Stephens initiates Copart stock with Equal Weight rating, $50 target

Published 08/07/2025, 11:16
Stephens initiates Copart stock with Equal Weight rating, $50 target

Investing.com - Stephens initiated coverage on Copart (NASDAQ:CPRT) with an Equal Weight rating and a $50.00 price target on Tuesday, near the current trading price of $48.83. According to InvestingPro data, analyst targets for the stock range from $50.00 to $66.00, with the company maintaining a "GREAT" overall financial health score.

The research firm highlighted Copart’s exceptional historical performance, noting that $100,000 invested in the company on January 1, 2009, would be worth $2.9 million today, significantly outperforming both the S&P 500 and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) Class A shares over the same period.

Stephens attributed this impressive performance to "exceptional operational execution, prescient strategic planning, some macro tailwinds and acknowledgment by the market via multiple expansion," pointing out that profitability has multiplied approximately 7.1 times while valuation multiples expanded about 2.1 times over the past 16.5 years.

The firm also noted that Copart’s annual after-tax free cash flow generated as a percentage of assets averaged 17% during this period, describing the company’s story as "fascinating."

Despite this strong historical performance, Stephens cited "high valuation, slowing profit growth and higher competitive/macro uncertainty" as creating a "more challenging 12 to 24 month backdrop," which led to the Equal Weight rating rather than a more bullish stance.

In other recent news, Copart reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) at $0.42, aligning with analyst forecasts. However, the company’s revenue was slightly below expectations, reaching $1.21 billion compared to the anticipated $1.23 billion. Despite this, service revenue increased by 9% year over year, offsetting a 2% decline in vehicle sales revenue. CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson upgraded Copart’s stock rating to Strong Buy, with a new price target of $70, citing the company’s strong net cash position and the potential benefits from the increasing average age of vehicles in the U.S.

Meanwhile, JPMorgan analyst Jash Patwa reduced the price target for Copart to $55, maintaining a Neutral rating, due to concerns over the company’s U.S. insurance unit volume growth, which showed a year-over-year decline of 1%. Copart’s management noted a decrease in U.S. inventory units by 11% year-over-year, attributing this to factors like lower assignments and faster cycle times. The company also faces cyclical headwinds, such as an increase in uninsured and underinsured motorists, impacting industry volumes and assignments. Despite these challenges, Copart maintains strong liquidity, with over $5.6 billion in cash and credit facilities.

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