Analyst Ratings February 24, 2026

Citizens Sticks With ACV Auctions Rating, Cites Proprietary Lot-Level Data as Key Asset

Analyst reiterates Market Outperform and $8 target as ACV reports mixed Q4 2025 results and continued product catalysts loom

By Jordan Park ACVA
Citizens Sticks With ACV Auctions Rating, Cites Proprietary Lot-Level Data as Key Asset
ACVA

Citizens reiterated a Market Outperform rating on ACV Auctions (ACVA) and kept an $8.00 price target, pointing to the companys proprietary, lot-level data as a material competitive advantage. InvestingPro places a Fair Value at $8.40, implying the stock remains undervalued relative to its current trading level. ACV reported mixed fourth-quarter 2025 results, with revenue beating estimates but an EPS miss that drew investor attention. The firm cautioned that revenue growth has decelerated and is expected to slow further in the first quarter of 2026, even as product rollouts and a largely offline dealer base support market-share opportunities.

Key Points

  • Citizens reiterated a Market Outperform rating and an $8.00 price target on ACV Auctions, implying about 41% upside from the $5.68 share price.
  • InvestingPro data shows a Fair Value of $8.40, suggesting the stock may be undervalued relative to that assessment.
  • ACV's proprietary lot-level data is cited as a core asset that already predicts pricing, while product catalysts (Viper, Clear Car, Max) and an industry where ~70% of dealers remain offline support further market-share opportunity.

Citizens has reaffirmed its Market Outperform rating on ACV Auctions Inc (NASDAQ:ACVA) and reiterated an $8.00 price target, signaling potential upside from the stock's recent trading level. Based on the current share price of $5.68, Citizens' target represents roughly 41% upside. Separately, InvestingPro-derived data identifies a Fair Value of $8.40 for the company, indicating the stock may be trading below its assessed intrinsic level.

The research note emphasizes a strategic strength for ACV Auctions: data captured directly from the company's on-site presence at dealers' lots. Citizens says this lot-level, proprietary data is already demonstrating accuracy in predicting vehicle pricing, and the firm views that data asset as a central advantage for ACV's business model.

On top of its data advantage, Citizens highlighted a slate of product initiatives that could act as commercial catalysts. The firm listed Viper, Clear Car, and Max as upcoming offerings that could influence the company's growth trajectory.

Citizens acknowledged a slowdown in revenue expansion. While ACV still achieved 23% revenue growth over the trailing 12 months, the analyst forecast calls for further deceleration in the first quarter of 2026. The research note also noted that roughly 70% of the industry remains offline, a market condition Citizens believes gives ACV's buyer-and-seller platform room to continue capturing share.

The firm recommended that investors consider the recent pullback in ACV's shares as a buying opportunity. Shares have declined about 12% over the past month, and Citizens maintained its Market Outperform stance and the $8 target in light of the company's positioning and product roadmap.

Additional context comes from ACV Auctions' reported fourth-quarter 2025 financial results. The company posted revenue of $184.0 million, topping analysts' consensus of $182.1 million. Earnings per share, however, came in at -$0.11, missing the forecasted -$0.01. According to the update, the EPS shortfall prompted investor concern despite the top-line beat.

The company did not report any mergers or acquisitions in the disclosed period. The recent updates also did not include any analyst upgrades or downgrades. InvestingPro commentary included a tip noting that analysts expect ACV to be profitable this year; that tip is identified as one of 10 ProTips available for the company and is accompanied by a more detailed Pro Research Report.


While Citizens points to a differentiated data asset and multiple product catalysts, the firm also flags decelerating revenue growth as a near-term headwind. The combination of an EPS miss in the latest quarter and a sizable offline dealer base presents both opportunity and execution risk as ACV works to expand its footprint and monetize proprietary lot-level information.

Risks

  • Revenue growth has slowed and is expected to slow further in Q1 2026, presenting near-term growth risk for the company's financial trajectory.
  • The company's latest quarterly results included an EPS miss (-$0.11 versus an expected -$0.01), which raised concerns among investors and highlights margin or cost pressures.
  • Shares have declined about 12% over the past month, reflecting market sensitivity to recent results and execution on product rollouts; no analyst upgrades or downgrades were reported, and no M&A activity was disclosed.

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