Shares of Copart, Inc. CPRT, a provider of online vehicle auction and remarketing services to automotive resellers, have lost 10.3% in the past six months compared with the Zacks Auction and Valuation Services industry's decline of 10.8%. Shares of CPRT underperformed peers like ACV Auctions Inc. and OPENLANE, Inc. in the same time frame.
Six Months Price Comparison
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High spending on storage-capacity expansion and rising operating costs amid increasing G&A expenditure have taken a toll on the company’s performance. Copart has been investing heavily in storage capacity expansion. In fiscal 2024, capex amounted to $511 million, nearly all of which was related to capacity expansion. Copart will continue to prioritize expansion efforts, which, although necessary and advantageous for the long term, are likely to clip cash flows.
Operating costs have been on the rise for several quarters amid increasing G&A expenditure. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, G&A expense as a percentage of sales rose to 9.1% compared with 6.7% reported in the year-ago period. The G&A expense may continue to increase as the company continues to invest in sales, marketing and technology. Rising operating expenses would weigh on the company’s near-term margins.
On Sept. 4, 2024, Copart reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 (ended Jul 31, 2024) adjusted earnings per share of 33 cents, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 37 cents.
Technical indicators show that CPRT has been trading below the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) since Sept. 5, 2024. When a stock trades below its moving average, it could indicate a downtrend or a period of weakness in the stock price.
CPRT Stock Trades Below 50-Day Average
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On a further discouraging note, the company has seen its fiscal 2025 EPS estimates decline 6 cents over the past seven days.
Given the escalating costs, technical signals and downward estimate revisions for fiscal 2025, we think the stock is likely to underperform in the near term. So, it's best to avoid Copart now. CPRT currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Key Picks From Auto Space
If you wish to invest in the auto sector, consider buying some better-ranked stocks like Dorman Products, Inc. DORM, Blue Bird Corporation BLBD and Douglas Dynamics, Inc. PLOW, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for DORM’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 3.71% and 35.46%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved 51 cents and 37 cents, respectively, in the past 60 days.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BLBD’s 2024 sales and earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 17.58% and 215.89%, respectively. EPS estimates for 2024 and 2025 have improved 65 cents and 80 cents, respectively, in the past 60 days.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PLOW’s 2024 earnings suggests year-over-year growth of 60.4%. EPS estimates for 2024 have improved 15 cents in the past 60 days.
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