encourage UVs. The Firm measures UVs utilizing Adobe Analytics.

Seller Clients. Seller Clients characterize dealerships utilizing the Firm’s merchandise as of the tip of every reporting interval. Every bodily or digital dealership location is counted individually, whether or not it’s a single-location proprietorship or half of a giant, consolidated seller group. Multi-franchise dealerships at a single location are counted as one seller. All Seller Buyer metrics don’t embody Accu-Commerce as it could be impracticable to take action.

Common Income Per Seller (“ARPD”). The Firm believes that its potential to develop ARPD is an indicator of the worth proposition of its platform. The Firm defines ARPD as Seller income, excluding digital promoting companies, throughout the interval divided by the month-to-month common variety of Seller Clients throughout the identical interval. ARPD doesn’t embody Accu-Commerce as it could be impracticable to take action.

Ahead-Wanting Statements

This press launch incorporates “forward-looking statements” throughout the that means of the federal securities legal guidelines. All statements apart from statements of historic details are forward-looking statements. Ahead-looking statements embody data regarding the Firm’s {industry}, Seller Clients, outcomes of operations, enterprise methods, plans and aims, market potential, outlook, traits, future monetary efficiency, deliberate operational and product enhancements, potential strategic transactions, current acquisitions, comparable to CreditIQ and Accu-Commerce, liquidity, together with attracts from the Firm’s revolving credit score facility, expense administration and different issues and contain identified and unknown dangers which might be troublesome to foretell. These statements typically embody phrases comparable to “imagine,” “count on,” “mission,” “anticipate,” “outlook,” “intend,” “technique,” “plan,” “estimate,” “goal,” “search,” “will,” “might,” “would,” “ought to,” “may,” “forecasts,” “mission,” “try,” “extra,” “aim” or comparable expressions.  In consequence, the Firm’s precise monetary outcomes, efficiency, achievements, strategic actions or prospects might differ materially from these expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.  Ahead-looking statements are based mostly on the Firm’s present expectations, beliefs, methods, estimates, projections and assumptions, based mostly on its expertise within the {industry} in addition to the Firm’s perceptions of historic traits, present situations, anticipated future developments, present developments relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and different components the Firm thinks are applicable. Such forward-looking statements are essentially based mostly upon estimates and assumptions that, whereas thought of cheap by the Firm and its administration based mostly on their data and understanding of the enterprise and {industry}, are inherently unsure. These statements are expressed in good religion and the Firm believes these judgments are cheap. Nonetheless, you need to perceive that these statements will not be ensures of strategic motion, efficiency or outcomes. The Firm’s precise outcomes and strategic actions may differ materially from these expressed within the forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, forward-looking statements shouldn’t be relied on in making funding choices. Comparisons of outcomes between present and prior intervals will not be supposed to precise any future traits, or indications of future efficiency, except expressed as such, and will solely be considered as historic information. Whether or not or not any such forward-looking assertion is in reality achieved will rely on future occasions, a few of that are past the Firm’s management.

Ahead-looking statements are topic to quite a few dangers, uncertainties and different necessary components, a lot of that are past the Firm’s management, that might trigger its precise outcomes and strategic actions to vary materially from these expressed within the forward-looking statements contained on this press launch. For an in depth dialogue of many of those and different dangers and uncertainties, see the Firm’s Annual Report on Kind 10-Ok, its Quarterly Reviews on Kind 10-Q, its Present Reviews on Kind 8-Ok and its different filings with the Securities and Alternate Fee, out there on the Firm’s web site at investor.vehicles.com or by way of EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements contained on this press launch are certified by these cautionary statements. You need to consider all forward-looking statements made on this press launch within the context of those dangers and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained on this press launch are based mostly solely on data at present out there to the Firm and converse solely as of the date of this press launch. The Firm undertakes no obligation, apart from as could also be required by legislation, to replace or revise any forward-looking or cautionary statements to replicate modifications in assumptions, the prevalence of occasions, unanticipated or in any other case, or modifications in future working outcomes over time or in any other case.

The forward-looking statements on this report are supposed to be topic to the secure harbor safety supplied by the federal securities legal guidelines.

CARS Investor Relations Contact:
Robbin Moore-Randolph
[email protected]
312.601.5929

CARS Media Contact:
Marita Thomas
[email protected] 
312.601.5692

SOURCE Vehicles.com Inc.