Avis Budget Group

CAR Q1 2026 Earnings

Reported Feb 18, 2026 at 4:02 PM ET · SEC Source

Q1 26 EPS

$N/A

Q1 26 Revenue

N/A

vs S&P Since Q1 26

+65.2%

BEATING MARKET

CAR +70.5% vs S&P +5.3%

Market Reaction

Did CAR Beat Earnings? Q1 2026 Results

Avis Budget Group delivered a deeply disappointing fourth quarter for fiscal 2025, with earnings collapsing far below expectations as a $518.00 million impairment charge tied to the accelerated rotation of its U.S. Electric vehicle rental fleet drove… Read more Avis Budget Group delivered a deeply disappointing fourth quarter for fiscal 2025, with earnings collapsing far below expectations as a $518.00 million impairment charge tied to the accelerated rotation of its U.S. Electric vehicle rental fleet drove a net loss of $856.00 million. The company posted an EPS of -$21.25, missing the consensus estimate of -$0.23 by a staggering 8946.40%, while revenue of $2.66 billion fell 2.96% short of the $2.75 billion estimate and declined 1.7% year-over-year. The EV write-down, connected to a strategic fleet restructuring and the Interpace Ventures transaction, proved the dominant story, overwhelming otherwise encouraging signals like an 18% decline in per-unit fleet costs and Adjusted EBITDA swinging to a positive $5.00 million from a loss of $101.00 million a year prior. Shares have shed roughly 21.8% since the February release, reflecting investor unease. CEO Brian Choi acknowledged the turbulence but pointed toward 2026, framing tighter fleet discipline and a projected Adjusted EBITDA of $800.00 million to $1.00 billion as evidence the repositioning is gaining traction.

Key Takeaways

  • Lower per-unit fleet costs drove Adjusted EBITDA improvement in both Americas and International segments
  • Revenue per day excluding exchange rate effects declined 2% year-over-year
  • Rental days declined 1% year-over-year
  • Vehicle utilization improved slightly to 68.0% from 67.7%
  • $518 million EV impairment charge from shortened useful life of certain U.S. electric vehicles

CAR Forward Guidance & Outlook

CEO Brian Choi indicated the company has repositioned the business heading into 2026, focusing on tightening fleet discipline, strengthening the balance sheet, and raising the bar on customer experience to drive sustainable earnings growth.

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CAR YoY Financials

Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025, source: SEC Filings

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CAR Revenue by Segment

With YoY comparisons, source: SEC Filings

Q1 25 Q4 25
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CAR Revenue by Geography

With YoY comparisons, source: SEC Filings

Q1 25 Q3 25

“As we enter 2026, we've repositioned the business and turned a challenging fourth quarter into a catalyst for meaningful change. We are tightening fleet discipline, strengthening our balance sheet, and raising the bar on customer experience to drive sustainable earnings growth.”

— Brian Choi, Q1 2026 Earnings Press Release