Report
Valens Research

KAR - Embedded Expectations Analysis - 2020 01 24

KAR Auction Services, Inc. (KAR:USA) currently trades below corporate averages relative to UAFRS-based (Uniform) Earnings, with a 16.9x Uniform P/E. At these levels, markets are pricing in bearish expectations for the firm, and management may be concerned about a slowdown in car sales, margins, and the potential of VirtuaLane.

Specifically, management may be downplaying concerns about auction competition, the result of their insurance claims, and the slowdown in car sales. Moreover, they may lack confidence in their ability to find efficiencies in their core auction business to improve margins, and they may be concerned about the impact of potential auction lane reductions. Furthermore, they may be overstating the potential of VirtuaLane and the advantages of their joint TradeRev-ADESA sales effort.
Underlying
KAR Auction Services Inc.

KAR Auction Services is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services in North America and Europe. The company facilitates a marketplace by providing auction services for sellers of used, or whole car, vehicles through its North American physical auction locations. The company's segments include: ADESA, Inc.'s Auctions, which provides whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry in North America through online auctions and auction facilities; and Automotive Finance Corporation, which provides floorplan financing to independent used vehicle dealers through branches throughout North America.

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Valens Research
Valens Research

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