Carvana Co. (CVNA): A Bull Case Theory

We came across a bullish thesis on Carvana Co. (CVNA) on Investing City’s Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on CVNA. Carvana Co. (CVNA)'s share was trading at $320.31 as of 28^th May. CVNA’s trailing P/E was 111.61 according to Yahoo Finance.

Carvana operates as a vertically integrated e-commerce platform for buying and selling used vehicles, leveraging a direct-to-consumer model that bypasses traditional dealerships. The company sources vehicles from customers and auctions, reconditions them at its proprietary Inspection and Reconditioning Centers (IRCs), and delivers them through its in-house logistics network. This integration enables Carvana to control the customer experience, cost structure, and vehicle quality, while also collecting valuable data to optimize operations.

A key element of its business is financing: Carvana generates substantial gross profit through retail loan sales and securitizations, with over 80% of retail units financed through its platform. The company has refined its loan underwriting capabilities, allowing it to monetize both high and low credit tier loans across different channels. Over the years, Carvana has faced steep losses driven by aggressive growth, elevated SG&A expenses, and macroeconomic headwinds. However, recent quarters reflect a strategic pivot toward profitability through cost cuts, operational efficiencies, and tighter inventory management. Carvana’s unique asset-light model, powered by data-driven pricing, national vehicle access, and a vast fulfillment infrastructure, creates barriers to entry that are hard to replicate.

Despite this, it faces risks from rising interest rates, used car price volatility, and potential regulatory scrutiny around its financing practices. The founder-led team remains a core strength, having built a complex platform with network effects, although execution missteps could undermine long-term value creation. Overall, Carvana's combination of logistical scale, digital convenience, and financing capabilities positions it as a potential long-term winner in the evolving used car retail landscape.

Previously, we have covered Carvana Co. (CVNA) in January 2025 wherein we summarized a bullish thesis by a user on the wallstreetbets subreddit. The user cited Hindenburg Research’s report alleging weak financials and risky debt, with JP Morgan’s defense seen as a red flag. Rising rates, falling demand, and high cash burn raised doubts about Carvana’s sustainability as institutions began hedging their exposure. Since our last coverage, the stock is up 57.51% as of 28^th May.

Carvana Co. (CVNA) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 17 hedge fund portfolios held CVNA at the end of the first quarter which was 14 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of CVNA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CVNA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.