What Happened?

Shares of online used car dealer Carvana (NYSE: CVNA) jumped 3.3% in the afternoon session after investor optimism grew ahead of its third-quarter earnings report, scheduled for release on October 29. Wall Street expected the online used car platform to report a significant jump in earnings, with forecasts pointing to a year-over-year increase of over 100%. Revenue was also projected to climb by about 40% to over $5 billion. 

After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $365.71, up 3% from previous close.

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What Is The Market Telling Us

Carvana’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 42 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock gained 4.1% on the news that the release of a cooler-than-expected inflation report fueled optimism for a potential interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve. The September Consumer Price Index (CPI) indicated a 3.0% year-over-year rise, slightly below the 3.1% forecast. Investors viewed this as a positive sign that inflation is moderating, increasing the probability of a more accommodative monetary policy from the central bank. A potential rate cut is seen as a significant catalyst for the tech sector, as lower borrowing costs can enhance profitability and encourage companies to reinvest in growth and innovation. This renewed confidence was reflected in the market's broad gains, with technology and semiconductor stocks leading the charge.

Carvana is up 83.3% since the beginning of the year, and at $365.71 per share, it is trading close to its 52-week high of $395.41 from September 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Carvana’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,802.

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