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Verdict
Quantitative factor alignment verified for current market regime.
Quant Score
Rank
#4268
Positioning
Market Dominance
Retail Trade
Retail
$184M
Jeffrey A. Williams
America's Car-Mart, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Rogers, Arkansas. As of April 30, 2021, it operated 151 dealerships in the South-Central United States.
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X-AXIS: EV/EBITDA (LOWER = CHEAPER) | Y-AXIS: ROE (HIGHER = ELITE) | RED CIRCLE = CRMT ANALYSIS TARGET
| Stock | Rating | Score▼ | Quality | Value | Momentum | P/E | EV/EBITDA | ROE | ROA | Gross Mgn | Op Mgn | Net Mgn | Rev Growth | Div Yield | D/E | Mkt Cap | AUDIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$ARCO Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. | 73 | 85 | 89 | 65 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$IMKTA INGLES MARKETS INC | 70 | 73 | 89 | 76 | 11.3x | 4.1x | 6.9% | 4.1% | 24.3% | 2.8% | 1.9% | -3.4% | 1.1% | 33.0x | $1.2B | VS | |
$SGU STAR GROUP, L.P. | 69 | 82 | 79 | 63 | - | - | -25.2% | -10.6% | 28.1% | -6.3% | -5.4% | -7.8% | 6.1% | 57.0x | $396M | VS | |
$EZPW EZCORP INC | 68 | 77 | 82 | 89 | 7.2x | 4.2x | 12.0% | 6.2% | 59.1% | 11.6% | 8.5% | 10.5% | 0.0% | 52.0x | $764M | VS | |
$HTHT H World Group Ltd | 68 | 91 | 44 | 84 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$DDL Dingdong (Cayman) Ltd | 68 | 86 | 82 | 57 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$SBH Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. | 68 | 83 | 92 | 77 | 5.1x | 2.3x | 32.0% | 6.6% | 51.5% | 8.4% | 4.9% | -1.0% | 0.0% | 178.0x | $934M | VS | |
$SPH SUBURBAN PROPANE PARTNERS LP | 67 | 80 | 90 | 53 | - | 13.0x | 0.4% | -3.5% | 61.7% | 2.1% | -5.7% | 2.2% | 7.1% | 190.0x | $1.2B | VS | |
$IHG INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP PLC /NEW/ | 67 | 63 | 81 | 67 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ROST ROSS STORES, INC. | 67 | 63 | 55 | 83 | 25.2x | 16.5x | 34.8% | 13.3% | 28.0% | 11.6% | 9.1% | 10.4% | 1.0% | 26.0x | $51.6B | VS | |
$CRMT AMERICAS CARMART INC | 33 | 38 | 34 | 21 | 119.5x | 17.3x | 0.3% | 0.1% | 48.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 13.9% | 0.0% | 185.0x | $184M | ||
| SECTOR BENCH | - | - | - | - | - | 21.4x | 9.1x | 9.6% | 3.6% | 37.3% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 3.7% | 0.0% | 0.7x | - | REF |
AMERICAS CARMART INC (CRMT) receives a "Avoid" rating with a composite score of 33.4/100. It ranks #4268 out of 7,333 stocks in our coverage universe and carries a 1-star rating. Ratings are driven by a 6-factor quantitative model measuring quality, value, momentum, investment, stability, and short interest.
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Lagging peers — losers tend to keep underperforming
Expensive relative to fundamentals — limited margin of safety
Average quality profile
Average volatility — neutral timing signal
Aggressive spending — empire-building risk, dilutive growth
Below-average composite — caution warranted
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Relative valuation derived from Retail Trade sector benchmarks. Model weights: EV/EBITDA (40%), P/B (35%), P/S (25%). Re-calculated daily.
Projection based on user-defined inputs. Re-calculated daily against current market data.
Reverse DCF Framework — Mauboussin Methodology
Institutional-grade Reverse DCF analysis. This model identifies the growth hurdles embedded in current market prices. When implied growth is significantly lower than historical or projected rates, a margin of safety may exist. Re-audited daily.
No analyst ratings for CRMT.
View All Ratings| Factor | Global | Sector | Tilt |
|---|---|---|---|
| PROFITABILITY | 38 | 28 | +10ALPHA |
| MOMENTUM | 21 | 14 | +7ALPHA |
| VALUATION | 34 | 26 | +8ALPHA |
| INVESTMENT | 31 | 35 | -4NEUTRAL |
| STABILITY | 41 | 41 | 0NEUTRAL |
| SHORT INT | 36 | 27 | +9ALPHA |
Global = full universe. Sector = relative to industry peers. Positive tilt indicates idiosyncratic strength.
ROIC -4.2% vs WACC 4.8% (spread -9.0%)
GM 48% vs sector 37%, OM 0% vs sector 4%
Capital turnover 2.45x
Rev growth 14%, 11yr history
Interest coverage -1.7x
Composite assessment of profitability, capital efficiency, and financial strength. Top-tier entities demonstrate sustainable cash flow generation and elite competitive moats.
Profit generated per dollar of shareholder equity
Efficiency of asset utilization
Pricing power and cost efficiency
Core business profitability
Bottom-line profitability
The Quality factor evaluates the persistence and magnitude of realized cash flows. Companies with scores >70 exhibit superior pricing power and structural financial resilience through diverse economic regimes.
Our uncertainty rating tracks the predictability of future cash flows and potential for permanent capital loss. Moderate visibility with standard industry cyclicality.
We rate AMERICAS CARMART INC (CRMT) as Avoid with a composite score of 33.4/100 at a current price of $20.33. The stock falls in the bottom quintile, and the multi-factor weakness suggests a high probability of continued underperformance.
AMERICAS CARMART INC holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Retail Trade sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 33.4/100 places it at rank #4268 in our full universe.
No Moat
High
Poor
Fair Value
Gross margins of 48% signal strong pricing power.
Stable competitive position in a defensive sector.
Elevated P/E ratio of 119.5x leaves little room for execution misses.
Leverage of 185% D/E amplifies downside risk.
Weak momentum suggests persistent institutional selling pressure.
AMERICAS CARMART INC represents a avoid based on multi-factor quantitative performance.
Our quantitative model flags AMERICAS CARMART INC with an Avoid rating, assigning a composite score of 33.4/100 and 1 out of 5 stars. Ranked #4268 of 7,333 stocks, CRMT falls in the bottom tier across key factors. Historically, stocks with this profile have faced elevated risk of underperformance and capital loss.
CRMT's quality score of 38/100 is below average, suggesting challenges with profitability or capital efficiency. The company reports a return on equity of 0.3% (sector avg: 9.6%), gross margins of 48.3% (sector avg: 37.3%), net margins of 0.1% (sector avg: 2.4%). Investors should examine whether management is actively addressing these weaknesses or if they reflect structural industry headwinds.
With a value score of 34/100, CRMT appears somewhat expensive relative to its fundamentals. Key valuation metrics include a P/E ratio of 119.51x, an EV/EBITDA of 17.34x, a P/B ratio of 0.33x. Investors paying a premium here are likely betting on above-average growth or margin expansion to justify current prices.
AMERICAS CARMART INC's investment score of 31/100 suggests limited reinvestment activity. Key growth metrics include revenue growth of 13.9% vs. a sector average of 3.7% and a return on assets of 0.1% (sector: 3.6%). While this can be positive for mature, cash-generative businesses returning capital to shareholders, it may also signal a lack of growth opportunities or management conservatism.
AMERICAS CARMART INC is experiencing notably weak momentum with a score of just 21/100. The stock has underperformed its peers and is trending below major moving averages. Revenue growth stands at 13.9% year-over-year, while a beta of 1.03 reflects its sensitivity to broader market moves. While deep momentum weakness can occasionally present value opportunities, it often reflects deteriorating fundamentals or structural headwinds that may persist.
CRMT's stability score of 41/100 signals elevated volatility and/or leverage concerns. Key stability metrics include a beta of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 185.00x (sector avg: 0.7x). Investors should be prepared for wider-than-average price swings and consider position sizing accordingly to manage portfolio risk.
AMERICAS CARMART INC's short interest score of 36/100 reveals significant bearish positioning, suggesting institutional investors are actively betting against the stock. Specific risk factors include elevated leverage (D/E: 185.00x), micro-cap liquidity risk. At $184M (micro-cap), CRMT carries meaningful risk and is best suited for investors with high risk tolerance who have thoroughly evaluated the bear thesis.
AMERICAS CARMART INC is a micro-cap company in the Retail Trade sector, ranked #0 of 50 in its sector (100th percentile) and #4268 of 7,333 overall (42nd percentile). Key comparisons include ROE of 0.3% trailing the 9.6% sector median and operating margins of 0.2% below the 4.4% sector average. This top-quartile standing reflects exceptional competitive strength relative to Retail Trade peers.
While CRMT currently exhibits a AVOID profile, superior opportunities exist within the RETAIL TRADE sector. Our model identifies several "Strong Buy" candidates with higher quality scores and more attractive valuations among direct industry competitors.
View Top Retail Trade Alpha →Quant Factor Profile
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Improvement in Momentum (21) would have the largest impact on the composite score.
EV/EBITDA 90% ABOVE SECTOR MEDIAN
ROE 97% BELOW SECTOR MEDIAN
Gross Margin 30% ABOVE SECTOR MEDIAN (FAVORABLE)
Above 50MA
37.18%
Net New Highs
+51081
There wouldn't be many who think America's Car-Mart, Inc.'s ( NASDAQ:CRMT ) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x is...
America's Car-Mart completed the second phase of its cost-cutting plan, consolidating 13 underperforming locations into higher-performing nearby dealerships. Combined with Phase 1's five consolidations completed in November 2025, the company has closed 18 total locations across South-Central markets. Management states the strategy aims to improve operational efficiency and returns while maintaining customer service.
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