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ACV Auctions (ACVA)
NYSE:ACVA
US Market

ACV Auctions (ACVA) AI Stock Analysis

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ACVA

ACV Auctions

(NYSE:ACVA)

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Neutral 61 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:61Neutral
Price Target:
$5.00
▲(5.26% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/25/26
The score is driven by improving financial trajectory and constructive 2026 guidance (growth and adjusted EBITDA expansion), partially offset by very weak technicals (strong downtrend despite oversold readings). Valuation is constrained by negative earnings, while the credit facility expansion modestly improves financial flexibility.
Positive Factors
Revenue growth & margin expansion
Sustained top-line growth alongside a large increase in gross margin indicates improving unit economics and pricing power in ACV's marketplace. That combination supports durable operating leverage and a clearer path to profitability over the next several quarters if vehicle volumes and mix hold steady.
Improved operating and free cash flow
Material improvement to operating and free cash flow reduces reliance on external financing and gives management optionality to invest in growth (go-to-market, Viper) or de-risk operations. Continued cash generation enhances resilience through cyclical used-vehicle periods over a 2–6 month horizon and beyond.
Product traction and network scale
Significant product-level adoption and a growing buyer/seller network strengthen ACV's competitive moat by raising switching costs and improving fill rates. Durable product traction across ClearCar, ACV Max and Guarantee supports recurring transaction fees and ancillary revenue as adoption broadens over multiple quarters.
Negative Factors
Ongoing GAAP unprofitability
Despite improving margins, the company remains GAAP-loss making which limits financial flexibility and increases execution risk. If revenue growth or margin expansion slows, ACV may need to cut investments or draw more on credit lines, making profitability a key medium-term hurdle.
Elevated arbitration and cost-of-revenue pressure
Higher arbitration-related costs directly erode gross margins and reflect operational or control weaknesses in transaction quality. Even with remediation plans, persistent arbitration risks could structurally raise cost of revenue and slow margin recovery over several quarters if not fully resolved.
Rising leverage and funding sensitivity
A higher leverage profile reduces the cushion against revenue or margin shocks and increases sensitivity to funding conditions. While the credit facility was expanded, continued reliance on debt amplifies risk if cash flow generation falters or if market conditions tighten in the medium term.

ACV Auctions (ACVA) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

ACV Auctions Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionACV Auctions Inc. operates a digital marketplace that connects buyers and sellers for the online auction of wholesale vehicles. It also provides data services that offer insights into the condition and value of used vehicles, as well as offers customer financing services. ACV Auctions Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Buffalo, New York.
How the Company Makes MoneyACV Auctions generates revenue primarily through transaction fees charged to dealers on each vehicle sold through its platform. The company earns a percentage of the sale price as a commission, which serves as a key revenue stream. Additionally, ACV may offer subscription-based services or premium features that provide dealers with enhanced insights or tools for managing their transactions. Partnerships with automotive dealers and financing institutions further bolster its revenue by expanding the customer base and facilitating seamless transactions. The company also benefits from ancillary services, such as inspection fees, that contribute to its overall earnings.

ACV Auctions Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 23, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 13, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call emphasized strong top-line growth, meaningful adjusted EBITDA expansion, product traction (ClearCar, ACV Max, ACV Guarantee), geographic and network expansion, and a solid cash position — all supporting a credible profitable growth outlook and upbeat 2026 guidance. Notable near-term headwinds include elevated arbitration-related cost of revenue, some deceleration in unit growth versus tough comparables, market uncertainty (seasonality and weather), and deliberate 2026 investments (go-to-market and Viper) that will temporarily weigh on incremental margins. Management articulated remediation steps for arbitration and conservative guidance that assumes investments will drive more growth later in the year.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Q4 and Full-Year Revenue Growth
Q4 revenue of $184 million, up 15% year-over-year; full-year 2025 revenue grew 19% year-over-year.
Unit Growth and Scale
Sold 193,000 vehicles in Q4; full-year units increased by 86,000 (12% year-over-year), demonstrating scale in volume.
Adjusted EBITDA and Profitability Trajectory
Q4 adjusted EBITDA of $8 million, up 36% year-over-year; full-year adjusted EBITDA grew over 100% year-over-year. 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $73M–$77M (≈28% growth).
2026 Revenue and Q1 Guidance
2026 revenue guidance of $845M–$855M (11%–13% growth). Q1 2026 revenue guidance $200M–$204M (9%–12% growth) and adjusted EBITDA $14M–$16M (7%–8% margin).
Strong Cash Position and Capital Structure
Ended Q4 with $270 million in cash and cash equivalents and $190 million of debt; cash includes $171 million of marketplace flow; solid operating cash flow supported by adj. EBITDA growth.
Marketplace and Network Expansion
Expanded network to 15,000 unique sellers and over 22,000 unique buyers; franchise rooftop penetration reached 35% for the year with a 300 basis point increase from major accounts.
Product Traction — ClearCar, ACV Max and Guarantee
ClearCar dealers increased wholesale volumes >50% after launch; a cohort of new ACV Max dealers increased wholesale vehicle sales by ~40% within one quarter; ACV Guarantee (no-reserve) mix rose to 19% in Q4 and is the fastest-growing channel.
Transport and Capital Business Strength
ACV Transportation revenue grew 20% in Q4 with 110,000 transports delivered and revenue margin already at the midterm target in the low-20s; ACV Capital revenue grew 48% year-over-year in Q4 while lowering exposure to higher-risk segments.
Improving Operating Leverage
Non-GAAP operating expense (excluding cost of revenue) as a percentage of revenue decreased ~400 basis points year-over-year; management expects adjusted EBITDA margin to increase ~100 basis points in 2026 despite go-to-market investments.
Negative Updates
Higher Arbitration and Cost of Revenue Pressure
Non-GAAP cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue increased approximately 400 basis points year-over-year in Q4, primarily driven by elevated arbitration costs in a specific customer cohort; management expects normalization in 2026 after mitigation steps.
Q4 Unit Growth Deceleration and Tough Comparisons
Q4 unit growth was modest (5% unit growth for auction assurance segment vs tough comps); management noted deceleration versus very strong Q4 2024 comparisons and cited market headwinds.
Market Uncertainty and Physical Auction Prevalence
Physical auctions still represent ~70% of the market, limiting pace of digital adoption; dealer wholesale market showed weakness in January (NAAA down ~6.5%) and weather-related disruptions were noted, creating near-term uncertainty.
Near-Term Investment Drag on Incremental Margins
Planned 2026 go-to-market investment of approximately $11 million plus Viper-related CapEx (management indicated combined incremental investment approaching ~$20 million) will depress near-term incremental margins although intended to drive longer-term growth.
Small Non-GAAP Net Loss
Non-GAAP net loss of $1 million in Q4 (although favorable to guidance), indicating the company is not yet consistently GAAP-profitable.
Viper Early-Stage Execution Risk
Project Viper is in early rollout (≈5–10 units/month initially, target 100–200+ over time) and requires successful integration with dealer workflows and third-party systems; scaling execution risk remains.
Company Guidance
ACV guided to 2026 revenue of $845M–$855M (up 11%–13% YoY, described as low‑double‑digit growth with slightly higher growth assumed in H2), adjusted EBITDA of $73M–$77M (≈28% YoY growth) and a roughly 100‑basis‑point improvement in adjusted EBITDA margin; Q1 2026 guidance is $200M–$204M revenue (9%–12% growth) and $14M–$16M adjusted EBITDA (7%–8% margin). Management expects non‑GAAP OpEx (ex cost of revenue) to grow ~9% in 2026 (down from 12% in 2025), which includes about $11M of incremental go‑to‑market spending, plus additional capital investment for Viper/related units (incremental capex/headcount described as high‑single‑digit NIMs in modeling). The company finished Q4 with $270M cash (including $171M marketplace flow) and $190M of debt.

ACV Auctions Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Fundamentals are improving with strong revenue growth, expanding gross margin, narrowing losses, and positive operating/free cash flow in 2024–2025. Offsetting this, profitability remains negative and leverage has trended up, keeping the profile in “scaling, not-yet-profitable” territory.
Income Statement
62
Positive
Revenue growth is strong over the period, with 2025 revenue up meaningfully versus 2024 and gross margin expanding (about 49% in 2023 to ~62% in 2025), signaling improving unit economics. Losses are narrowing as net margin improves from roughly -24% (2022) to about -9% (2025). However, profitability is still negative (EBITDA and net income remain below zero), and the business has not yet demonstrated consistent earnings power despite the top-line growth.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
The balance sheet appears generally stable with positive equity in recent years and moderate leverage, with debt-to-equity moving from low levels earlier in the period to ~0.44 in 2025. Total assets and equity have been relatively steady, suggesting no major balance-sheet deterioration. The key weakness is that returns remain negative due to ongoing net losses, and leverage has trended upward since 2021, reducing flexibility if profitability improvements stall.
Cash Flow
74
Positive
Cash generation has improved materially: operating cash flow turned positive after negative results in 2022–2023 and remained positive in 2024–2025, with free cash flow also positive and growing (2025 higher than 2024). This is a notable strength versus continued accounting losses, indicating better working-capital discipline and/or improved cash efficiency. The main risk is that cash flow relative to revenue is still modest, and sustained positive free cash flow will need to hold as the company scales.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue759.61M637.16M481.23M421.53M358.44M
Gross Profit471.49M388.95M236.78M184.88M153.68M
EBITDA-11.46M-37.96M-53.88M-89.75M-67.92M
Net Income-66.14M-79.70M-75.26M-102.19M-78.18M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.09B984.15M922.92M914.92M982.96M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments271.50M270.10M411.33M495.98M579.08M
Total Debt190.00M123.00M115.00M76.67M3.85M
Total Liabilities655.93M544.14M466.40M429.20M426.86M
Stockholders Equity429.68M440.00M456.53M485.72M556.10M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow69.13M60.86M-46.05M-98.57M71.26M
Operating Cash Flow78.23M65.40M-17.89M-75.17M85.29M
Investing Cash Flow-74.05M-15.86M-110.97M-282.98M-129.27M
Financing Cash Flow42.97M-7.87M30.63M72.93M376.25M

ACV Auctions Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price4.75
Price Trends
50DMA
7.84
Negative
100DMA
7.97
Negative
200DMA
11.03
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.63
Positive
RSI
17.99
Positive
STOCH
15.13
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ACVA, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 4.75 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 7.05, below the 50-day MA of 7.84, and below the 200-day MA of 11.03, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.63 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 17.99 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 15.13 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for ACVA.

ACV Auctions Risk Analysis

ACV Auctions disclosed 53 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. ACV Auctions reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

ACV Auctions Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
68
Neutral
$637.61M23.226.11%0.20%-20.57%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
61
Neutral
$826.84M-12.27-16.33%23.40%8.46%
57
Neutral
$300.47M-0.29-25.80%1434.51%-1207.73%
50
Neutral
$692.73M-17.29
44
Neutral
$86.42M-0.85-52.02%-81.31%87.13%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ACVA
ACV Auctions
4.75
-11.70
-71.12%
CARS
Cars
10.66
-4.64
-30.33%
UXIN
Uxin
3.36
-1.03
-23.46%
CANG
Cango
0.84
-2.54
-75.06%
VRM
Vroom, Inc.
16.62
-10.37
-38.42%

ACV Auctions Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
ACV Auctions Expands and Extends Revolving Credit Facility
Positive
Dec 18, 2025

On December 12, 2025, ACV Capital Funding II LLC, an affiliate of ACV Auctions, amended its Revolving Credit and Security Agreement to expand its revolving credit facility from $125 million to $200 million, extend the scheduled commitment termination date from June 20, 2026 to December 10, 2027, and adjust certain eligibility and concentration limit definitions for dealers and vehicles. In connection with this amendment, the applicable margin used to calculate the interest rate on loans under the facility was reduced by 0.25%, collectively enhancing ACV Capital II’s funding capacity, lowering its borrowing costs, and potentially strengthening ACV Auctions’ ability to finance dealer inventory and support growth in its digital wholesale marketplace.

The most recent analyst rating on (ACVA) stock is a Hold with a $9.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on ACV Auctions stock, see the ACVA Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 25, 2026