Jefferies cuts America's Car-Mart target to $45 from $68, keeps hold rating

Published 20/09/2024, 19:20
Jefferies cuts America's Car-Mart target to $45 from $68, keeps hold rating

On Friday, Jefferies, a global investment banking firm, revised its price target for America's Car-Mart (NASDAQ:CRMT) shares, lowering it to $45.00 from the previous $68.00, while retaining a Hold rating on the stock. The adjustment follows America's Car-Mart's recent equity raise, which garnered $73 million in proceeds through the issuance of 1.7 million shares at a price of $43 per share.

The capital infusion is reported to enhance the company's liquidity, reduce its leverage, and strengthen its balance sheet. Despite this financial maneuver, the company's first-quarter earnings per share (EPS) fell short of analysts' expectations, primarily due to a slight revenue miss attributed to fewer unit sales.

However, delinquency rates (DQs) showed a year-over-year improvement, dropping by 90 basis points to 3.5%, while net charge-offs (NCOs) increased slightly by 60 basis points year-over-year to 6.4%.

The firm notes that credit trends are likely to continue improving under America's Car-Mart's new line of credit strategy. The market conditions for the company are seen as stabilizing, with a focus on strategic execution. This outlook suggests a cautious but steady approach to the company's financial health and market performance.

In other recent news, America's Car-Mart, a key player in the used car market, has announced a public offering of 1.7 million shares of common stock at $43 each, managed by Jefferies LLC. Concurrently, the company has revised its credit facilities, introducing Colonial Underwriting as a new guarantor and reducing its total permitted borrowings to $320 million. In financial developments, America's Car-Mart reported a 5.2% decrease in revenues for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, primarily due to a decline in retail units sold.

However, the company saw an increase in website traffic and a reduction in average retail price, indicating strong consumer demand. The company also reported a decrease in delinquencies to 3.5% and an expected 72.4% cash-on-cash return for the first quarter.

In response to these developments, America's Car-Mart has entered into a strategic partnership with Cox Automotive, aiming to improve affordability and gross profit margins.


InvestingPro Insights


As America's Car-Mart (NASDAQ:CRMT) navigates its financial restructuring, real-time data from InvestingPro offers a deeper look into the company's current market standing. With a market capitalization of approximately $269.37 million, the company is trading at a negative P/E ratio of -7.39, indicating that it is not currently profitable. The recent equity raise has impacted the company's valuation, as reflected by a Price / Book ratio of 0.57 in the last twelve months as of Q1 2023, suggesting that the stock might be undervalued relative to its assets.

The InvestingPro Tips highlight significant challenges, including a significant debt burden and weak gross profit margins, with a margin of 14.96% in the last twelve months as of Q1 2023. Despite these challenges, liquid assets exceed short-term obligations, offering some financial flexibility. Analysts are not optimistic about profitability in the short term, and the stock has been volatile with a price that has fallen significantly over the last year. Nevertheless, the stock is currently trading near its 52-week low, which could attract investors looking for potential bargains.

For readers interested in a comprehensive analysis, there are 17 additional InvestingPro Tips available for America's Car-Mart, providing a more detailed perspective on the company's financial health and stock performance. These insights can be found on the InvestingPro platform and may offer valuable guidance for investors considering this stock.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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