• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Carvana

The ‘Amazon of Cars’ Has Filed For An IPO

By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 31, 2017, 9:24 PM ET
Courtesy of Carvana/Photo by jasonleiva.com

Carvana, the online marketplace for buying used vehicles, filed for an initial public offering on Friday.

The Phoenix-based startup, a self-described “Amazon of cars,” did not provide a price range or list how many shares it plans to offer in its regulatory filing. Carvana will trade under the ticker symbol CVNA on the New York Stock Exchange.

The company said it would raise up to $100 million, although the figure is likely a placeholder until investor interest can be gauged.

Carvana lets buyers shop for, finance, buy, and trade in used cars online. It’s a marketplace that has become crowded in recent years with a number of startups jumping into the space—all trying to carve out a space in the traditionally fragmented world of used car sales. Each one gives a slightly different spin on the idea like white-glove or concierge-style service.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about technology.

Carvana’s twist has been to develop—alongside its online business—multi-level glass-and-steel buildings that are described as automated car vending machines. Customers can choose to pick up their purchased vehicle at these “vending machines” or have the vehicle delivered.

Carvana has facilities throughout the U.S. that enable it to offer free, next-day delivery to local residents in nearly two dozen markets, including Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C.

Carvana opened its first car lot in late 2015 in Nashville, followed by Houston in December 2016. Carvana opened in two more cities this year, Austin and San Antonio.

The cost of expanding an online used car sales business has pushed some rivals out such as Beepi, which laid off 180 workers in December and was preparing to merge with not-yet-launched venture called Fair before those plans fell through.

Meanwhile, Carvana, which has failed to earn a profit since its inception in 2012, has nevertheless survived.

The company lost $93.1 million in 2016 on $365.1 million in revenue, nearly triple its $130.4 million in sales in the previous year, according to its regulatory filing.

During its history, Carvana has lost $152.6 million. Carvana said that it expects the losses to continue in the near term.

Prior to filing for an IPO, Carvana raised $460 million in funding from unnamed investors. In January, Ally Financial agreed to provide $600 million in financing to support Carvana’s retail operations over the next year.

About the Author
By Kirsten Korosec
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Current price of silver as of Thursday, April 2, 2026
Personal Financesilver
Current price of silver as of Thursday, April 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 2, 2026
2 minutes ago
‘This administration’s goal is to instill fear into people’: immigrants seeking asylum are sent to countries they’ve never been to
PoliticsImmigration
‘This administration’s goal is to instill fear into people’: immigrants seeking asylum are sent to countries they’ve never been to
By The Associated Press, Tim Sullivan, Garance Burke, Joshua Goodman, Molly A. Wallace and Rodney MuhumuzaApril 2, 2026
38 minutes ago
Ed Bastian took Delta from bankrupt to billions by putting employees first. He refuses to let AI disrupt that
C-SuiteFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
Ed Bastian took Delta from bankrupt to billions by putting employees first. He refuses to let AI disrupt that
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
45 minutes ago
wyle
CommentaryTV
What HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ gets right—and wrong—about treating alcohol use disorder
By Jonathan Hunt-GlassmanApril 2, 2026
45 minutes ago
Ed Bastian
SuccessCareers
12 Fortune 500 CEOs worked for Pepsi. Delta’s Ed Bastian explains why it’s a leadership factory
By Preston ForeApril 2, 2026
54 minutes ago
nic
CommentaryInsider trading
Prediction markets caught insider traders in real time. Congress wants to shut them down anyway
By Nic PuckrinApril 2, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they're turning 'welcomer cities' into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they're turning 'welcomer cities' into the next big tech towns
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
7 hours ago
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
Success
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
Economy
Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 30, 2026
3 days ago
2 years after Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage match, they were texting about DOGE and a joint OpenAI bid, court records reveal
Law
2 years after Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage match, they were texting about DOGE and a joint OpenAI bid, court records reveal
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.