Copart operates online vehicle auctions and remarketing services, specializing in the retail automotive sector.
The company has established a dominant global presence by leveraging a sophisticated platform that efficiently connects vehicle sellers with a vast buyer network.
Updated: February 27, 2026, 16:00 EST
CPRT is trading in a technical downtrend, having declined significantly from its 52-week high and underperforming the broader market. The stock appears oversold near the lower end of its yearly range, suggesting potential for a rebound if sentiment improves, though momentum remains weak.
CPRT showcases strong profitability and exceptional financial health, with minimal debt and robust liquidity. However, recent softening in revenue and margins indicates some operational headwinds, which merit monitoring for persistence.
The stock trades at a modest trailing P/E, but the higher forward P/E implies anticipated earnings pressure. Key valuation metrics like EV/EBITDA appear elevated, yet without peer comparison, it's challenging to gauge relative attractiveness.
CPRT exhibits market-like volatility with a history of deep drawdowns, pointing to meaningful downside risk during downturns. Cyclical exposure to the automotive auction industry adds sensitivity to economic conditions.
Based on the mixed signals, CPRT is not currently a compelling buy. While its balance sheet is robust and the stock is technically oversold, softening fundamentals and valuation concerns outweigh the positives. Investors may prefer to wait for clearer signs of operational stabilization or a more attractive entry point before committing capital.
*Note: This is not investment advice, for reference only.*
Based on a comprehensive review, the 12-month outlook for CPRT is cautious but with potential for stabilization. Key catalysts for a rebound include its technically oversold position and its exceptionally strong, debt-light balance sheet, which provides resilience. However, the primary risks are persistent operational headwinds, evidenced by softening revenue and margins, and its cyclical sensitivity to broader economic conditions that could dampen automotive auction volumes. In the absence of a clear analyst target, a realistic price range would likely see the stock oscillate between the low $30s, offering support, and the mid-$40s, presenting resistance, as the market waits for fundamental improvement.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Copart, Inc.'s 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $38.09, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, CPRT has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
CPRT has exhibited significant underperformance with substantial price declines across multiple timeframes. The stock has experienced a severe drawdown from its 52-week highs, reflecting considerable investor pessimism.
The stock shows consistent weakness with -7.98% and -9.43% declines over one and three months respectively, significantly underperforming the market by -15.06%. This persistent downward trajectory indicates strong selling pressure and weak relative strength.
Currently trading at $37.15, CPRT sits near the lower end of its 52-week range, approximately 42% above the low but still 42% below the high. Given the substantial decline from recent highs and proximity to yearly lows, the stock appears deeply oversold based on technical positioning.
| Period | CPRT Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -6.2% | -1.4% |
| 3m | -6.5% | +4.1% |
| 6m | -20.0% | +7.5% |
| 1y | -30.5% | +15.4% |
| ytd | +0.8% | +0.4% |
Revenue & Profitability CPRT's Q2 revenue declined to $1.12 billion from $1.16 billion in Q1, with net profit margin contracting from 34.9% to 31.3%. The company maintains strong profitability with gross margins around 44% and operating margins near 35%, though both metrics showed sequential softening. This suggests some margin pressure despite the fundamentally profitable business model.
Financial Health The company exhibits exceptional financial health with minimal leverage, demonstrated by a near-zero debt ratio of 0.9% and no interest expense. Strong liquidity is evident through extremely high current and quick ratios above 9.0, supported by substantial cash reserves representing over 8 times current liabilities.
Operational Efficiency Operational efficiency appears mixed with a solid return on equity of 3.6% but relatively low asset turnover of 0.11. The company maintains efficient inventory management with high turnover of 15.0, though days sales outstanding of 69 indicates moderate collection periods. Operating cash flow coverage remains adequate at 1.33 times total debt.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardBased on the limited data available, CPRT appears modestly valued based on its trailing P/E ratio of 22.63. However, the forward P/E of 27.98 suggests an expectation of lower earnings growth, which warrants careful consideration. The stock does not appear significantly overvalued or undervalued on this primary metric alone, despite the negative PEG ratio indicating weak projected growth relative to its earnings multiple.
A comprehensive peer comparison is unfortunately not feasible as the necessary industry average data is unavailable. Consequently, an assessment of whether CPRT's valuation multiples—such as its elevated EV/EBITDA of 77.13 and P/B of 3.75—are high or low relative to its sector peers cannot be reliably determined. The analysis would be significantly strengthened by benchmarking these metrics against the broader industry.
Volatility Risk: CPRT exhibits systematic risk closely aligned with the broader market, as evidenced by its beta of 1.083, suggesting it should be slightly more volatile than the market average. This is substantiated by a significant 1-year maximum drawdown of -44.74%, indicating a high potential for substantial capital depreciation during market downturns.
Other Risks: The absence of notable short interest suggests a general market consensus on the company's fair valuation and a lack of widespread bearish sentiment. However, investors should still assess other factors like business model concentration and the inherent cyclicality of the automotive auction industry, which impact liquidity and operational stability.
Bearish. CPRT faces near-term pressure from recent earnings misses, rising operating costs, and analyst downgrades, which have driven significant underperformance. Weak technical momentum and its substantial drawdown from highs suggest continued selling pressure. This stock may only suit highly patient, long-term value investors willing to bet on a recovery of its fundamentally strong but currently challenged business.
Based on the metrics provided, CPRT appears modestly overvalued. While its trailing P/E of 22.63 may seem reasonable, the higher forward P/E of 28.0 suggests the market is anticipating lower future earnings. The negative PEG ratio of -1.96 is a significant red flag, indicating that its earnings multiple is not justified by its growth projections.
Compared to its own strong fundamentals—such as exceptional financial health with minimal debt and robust profitability—these valuation metrics (a high Price/Sales of 7.73 and elevated P/B of 3.75) suggest the stock price already reflects its quality, leaving limited room for multiple expansion. The recent contraction in revenue and profit margins further supports the view that the current valuation may be too optimistic.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding CPRT stock, ordered by importance:
1. Market Volatility Risk: The stock's high beta (1.083) and severe maximum drawdown (-44.74%) indicate it is highly vulnerable to broad market downturns, leading to significant potential capital loss. 2. Industry Cyclicality Risk: The company's core automotive auction business is inherently tied to the economic cycle, exposing it to operational instability and reduced liquidity during economic contractions. 3. Profitability Erosion Risk: Recent sequential declines in revenue and net profit margin (from 34.9% to 31.3%) signal emerging pressure on the company's high-margin business model. 4. Persistent Weak Momentum Risk: Significant and prolonged price declines across multiple timeframes, coupled with severe underperformance against the market, reflect strong selling pressure and a lack of positive catalysts.
Based on the provided analysis and current market dynamics, my forecast for CPRT stock through 2026 is as follows.
For a base case, I project a target price range of $38 - $45, reflecting stabilization after operational headwinds subside, while a bull case could reach $50 - $55, driven by stronger-than-anticipated economic recovery. Key growth drivers include the company's debt-free, cash-rich balance sheet providing strategic flexibility, potential for operational efficiency improvements to boost margins, and a rebound in automotive auction volumes tied to the economic cycle. My main assumptions are that cyclical pressures will begin to ease by late 2025 and that management will effectively leverage its strong financial position. This forecast carries significant uncertainty, as it is highly dependent on the health of the broader economy and the resolution of the current operational challenges.