Carvana (CVNA) 10-K2020 FY Annual report

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

For a discussion of the various risks we face from regulation and compliance matters, see Item 1A "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—We operate in several highly regulated industries and are subject to a wide range of federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Changes in these laws and regulations, or our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition."

The rapid spread of COVID-19 since late 2019 has resulted in authorities implementing numerous measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter in place orders and shutdowns. These measures have impacted and may further impact all or portions of our workforce and operations, the behavior of our customers, and the operations of our partners, vendors, and suppliers. While the federal and state governments have taken measures to try to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, there is considerable uncertainty regarding such measures and potential future measures. Future restrictions on our access to and utilization of our logistics and distribution network, our corporate offices, our inspection and reconditioning centers, our hubs, our vending machines, and/or our support operations or workforce, or similar limitations for our partners, vendors, or suppliers, and restrictions or disruptions of transportation, could limit our ability to conduct our business and have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects. There is no certainty that measures taken by governmental authorities will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and our ability to perform critical functions could be harmed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly increased economic and demand uncertainty, and has led to disruption and volatility in the global capital markets, which can increase the cost of capital and adversely impact access to capital. It is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to cause economic distress in certain sectors of the economy, and it is possible that it could cause a global recession. Decreases in consumer demand could adversely affect the market for used vehicles and, as a result, reduce the number of consumers using our platform. Consumer purchases of new and used vehicles generally decline during recessionary periods and other periods in which disposable income is adversely affected. Further risks related to negative economic conditions are described in our risk factor below titled "Our business is subject to risks related to the larger automotive ecosystem, including consumer demand, global supply chain challenges, and other macroeconomic issues."

The ultimate magnitude of COVID-19, including the extent of its impact on our financial and operational results, which could be material, will be determined by the length of time that the pandemic continues, its effect on the demand for our vehicles, our inventory supply chain and distribution, and the capital markets, as well as the effect of governmental regulations imposed in response to the pandemic. We cannot at this time predict the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.

We have not been profitable since our inception in 2012 and had an accumulated loss of approximately $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2020. We incurred net losses of $254.7 million, $364.6 million, and $462.2 million in the years ended December 31, 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. We expect to make significant investments to further develop and expand our business and these investments may not result in increased revenue or growth on a timely basis or at all. In addition, as a public company, we have and will continue to incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses. As a result of these expenditures, we will have to generate and sustain increased revenue to achieve and maintain profitability.

We expect to continue to incur losses as we invest in and strive to grow our business. We may incur significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including investing in growth, slowing demand for used vehicles and our related products and services, increasing competition, weakness in the automotive retail industry generally, a decline in global financial conditions that negatively impacts economic activity and employment, as well as other risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and we may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, and delays in generating revenue or profitability. If our rate of generating revenue slows, we may not be able to reduce costs in a timely manner because many of our costs are fixed. In addition, if we reduce variable costs to respond to losses, this may limit our ability to acquire customers and grow our revenues. Accordingly, we may not achieve or maintain profitability and we may continue to incur significant losses in the future.

In the calendar years 2018, 2019, and 2020, our revenue grew from $2.0 billion, to $3.9 billion, to $5.6 billion, respectively. For our revenues to continue to increase, we need to successfully increase our penetration in existing markets, enter new markets, acquire more customers, gain repeat customers, and expand our brand awareness. The foregoing may not happen at all or may not happen as quickly as we expect. Our failure to successfully accomplish the foregoing could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operation.

We expect that, in the future, even if our revenue increases, our rate of growth may decline. In any event, we will not be able to grow as fast or at all if we do not:

There can be no assurance that we will meet these objectives. We expect to continue to expend substantial financial and other resources on:

Our historical rapid growth has placed and may continue to place significant demands on our management and our operational and financial resources. We have experienced significant growth in the number of users of our platform as well as the amount of data that we analyze. We have hired and expect to continue hiring additional personnel to support our rapid growth. Our organizational structure is becoming more complex as we add staff, and we will need to improve our operational, financial, and management controls as well as our reporting systems and procedures. We will require significant capital expenditures and the allocation of valuable management resources to grow and change in these areas without undermining our corporate culture of rapid innovation, teamwork, and attention to the car-buying and car-selling experience for the consumer. If we cannot manage our growth effectively to maintain the quality and efficiency of our customers’ car-buying and car-selling experience and the quality of the vehicles we sell, our business could be harmed and our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Our business has grown rapidly as additional customers have sold us their vehicles and purchased used vehicles and complementary products and services through our platform. However, our business is relatively new and has operated at substantial scale for only a limited period of time. Given this limited history, it is difficult to predict whether we will be able to maintain or grow our business. We also expect that our business will evolve in ways that may be difficult to predict. For example, over time our investments that are intended to drive new customer traffic to our website may be less productive than expected. In the event of this or any other adverse developments, our continued success will depend on our ability to successfully adjust our strategy to meet changing market dynamics. If we are unable to do so, our business could be harmed and our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

Irrespective of their validity, complaints or negative publicity—about our business practices, our marketing, and advertising campaigns, our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the integrity of the data that we provide to users, our cybersecurity measures and privacy practices and other aspects of our business—could diminish customer confidence in our platform and adversely affect our brand. The growing use of social media increases the speed with which information, misinformation, and opinions can be shared and thus the speed with which our reputation can be affected. If we fail to correct or mitigate misinformation or negative information about us, the vehicles we offer to sell or purchase, our customer experience, or any aspect of our brand, including information spread through social media or traditional media channels, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, sales, and results of operations.

We launched our first market in 2013 and do not have a long history operating as a commercial company. In addition, we have only operated independently of DriveTime since November 1, 2014, and, following our spinoff from DriveTime, we remained dependent on DriveTime for a number of important operations, including locations for certain of our inspection and reconditioning centers ("IRCs"), vehicle inventory purchasing, and a number of administrative services. While many services historically provided by DriveTime are now provided by other vendors or have been brought in house we continue to utilize DriveTime for certain services. Due to this and other factors, our operating results are not predictable and our historical results may not be indicative of our future results.

We expect our quarterly results of operations, including our revenue, gross profit, and profitability, if any, and cash flow to vary significantly in the future based in part on, among other things, consumers’ car-buying patterns. Used vehicle sales exhibit seasonality with sales typically peaking late in the first calendar quarter (coinciding with the time when the federal government issues tax refunds) and diminishing through the rest of the year, with the lowest relative level of sales expected to occur in the fourth calendar quarter. Due to our rapid growth, our sales patterns to date have been different from the general seasonality of the used vehicle industry, but we expect this to change once our business and markets mature. Used-vehicle prices also exhibit seasonality, with used vehicles depreciating at a faster rate in the last two quarters of each year and a slower rate in the first two quarters of each year. Historically, this has led our gross profit per unit to be higher on average in the first half of the year than in the second half of the year. Other factors that may cause our quarterly results to fluctuate include, without limitation:

In addition, a significant portion of our expenses are fixed and do not vary proportionately with fluctuations in revenues. Accordingly, our results in any quarter may not indicate the results we may achieve in any subsequent quarter or for the full year, and period-to-period comparisons of our operating results may not be meaningful.

We were incubated by and may benefit from our relationship and a series of arrangements with DriveTime not negotiated at arm’s length, as DriveTime is controlled by our controlling shareholder who is also the father of our chief executive officer. Currently, many services that DriveTime historically provided to us (including certain accounting, finance, legal, human resources, payroll and benefits, tax, information technology, real estate, and inventory purchasing) are now provided by alternative vendors or have been brought in-house. Consequently, certain of our historical costs may not accurately reflect our future costs to the extent that DriveTime no longer provides us with such services or refuses to continue doing so at currently contracted-for prices.

For example, DriveTime built certain of our IRCs in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, and New Jersey and is now our landlord at many such sites. Verde Investments, Inc. ("Verde"), an affiliate of DriveTime, formerly leased to us our Arizona IRC and sold it to us in 2020. If we are unable to time-efficiently and cost-effectively construct or acquire additional IRCs in the future, our production capacity may not be sufficient to satisfy customer demand. In addition, we lease certain of our hubs from DriveTime. If we cannot similarly lease space for new hubs or IRCs from DriveTime at prices consistent with their historical prices, or at all, we may not be able to expand production or penetration into markets as quickly as we have historically and we may incur additional costs in such expansion.

We continue to periodically engage DriveTime, its affiliates, and other entities controlled by our controlling shareholder to provide us with certain services, including the administration of certain VSCs, GAP waiver coverage, and other related products sold to our customers. We also continue to utilize DriveTime for certain information technology systems and services. For example, we rely on DriveTime’s inventory management system to support our revenue recognition process. Should DriveTime fail to adequately perform any of these services or maintain these systems on terms or at prices consistent with their historical prices, or at all, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

Additionally, DriveTime has in the past and may in the future purchase or sell certain vehicles or automotive finance receivables from or to us. However, there can be no assurance that they will do so on the same or similar terms, or at all. As a result, our historical results may not be reflected in our future results.

Before and after we sell automotive receivables originated by us, DriveTime performs ongoing servicing and collections. If DriveTime is unwilling to enter into servicing arrangements for our future auto receivable facilities on terms or at prices consistent with their historical prices or at all, our revenues derived from the sale of those receivables may decline as a result. If DriveTime refuses to continue servicing and collecting on automotive finance receivables originated by us before we sell them, our ability to adequately prepare such receivables for sale may be adversely affected.

We face significant competition from companies that provide listings, information, lead generation, and car-buying and selling services designed to reach businesses and consumers and enable dealers to reach these consumers and inventory sources.

Our current and future competitors may include:

Our competitors may also develop and market new technologies that render our existing or future business model, products and services less competitive, unmarketable or obsolete. For example, rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, are becoming increasingly popular as a means of transportation and may decrease consumer demand for the used vehicles we sell, particularly if urbanization increases. Technology is currently being developed to produce automated, driverless vehicles that could reduce the demand for, or replace, traditional vehicles including the used vehicles that we sell. In addition, if our competitors develop business models, products or services with similar or superior functionality to our solutions, it may adversely impact our business.

Our competitors may also impede our ability to reach consumers or commence operations in certain jurisdictions. For example, our competitors may increase their search engine optimization efforts and outbid us for search terms on various search engines. Additionally, our competitors could use their political influence and increase lobbying efforts to hinder our real estate entitlements processes, push for new regulations, or encourage interpretations of existing regulations that would prevent us from operating in certain jurisdictions.

Our current and potential competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing, and other resources than we have, and the ability to devote greater resources to the development, promotion and support of their products and services. Additionally, they may have more extensive automotive industry relationships, longer operating histories, and greater name recognition than we have. As a result, these competitors may be able to respond more quickly with new technologies and to undertake more extensive marketing or promotional campaigns. If we are unable to compete with these companies, the demand for our used vehicles, products, and services could substantially decline.

Private plaintiffs and federal, state, and local regulatory and law enforcement authorities continue to scrutinize advertising, sales, financing, and insurance activities in the purchase, sale, and leasing of used vehicles. If, as a result, other automotive retailers adopt more transparent, consumer-oriented business practices, our differentiation versus those retailers could be reduced.

In addition, if one or more of our competitors, or DriveTime, were to merge or partner with another of our competitors, the change in the competitive landscape could adversely affect our ability to compete effectively. Our competitors may also establish or strengthen cooperative relationships with our current or future data providers, technology partners, or other parties with whom we have relationships, thereby limiting our ability to develop, improve, and promote our solutions. We may not be able to compete successfully against current or future competitors, and competitive pressures may harm our revenue, business, and financial results.

Any significant changes in prices for new or used vehicles could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations. For example, if prices for used vehicles rise relative to prices for new vehicles, it could make buying a new vehicle more attractive to our customers than buying a used vehicle, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and could result in reduced used vehicle sales and lower revenue. Additionally, manufacturer incentives could contribute to narrowing the price gap between new and used vehicles. Used vehicle prices may also decline due to an increased number of new vehicle lease returns over the next several years. While lower used vehicle prices reduce our cost of acquiring new inventory, lower prices could also lead to reductions in the prices at which we can sell such inventory, which could have a negative impact on gross profit. Furthermore, any significant changes in wholesale prices for used vehicles could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations by reducing wholesale margins.

We acquire vehicles for sale through numerous sources, including directly from consumers, from wholesale auctions, and from other retailers. There can be no assurance that the supply of desirable used vehicles will be sufficient to meet our needs. A reduction in the availability of or access to sources of desirable inventory could have a material adverse effect on our business, sales and results of operations.

Additionally, we evaluate hundreds of thousands of potential vehicles daily using a proprietary algorithm to predict mechanical soundness, consumer desirability and relative value as prospective inventory. If we fail to adjust appraisal offers to stay in line with broader market trade-in offer trends, to recognize those trends, or to properly assess vehicles before we purchase them, it could adversely affect our ability to acquire desirable inventory. Our ability to source vehicles through our appraisal process could also be affected by competition, both from new and used vehicle dealers directly and through other websites driving appraisal traffic to those dealers. In addition, we remain dependent on others to sell us used vehicles, and there can be no assurance of an adequate supply of such vehicles on terms that are attractive to us.

Our purchases of used vehicles are based in large part on projected demand. If actual sales are materially less than our forecasts, we would experience an over-supply of used vehicle inventory. An over-supply of used vehicle inventory will generally cause downward pressure on our product sales prices and margins and increase our average days to sale.

Used-vehicle inventory has typically represented a significant portion of our total assets. Having such a large portion of our total assets in the form of used vehicle inventory for an extended period of time subjects us to depreciation and other risks. Accordingly, if we have excess inventory or our average days to sale increases, we may be unable to liquidate such inventory at prices that allow us to meet margin targets or to recover our costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We provide financing to customers and typically sell the receivables related to the financing contract. For example, we have entered into various arrangements to sell automotive finance receivables that we originate, including through securitizations and fixed pool loan sales to financing partners, and plan to enter into new arrangements in the future. If we are no longer able to sell receivables to our financing partners for a variety of reasons, including because we reached our capacity under these or future arrangements, our financing partners exercised constructive or other termination rights before we reached capacity or we reached the scheduled expiration date of the commitment, and we are not able to enter into new arrangements on similar terms, we may not have adequate liquidity and our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected. Furthermore, if our financing partners cease to purchase these receivables, we could be subject to the risk that some of these receivables are not paid when due and we are forced to incur unexpected asset write-offs and bad-debt expense.

In connection with the sale of used vehicles, many of our customers use our financing services to finance a portion of the purchase price of their vehicle. The prices we are able to charge for finance receivables that we sell are based on a variety of factors, including the terms and credit risk associated with the automotive finance receivables, the relationship between the interest rates we quoted the customer at the time they priced their financing and market and projected interest rates at the time we sell the finance receivables, the historical credit performance of the finance receivables we sell, the financing partner and securitization purchaser demand and other factors. If these variables or others were to change, we might be required to reduce our sale prices on finance receivables, sell fewer of them, or both, which could reduce our gains on sales of finance receivables. Any material reduction in our interest rate spread or gains on sale of finance receivables could have a material adverse effect on our business, results, of operations, and financial condition. Furthermore, customers may elect to finance their vehicle purchases through other parties who may be able to offer more attractive terms, in which case we would lose a source of what has historically been a significant portion of our gross profit.

We offer financing to our customers to facilitate their purchases of used vehicles. The terms of the financing we offer are dependent in part on our assessment of such customers’ credit-worthiness, which is based on data gathered from customers and other parties. If the information we rely on is inaccurate or fraudulent, we may offer inappropriate terms to our customers, resulting in originating receivables that we are unable to collect or sell because they are based on inaccurate credit profiles. Originating a material amount of receivables with inaccurate or fraudulent credit profiles could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We believe that an important component of our growth will be the growth of visitors to our website. Because we are a consumer brand, we rely heavily on marketing and advertising to increase brand visibility with potential customers. We currently advertise through a blend of brand and direct advertising channels with the goal of increasing the strength, recognition, and trust in the Carvana brand and driving more unique visitors to our website. We recorded expenses of approximately $111.2 million, $204.0 million, and $286.4 million on advertising in the years ended December 31, 2018, December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Our business model relies on our ability to scale rapidly and to decrease incremental customer acquisition costs over time as we grow. If we are unable to recover our marketing costs through increases in customer traffic and in the number of transactions by users of our platform, if our advertising partners refuse to customize their products and services to accommodate our business model, if our advertising partners refuse to work with us at competitive rates or at all, or if our broad marketing campaigns are not successful or are terminated, it could have a material adverse effect on our growth, results of operations, and financial condition.

We depend in part on internet search engines (such as Google and Bing), vehicle listing sites (such as AutoTrader.com, CarGurus.com and TrueCar.com), lead generators, automotive finance partners, and social networking sites (such as Facebook) to drive traffic to our website. Our ability to maintain and increase the number of visitors directed to our website is not entirely within our control. Our competitors may increase their search engine optimization efforts and outbid us for placement on various vehicle listing sites or search terms on various search engines, resulting in their websites receiving a higher search result page ranking than ours. Additionally, internet search engines could revise their methodologies in a way that would adversely affect our search result rankings. If internet search engines modify their search algorithms in ways that are detrimental to us, if vehicle listing sites refuse to display any or all of our inventory in certain geographic markets, or if our competitors’ efforts are more successful than ours, overall growth in our customer base could slow or our customer base could decline. Internet search engine providers could provide automotive dealer and pricing information directly in search results, align with our competitors or choose to develop competing services. Our website has experienced fluctuations in search result rankings in the past, and we anticipate similar fluctuations in the future. Any reduction in the number of users directed to our website through internet search engines, vehicle listing sites, lead generators, automotive finance providers, or social networking sites could harm our business and operating results.

Our logistics operations, which we depend on to transport vehicles to and from auctions, our IRCs, our vending machines, our hubs and our customers, are subject to regulation by the DOT and by the states through which our vehicles travel. Transport vehicle dimensions, transport vehicle conditions, driver motor vehicle record history, driver alcohol and drug testing, and driver hours of service are also subject to both federal and state regulation. More restrictive limitations on vehicle weight and size, condition, trailer length and configuration, methods of measurement, driver qualifications, or driver hours of service would increase our operating expenses and may adversely affect our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. If we fail to comply with the DOT regulations or if those regulations become more stringent, we could be subject to increased inspections, audits, or compliance burdens. Regulatory authorities could take remedial action including imposing fines, suspending, or shutting down our in-house transportation operations. If any of these events occur, our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows would be adversely affected.

In addition to these laws and regulations that apply to our business operations, we are also subject to laws and regulations affecting public companies, including securities laws and NYSE listing rules. The applicability of these regulatory and legal compliance obligations is dependent on the evolving interpretations of these laws and regulations.

The violation of any of these laws or regulations could result in administrative, civil, or criminal penalties or in a cease-and-desist order against some or all of our business activities, any of which could damage our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, sales, and results of operations. Additionally, even an allegation that we violated these laws, by regulators, competitors, individuals, or consumers, could result in costly litigation with uncertain results. We have incurred and will continue to incur capital and operating expenses and other costs to comply with these laws and regulations.

This description of laws and regulations to which we are or may be subject is not exhaustive, and the regulatory framework governing our operations is subject to evolving interpretations and continuous change. For additional information regarding government regulations and compliance matters we are subject to, see Item 1 "Business—Government Regulation".

Federal legislative and regulatory initiatives and reforms may result in an increase in the cost of regulatory compliance, a decrease in revenues, or result in changes to business practices that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. For example, changes in federal labor policy could lead to increased unionization efforts, which could increase labor costs, disrupt facility operations, and have a material adverse effect on our business, sales, and results of operations. The enactment of new laws and regulations or the interpretation of existing laws and regulations in an unfavorable way may affect the operation of our business, directly or indirectly, which could result in substantial regulatory compliance costs, civil or criminal penalties, including fines, adverse publicity, decreased revenues, and increased expenses.

We utilize telephone calls and text messaging as a means of responding to and marketing to consumers interested in purchasing, trading in, selling or financing vehicles and related products and services. We generate leads from our website by prompting potential customers to provide their phone numbers so that we can contact them in response to their interest in

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (the "TCPA"), as interpreted and implemented by the FCC and U.S. courts currently imposes significant restrictions on the use of autodialed telephone calls, pre-recorded messages, and text messages to residential and mobile telephone numbers as a means of communication when prior consent of the person being contacted has not been obtained. Violations of the TCPA may be enforced by the FCC or by individuals through litigation, including class actions. Statutory penalties for TCPA violations range from $500 to $1,500 per violation, which has been interpreted to mean per phone call or text.

While we have implemented processes and procedures to comply with the TCPA, if we or those services we rely on for data fail to adhere to or successfully implement appropriate processes and procedures in response to existing or future regulations, it could result in legal and monetary liability, fines, penalties, or damage to our reputation in the marketplace. Additionally, any changes to the TCPA, its interpretation, or enforcement of it by the government, the courts, or private parties that further restrict the way we contact and communicate with our potential customers or generate leads could adversely affect our ability to attract customers.

We are subject to general business regulations and laws as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the internet and e-commerce. Existing and future regulations and laws could impede the growth of the internet, e-commerce or mobile commerce. These regulations and laws may involve taxes, online payments and funds transfers, privacy, cybersecurity, anti-spam, pricing, content protection, electronic contracts and communications, mobile communications, consumer protection, information reporting requirements, unencumbered internet access to our services and the design and operation of websites. It is not clear how existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, sales and other taxes and consumer privacy apply to the internet as the vast majority of these laws were adopted prior to the advent of the internet and do not contemplate or address the unique issues raised by the internet or e-commerce. Unfavorable interpretation or enforcement of regulations and laws, or newly promulgated unfavorable regulations and laws, could diminish the demand for used vehicles and complementary products and services and increase our cost of doing business.

If we introduce new or expand existing offerings for our platform, such as services or products involving other inventory sources, new vehicles, trade-ins, financing, various forms of insurance related to vehicle condition, property and casualty, or other insurance products customarily sold by traditional insurance companies, subscription services, shipping services, deficiency waivers, customized accessories, leasing or maintenance, we may incur losses or otherwise fail to enter these markets successfully. Our expansion into these markets will place us in competitive and regulatory environments with which we are unfamiliar and involve various risks, including the need to invest significant resources and the possibility that returns on such investments will not be achieved for several years, if at all. In attempting to establish new service or product offerings, we expect to incur significant expenses and face various other challenges, such as expanding our customer advocate and management personnel to cover these markets and complying with complicated regulations that apply to these markets. In addition, we may not successfully demonstrate the value of these complementary products and services to consumers, and failure to do so would compromise our ability to successfully expand into these additional revenue streams. Any of these risks, if realized, could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our future success depends in part on our ability to provide adequate functionality for visitors who use mobile devices to shop for used vehicles and the number of transactions with us that are completed by those users. In recent years the proportion of U.S. consumers who use mobile devices to access websites has generally increased. A shift to mobile technology by our users may harm our business in the following ways:

If we do not develop suitable functionality for users who visit our website using a mobile device, our business and operating results could be harmed.

Decreases in consumer demand could adversely affect the market for used vehicles and, as a result, reduce the number of consumers using our platform. Consumer purchases of new and used vehicles generally decline during recessionary periods and other periods in which disposable income is adversely affected. For example, the number of used vehicle sales in the United States decreased from approximately 41.4 million in 2007 to approximately 35.5 million in 2009, according to CNW Research Retail Automotive Summary. Purchases of new and used vehicles are typically discretionary for consumers and have been, and may continue to be, affected by negative trends in the economy and other factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, rising interest rates, the cost of energy and gasoline, the availability and cost of credit, reductions in business and consumer confidence, stock market volatility, increased regulation and increased unemployment. Increased environmental regulation has made, and may in the future make, used vehicles more expensive and less desirable for consumers. In addition, our business may be negatively affected by challenges to the larger automotive ecosystem, including urbanization, global supply chain challenges and other macroeconomic issues. For example, rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, are becoming increasingly popular as a means of transportation and may decrease consumer demand for the used vehicles we sell, particularly if urbanization increases. Additionally, new technologies such as autonomous driving software have the potential to change the dynamics of vehicle ownership in the future. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

As of December 31, 2020, we conduct business through eleven IRCs located in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, managing fulfillment to 266 metropolitan areas across most of the United States. We hold the majority of our inventory at these eleven locations. Our business is currently more susceptible to regional conditions than the operations of more geographically diversified competitors, and we are vulnerable to economic downturns and other unforeseen events or circumstances in those regions. Changes in demographics and population or severe weather conditions and other catastrophic occurrences in areas in which we operate or from which we obtain inventory may materially adversely affect our results of operations. Such conditions may result in physical damage to our properties, loss of inventory and delays in the delivery of vehicles to our IRCs, hubs, vending machines, or customers.

Any of these factors may disrupt our businesses and materially adversely affect our financial condition and result of operations. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully replicate our business model and achieve levels of success as we enter new markets.

We rely on inventory insurance to protect against catastrophic losses of our inventory. There is no guarantee that we will continue to be able to insure our inventory at affordable rates, or at all, through outside insurers. If we are unable to purchase affordable insurance, we may have to self-insure, reducing our ability to make other investments in our business and exposing us to financial risk. In addition, our inability to insure our inventory through an outside insurer, or to adequately self-insure, may adversely impact our ability to finance our inventory purchases.

We may require additional capital to pursue our business objectives and respond to business opportunities, challenges or unforeseen circumstances, including to increase our marketing expenditures to improve our brand awareness, build and maintain our inventory of quality used vehicles, develop new products or services (including vehicle-financing services) or further improve existing products and services, enhance our operating infrastructure, and acquire complementary businesses and technologies. Accordingly, we may need to engage in equity or debt financings to secure additional funds. However, additional funds may not be available when we need them, on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, any debt financing that we secure in the future could involve restrictive covenants which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities. For example, the indentures governing our 2025 and 2028 Notes limit our ability and certain of our subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things, incur additional debt or issue preferred stock, create liens, pay dividends and make other distributions, redeem or repurchase stock or prepay subordinated indebtedness, make certain investments or certain other restricted payments, guarantee indebtedness, sell certain kinds of assets, enter into certain types of transactions with affiliates, and effect mergers or consolidations. See Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity—Senior Unsecured Notes."

Volatility in the credit markets may also have an adverse effect on our ability to obtain debt financing. If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our Class A common stock. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us when we require it, our ability to continue to pursue our business objectives and to respond to business opportunities, challenges or unforeseen circumstances could be significantly limited, and our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects could be adversely affected.

We rely on agreements with lenders to finance our vehicle inventory purchases. If we are unable to extend the agreements on favorable terms or at all, or if the agreements expire and are not renewed, our inventory supply may decline, resulting in fewer vehicles available for sale on our website. For example, our agreement with Ally matures in March 2023 and may be extended for an additional period at Ally’s sole discretion. If we are unable to renew the facility with Ally or find a satisfactory replacement, whether because of our financial and operating performance or for other reasons, our ability to acquire inventory would be adversely affected. New funding arrangements may be at higher interest rates or other less favorable terms. These financing risks, in addition to rising interest rates and changes in market conditions, if realized, could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We enter into purchase agreements, buyer’s orders, retail installment contracts and other contracts with our customers that are generated automatically based upon information the customer enters into our website. The contracts are intended to comply with the applicable consumer lending and other commercial and legal requirements of the relevant jurisdictions. We face the risk, however, that the auto-generated forms may inadvertently contain errors or omissions or otherwise fail to comply with applicable regulations in a manner that would render such contracts unenforceable. For example, most jurisdictions impose a maximum interest rate cap that we can charge our customers. If we exceed the relevant cap, our retail installment contracts in

We generally seek to sell automotive finance receivables to financing partners or in securitization transactions. The financing partners who agree to buy or fund our loans, and the documents governing our securitizations, require that we make certain representations about the enforceability or validity of those contracts. If these receivables do not meet the specified representations, we have in the past been, and may in the future be, forced to repurchase these receivables. If we sell a significant amount of receivables that do not meet the predetermined representations, we may be required to use cash on hand or to obtain alternative financing in order to repurchase them. Any significant repurchases could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition, and may jeopardize our ability to sell contracts to those or other financing partners or purchasers in the future.

We rely on our internally developed models to forecast loss rates of the automotive finance receivables we originate. If we rely on a model that fails to effectively forecast loss rates on receivables we originate, those receivables may suffer higher losses than expected. We generally seek to sell these receivables to financing partners or in securitization transactions. If the receivables we sell experience higher loss rates than forecasted, we may obtain less favorable pricing on the receivables we sell to those parties in the future and suffer reputational harm in the marketplace for the receivables we sell and our business, results of operations, and financial condition may be adversely affected. We hold receivables we originate on our balance sheet until we sell them to financing partners or in securitization transactions, and to the extent those receivables fail to perform during our holding period, they may become ineligible for sale. As a result, our business, results of operations, and financial condition may be adversely affected.

We rely on a combination of internal and external logistics to transport vehicles to and from wholesale auctions, IRCs, hubs, vending machines and our customers. As a result, we are exposed to risks associated with the transportation industry such as weather, traffic patterns, gasoline prices, recalls affecting our vehicle fleet, local and federal regulations, vehicular crashes, insufficient internal capacity, rising prices of transportation vendors, fuel prices, taxes, license and registration fees, insurance premiums, self-insurance levels, difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified drivers, disruption of our technology systems, equipment supply, equipment quality, and increasing equipment and operational costs. Our failure to successfully manage our logistics and fulfillment process could cause a disruption in our inventory supply chain and distribution, which may adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

We are required to obtain approvals, permits, and licenses from state regulators and local municipalities to construct and operate our IRCs and vending machines. We may face delays in obtaining the requisite approvals, permits, financing, and licenses to construct and operate our IRCs and vending machines, or we may not be able to obtain them at all. If we encounter delays in obtaining or cannot obtain the requisite approvals, permits, financing, and licenses to construct and operate our IRCs and vending machines in desirable locations, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We lease or finance certain real estate on which we construct and operate some of our IRCs and vending machines. Because of potential difficulties finding a replacement tenant, some landlords will have concerns leasing and some lenders will have concerns financing to a tenant like us. Consequently, some landlords or lenders may offer unfavorable leasing or financing terms or may not be willing to lease or finance the sites we pursue. Similarly, sites we wish to purchase for the construction or operation of our IRCs and vending machines may have similar constraints. If we are required to enter into inflexible or expensive leases, financing, or purchase agreements to construct and operate our IRCs and vending machines, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We depend on one supplier to construct portions of our vending machines and to provide technical support and maintenance on them. If we are unable to maintain our relationship with our supplier, or our supplier ceases to produce the parts or perform the services we need, or our supplier is unable to effectively deliver services and equipment on timelines and at the

We also rely on vendors and suppliers to construct and operate portions of our IRCs. If we are unable to maintain our relationship with our vendors and suppliers, or such vendors and suppliers cease to provide the services we need, or such vendors and suppliers are unable to effectively deliver our services on timelines and at the price we have negotiated, and we are unable to contract with alternative vendors and suppliers, our ability to construct new IRCs or continue to operate existing IRCs and our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.

We currently rely on agreements with lenders or institutional real estate investors to finance certain vending machines and IRCs, and may in the future rely on agreements with lenders or investors to finance real estate capital expenditures, including additional inspection and reconditioning centers and vending machines. If we are unable to enter into new financing agreements for such assets on favorable terms or at all, whether because of our financial and operating performance or for other reasons, our ability to construct and operate additional IRCs and vending machines would be adversely affected. New funding arrangements may be at higher interest rates than historical real estate financing or contain other less favorable terms. If realized, these financing risks, in addition to rising interest rates and changes in market conditions, could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.

We collect, process, store, share, disclose, and use sensitive information and other data provided by consumers and employees, including personally identifying information. We rely on encryption and authentication technology licensed from third parties to securely transmit and store such information. We also may share information with third-party service providers as part of our business operations. We expend significant resources to protect against both internal and external security breaches and may need to expend more resources in the event we need to address problems caused by breaches. Any failure or perceived failure to maintain the security of personal and other data that is provided to us by consumers, employees, and vendors could harm our reputation and expose us to a risk of loss or litigation and possible liability, any of which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

Additionally, concerns about how we collect, protect, store, use, or disclose personal information, or other privacy related matters, even if unfounded, could harm our business and operating results.

We are subject to numerous and rapidly evolving federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy, cybersecurity and the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information and other data. The laws are subject to differing interpretations, and both the laws and their interpretations are often inconsistent across jurisdictions. We are also subject to contractual requirements and others’ privacy policies that govern how we use and protect personal information and other data. They may be costly to comply with, and may conflict with other rules. These obligations may be interpreted and applied in new ways or in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. New regulations could be enacted. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with our privacy policies, our privacy- or cybersecurity-related obligations to consumers, employees, or other third parties, or our privacy- or cybersecurity-related legal obligations, or any compromise generally of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of sensitive information, which may include personally identifiable information or other customer or employee data, may result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation, provision of required notifications to consumers or public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups or others and could cause consumers, employees, vendors, securitization or real estate investors, and receivable or real estate financing partners to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our business. If third-party service providers, developers, or other parties that we work with violate applicable laws, contractual assurances with us, or our policies, such violations may also put consumers’, employees’, third-party service providers’, or receivable financing partners’ information at risk and could in turn harm our reputation, business, and operating results.

Our brand, reputation, and ability to attract consumers depend on the reliable performance of our website and the supporting systems, technology, and infrastructure. We may experience significant interruptions to our systems in the future. Interruptions in these systems, whether due to system failures, programming or configuration errors, computer viruses, or physical or electronic break-ins, including from ransomware or distributed denial of service attacks could limit the availability of our inventory on our website and prevent or inhibit consumers from accessing our website. Problems with the reliability or security of our systems could harm our reputation, result in a loss of customers and result in additional costs.

Substantially all of the communications, network, and computer hardware used to operate our website are located at co-location facilities. Although we have multiple locations, our systems are not fully redundant. In addition, we do not own or control the operation of these facilities. Our systems and operations are vulnerable to damage or interruption from fire, flood, power loss, telecommunications failure, terrorist attacks, acts of war, electronic and physical break-ins, computer viruses, earthquakes, and similar events. The occurrence of any of these events could damage our systems and hardware or could cause them to fail.

Problems faced by our web-hosting providers could adversely affect the experience of our customers. For example, our web-hosting providers could close their facilities without adequate notice or suffer interruptions in service caused by cyber-attacks, natural disasters or other phenomena. Any financial difficulties, including bankruptcy, faced by our web-hosting providers or any of the service providers with whom they contract may have negative effects on our business, the nature and extent of which are difficult to predict. If our web-hosting providers are unable to keep up with our growing capacity needs, our business could be harmed.

Any errors, defects, disruptions, or other performance or reliability problems with our network operations could interrupt our customers’ physical or electronic access to our inventory and our access to data that drives our inventory purchase operations as well as cause delays and additional expense in arranging access to new facilities and services, any of which could harm our reputation, business, operating results, and financial condition.

We currently hold rights to the "carvana.com" internet domain name and various other related domain names. The regulation of domain names in the United States is subject to change. Regulatory bodies could establish additional top-level domains, appoint additional domain name registrars, or modify the requirements for holding domain names. As a result, we may not be able to acquire or maintain all domain names that use the name Carvana or are otherwise important for our business.

Although we try to ensure that our employees, consultants and advisors do not use the proprietary information or know-how of others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that we or those who work for us have used or disclosed trade secrets or other intellectual property or proprietary information of their current or former employer. Litigation may be necessary to defend against these claims. If we fail in defending any such claims, we may have to pay monetary damages and lose valuable intellectual property rights or personnel. Even if we are successful in defending against such claims, litigation could result in substantial costs, harm our reputation, and be a distraction to management.

In addition, while it is our policy to require our employees and contractors who may be involved in the conception or development of intellectual property to execute agreements assigning such intellectual property to us, we may be unsuccessful in executing such an agreement with each party who conceives or develops intellectual property that we regard as our own. The assignment of intellectual property may not be self-executing, may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions or may be breached, and we may be forced to bring claims against third parties or defend claims that they may bring against us to determine the ownership of what we regard as our intellectual property. This could be costly, and if we are unsuccessful, we may not be able to prevent others from using our technology, and may not be able to use it ourselves.

Our success depends in part on not infringing the patents or violating the other proprietary rights of others. Intellectual property disputes can be costly to settle or defend and may cause our business, operating results and financial condition to suffer. Significant litigation regarding patent rights occurs in the e-commerce industry. Whether merited or not, it is possible that U.S. patents and pending patent applications controlled by third parties may be alleged to cover our products and activities. Our competitors, many of which have substantially greater resources and have made substantial investments in patent portfolios and competing technologies, may have applied for or obtained or may in the future apply for and obtain patents that prevent, limit, or otherwise interfere with our ability to use our technology or processes that are necessary to operate our business. Our competitors may have one or more patents for which they can threaten or initiate patent infringement actions against us or any of our suppliers. Our ability to defend ourselves or our suppliers may be limited by our financial and human resources, the availability of reasonable defenses, and the ultimate acceptance of our defenses by the courts or juries. Furthermore, if such patents are successfully asserted against us, this may result in an adverse impact on our business, including injunctions, damages, and attorneys’ fees. From time to time and in the ordinary course of business, we may develop non-infringement or invalidity positions with respect to the patents of others, which may not be accepted by a judge or jury if such patents were asserted against us.

We may receive communications from patent holders alleging infringement of patents or other intellectual property rights or misappropriation of trade secrets, or offering licenses to such intellectual property. Any claims that we assert against perceived infringers could also provoke these parties to assert counterclaims against us alleging that we infringe their intellectual property rights. At any given time, we may be involved as either a plaintiff or a defendant in a number of patent infringement actions, the outcomes of which may not be known for prolonged periods of time.

The large number of patents, the rapid rate of new patent applications and issuances, the complexities of the technologies involved, our potential expansion into new business lines and technologies, and the uncertainty of litigation significantly increase the risks related to any patent litigation. Furthermore, as the number of participants in our industry grows, the possibility of intellectual property infringement claims against us increases. Any litigation or claim against us, even those without merit, may cause us to incur substantial costs, and could place a significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of management and other resources from our core business and harm our reputation. Any potential intellectual property litigation also could force us to do one or more of the following:

We use open source software in our platform and expect to use open source software in the future. The terms of various open source licenses have not been interpreted by United States courts, and there is a risk that such licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to market our platform. By the terms of certain open source licenses, we could be required to release the source code of our proprietary software and to make our proprietary software available under open source licenses if we combine our proprietary software with open source software in a certain manner. In the event that portions of our proprietary software are determined to be subject to an open source license, we could be required to publicly release the affected portions of our source code, to re-engineer all or a portion of our technologies, or otherwise to be limited in the use or licensing of our technologies, each of which could reduce or eliminate the value of our technologies and services. In addition to risks related to license requirements, usage of open source software can lead to greater risks than use of commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or controls on the origin of the software. Many of the risks associated with usage of open source software cannot be eliminated and could negatively affect our business and operating results.

Adverse conditions affecting one or more automotive manufacturers could have a material adverse effect on our sales and results of operations and could impact the supply of vehicles. Manufacturer recalls are a common occurrence that have accelerated in frequency and scope in recent years. Recalls and the increased regulatory scrutiny surrounding selling used vehicles with open safety recalls could adversely affect used vehicle sales or valuations, could cause us to temporarily remove vehicles from inventory, could cause us to sell affected vehicles at a loss, could force us to incur increased costs, and could expose us to litigation and adverse publicity related to the sale of recalled vehicles, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We rely on third-party technology for certain of our critical business functions, including supply chain and inventory management, customer identity verification for financing, transportation fleet telemetry, network infrastructure for hosting the website and inventory data, software libraries, development environments and tools, services to allow customers to digitally sign contracts, customer service call center management software, automation controls and software for our vending machines, hosted telephony, human resource management, and security. If these technologies fail or we cannot maintain our relationships with the technology providers and we cannot find suitable alternatives, our financial condition and operation results may be adversely affected.

We believe our success has depended, and continues to depend, on the efforts and talents of our executives and employees. Our future success depends on our ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Qualified individuals are in high demand, and we may incur significant costs to attract and retain them. In addition, the loss of any of our key employees or senior management, including our Chief Executive Officer, Ernest Garcia III, our Chief Financial Officer, Mark Jenkins, and our Chief Operating Officer, Benjamin Huston, could materially adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and strategy, and we may not be able to find adequate replacements on a timely basis, or at all. Our executive officers and other employees are at-will employees, which means they may terminate their employment relationship with us at any time, and their knowledge of our business and industry would be extremely difficult to replace. We may not be able to retain the services of any members of our senior management or other key employees. If we do not succeed in attracting

Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to grow our business in response to the demands of consumers, other constituents within the automotive industry, and competitive pressures. In the past, we have done so by acquiring complementary businesses and technologies rather than through internal development, and we may do so again in the future. The identification of suitable acquisition candidates can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and we may not be able to successfully complete identified acquisitions. The risks we face in connection with acquisitions include:

Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with our past or future acquisitions and investments could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of these acquisitions or investments, cause us to incur unanticipated liabilities, and otherwise harm our business. Future acquisitions could also result in dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt, contingent liabilities, amortization expenses, or the write-off of goodwill, any of which could harm our financial condition. Any of these risks, if realized, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We are a holding company and have no material assets other than our indirect ownership of LLC Units of Carvana Group. As such, we have no independent means of generating revenue or cash flow, and our ability to pay our taxes, debt obligations, and operating expenses depends on the financial results and cash flows of Carvana Group and its subsidiaries and distributions we receive from Carvana Group. These taxes, obligations, and expenses include the following:

While we intend to cause Carvana Group to make distributions to us in an amount sufficient to fund these taxes, obligations, and expenses, Carvana Group’s ability to make such distributions may be subject to various limitations and restrictions, such as restrictions on distributions that would either violate any contract or agreement to which Carvana Group is then a party, including debt agreements, or any applicable law, or that would have the effect of rendering Carvana Group insolvent. If we do not have sufficient funds to pay taxes, obligations or expenses, we may have to borrow funds, which could materially adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and subject us to various restrictions imposed by any such lenders. If we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, those payments generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid. Nonpayment for a specified period, however, may constitute a breach of a material obligation under the Tax Receivable Agreement and therefore accelerate payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement, unless, generally, such nonpayment is due to a lack of sufficient funds.

Holders of LLC Units have the right to consent to certain amendments to the operating agreement of the LLC, as well as to certain other matters, including the revaluation of partnership interests in Carvana Group. Holders of these voting rights may exercise them in a manner that conflicts with the interests of our stockholders. Circumstances may arise in the future when the interests of the LLC Unitholders conflict with the interests of our stockholders. As we control the LLC, we have certain obligations to the LLC Unitholders that may conflict with fiduciary duties our officers and directors owe to our stockholders. These conflicts may result in decisions that are not in the best interests of stockholders.

The Garcia Parties continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of Carvana Co. As a result, we continue to be a controlled company within the meaning of the NYSE corporate governance standards. Under the NYSE rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and need not comply with certain requirements, including the requirement that a majority of the Board consist of independent directors and the requirements that our compensation and nominating and governance committees be composed entirely of

In connection with the consummation of our IPO, we entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with the LLC Unitholders. Pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement, we will be required to make cash payments to such LLC Unitholders equal to 85% of the tax benefits, if any, that we actually realize, or, in some circumstances, are deemed to realize, as a result of (1) the increase in our wholly owned subsidiary’s proportionate share of the existing tax basis of the assets of the LLC and an adjustment in the tax basis of the assets of the LLC reflected in that proportionate share as a result of any future exchanges of LLC Units held by the LLC Unitholders for shares of our Class A common stock or cash, and (2) certain other tax benefits related to payments we make under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Due to the uncertainty of various factors, we cannot estimate the likely tax benefits we will realize as a result of LLC Unit exchanges, and the resulting amounts we are likely to pay out to LLC Unitholders pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement; however, we estimate that such payments may be substantial. Payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will be based on the tax reporting positions that we determine, which tax reporting positions will be based on the advice of our tax advisors. Any payments made by us to the LLC Unitholders under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flow that might have otherwise been available to us. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, such payments generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid. Nonpayment for a specified period, however, may constitute a breach of a material obligation under the Tax Receivable Agreement and therefore accelerate payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement, unless, generally, such nonpayment is due to a lack of sufficient funds. Furthermore, our future obligation to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement could make us a less attractive target for an acquisition, particularly in the case of an acquirer that cannot use some or all of the tax benefits that may be deemed realized under the Tax Receivable Agreement. The payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement are also not conditioned upon the LLC Unitholders maintaining a continued ownership interest in the LLC.

The actual amount and timing of any payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary depending upon a number of factors, including the timing of exchanges by the LLC Unitholders, the amount of gain recognized by such LLC Unitholders, the amount and timing of the taxable income we generate in the future and the federal tax rates then applicable.

The Tax Receivable Agreement provides that if (1) certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combination, or other changes of control were to occur, (2) we breach any of our material obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement or (3) we elect an early termination of the Tax Receivable Agreement, then the Tax Receivable Agreement will terminate and our obligations, or our successor’s obligations, to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement would accelerate and become immediately due and payable. The amount due and payable in that circumstance is based on certain assumptions, including an assumption that we would have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize all potential future tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement. We may need to incur debt to finance payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement to the extent our cash resources are insufficient to meet our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of timing discrepancies or otherwise.

As a result of a change in control or our election to terminate the Tax Receivable Agreement early, (1) we could be required to make cash payments to the LLC Unitholders that are greater than the specified percentage of the actual benefits we ultimately realize in respect of the tax benefits that are subject to the Tax Receivable Agreement and (2) we would be required to make an immediate cash payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future tax benefits that are the subject of the Tax Receivable Agreement, which payment may be made significantly in advance of the actual realization, if any, of such future tax benefits. In these situations, our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement could have a substantial negative impact on our liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring, or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combination, or other changes of control. There can be no assurance that we will be able to finance our obligations under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

Certain benefits from our organizational structure, including the Tax Receivable Agreement, will not benefit the holders of our Class A common stock to the same extent as LLC Unitholders. We entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with the LLC Unitholders, which will provide for the payment by us to the LLC Unitholders of 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, that we actually realize, or in some circumstances are deemed to realize, as a result of (1) the increase in our wholly owned subsidiary’s proportionate share of the existing tax basis of the assets of the LLC and an adjustment in the tax basis of the assets of the LLC reflected in that proportionate share as a result of any future exchanges of LLC Units held by an LLC Unitholder for shares of our Class A common stock or cash and (2) certain other tax benefits related to our making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Due to the uncertainty of various factors, we cannot estimate the likely tax benefits we will realize as a result of LLC Unit exchanges, and the resulting amounts we are likely to pay out to LLC Unitholders pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement; however, we estimate that such payments may be substantial. Although we will retain 15% of the amount of such tax benefits, this and other aspects of our organizational structure may adversely impact the trading market for the Class A common stock.

We will not be reimbursed for any cash payments previously made to the LLC Unitholders pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement if any tax benefits initially claimed by us are subsequently challenged by a taxing authority and are ultimately disallowed. Instead, any excess cash payments made by us to an LLC Unitholder will be netted against any future cash payments that we might otherwise be required to make under the terms of the Tax Receivable Agreement. However, a challenge to any tax benefits initially claimed by us may not arise for a number of years following the initial time of such payment or, even if challenged early, such excess cash payment may be greater than the amount of future cash payments that we are required to make under the terms of the Tax Receivable Agreement and, as a result, there may not be future cash payments to net against. The applicable U.S. federal income tax rules are complex and factual in nature, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with our tax reporting positions. As a result, it is possible that we could make cash payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement that are substantially greater than our actual cash tax savings.

Our ability to realize the tax benefits that we currently expect to be available as a result of the increases in tax basis created by any future exchanges of LLC Units (together with shares of our Class B common stock in the case of certain Class A Units) for our Class A common stock, the payments made pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement, and the interest deductions imputed under the Tax Receivable Agreement all depend on a number of assumptions, including that we earn sufficient taxable income each year during the period over which such deductions are available and that there are no changes in applicable law or regulations. For example, the reduction in corporate tax rates pursuant to the 2017 changes in U.S. federal income tax law has the effect of reducing the expected value of the tax benefits we realize as a result of the increase in our proportionate share of the existing tax basis of the assets of Carvana Group arising from future exchanges of LLC Units held by an LLC Unitholder for shares of our Class A common stock or cash. The reduction in the value of such tax benefits is expected to have two primary consequences—it reduces the cash payments we expect to be required to make pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and it reduces the expected value to us of the 15% of the amount of such tax benefits that we will retain pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement. Additionally, if our actual taxable income were insufficient or there were additional adverse changes in applicable laws or regulations, we may be further unable to realize all or a portion of the expected tax benefits and our cash flows and stockholders’ equity could be negatively affected.

Carvana Group is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as such, is not subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, taxable income is allocated to its members, including us. We intend to cause Carvana Group to make tax distributions quarterly to the holders of Class A Units (including us) on a pro rata basis based on Carvana Group’s net taxable income and to the holders of Class B Units based on such holder’s allocable share of Carvana Group’s net taxable income (rather than on a pro rata basis). Funds used by Carvana Group to satisfy its tax distribution obligations will not be available for reinvestment in our business. Moreover, these tax distributions may be substantial, and will likely exceed (as a percentage of Carvana Group’s income) the overall effective tax rate applicable to a similarly situated corporate taxpayer. As a result of the potential differences in the amount of net taxable income allocable to us and the LLC Unitholders, particularly in light of the

Under Sections 3(a)(1)(A) and (C) of the 1940 Act, a company generally will be deemed to be an "investment company" for purposes of the 1940 Act if it (1) is, or holds itself out as being, engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities or (2) is engaged, or proposes to engage, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding, or trading in securities and it owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of its total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. We do not believe that we are an investment company, as such term is defined in either of those sections of the 1940 Act.

As the sole managing-member of Carvana Sub, we control and manage Carvana Sub, which, by virtue of being the sole managing-member of Carvana Group, in turn, controls and manages Carvana Group. On that basis, we believe that neither our interest in Carvana Sub nor Carvana Sub’s interest in Carvana Group are "investment securities" under the 1940 Act. Therefore, we have less than 40% of the value of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) in "investment securities." However, if we were to lose the right to manage and control Carvana Sub or if Carvana Sub were to lose the right to manage and control Carvana Group, interests in Carvana Group or Carvana Sub could be deemed to be "investment securities" under the 1940 Act.

We intend to conduct our operations so that we will not be deemed to be an investment company. However, if we were deemed to be an investment company, restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, including limitations on our capital structure and our ability to transact with affiliates, could make it impractical for us to continue our business as contemplated and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding, on a consolidated basis (1) $1.1 billion aggregate principal amount of our 2025 and 2028 Notes, (2) $39.8 million aggregate principal amount of borrowings under our amended and restated vehicle inventory financing and security agreement with Ally Financial, dated as of September 29, 2020 (the "Floor Plan Facility") and the Finance Receivable Facilities (as defined below), (3) $110.0 million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness represented by our finance lease agreements between us and providers of equipment financing, (4) $25.2 million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness represented by our promissory note agreements between us and providers of equipment financing, and (5) an outstanding balance of $81.3 million relating to secured borrowing facility through which we finance certain retained beneficial interests in our securitizations. Also, as of December 31, 2020, we had, on a consolidated basis, $387.4 million of other long-term debt related to our sale leaseback transactions. Our substantial indebtedness could have significant effects on our business. For example, it could:

We expect to use cash flow from operations to meet current and future financial obligations, including funding our operations, debt service requirements, and capital expenditures. The ability to make these payments depends on our financial and operating performance, which is subject to prevailing economic, industry, and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, economic, and other factors beyond our control.

We may incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. We may also consider investments in joint ventures or acquisitions, which may increase our indebtedness. If new debt is added to our currently anticipated indebtedness levels, the related risks that we face could intensify.

Our ability to make scheduled payments or to refinance outstanding debt obligations depends on our financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic, industry, and competitive conditions and by financial, business, and other factors beyond our control. Additionally, some of our debt accrues interest at a variable rate that is based on LIBOR or other market rates; if those market rates rise, so too will the amount we need to pay to satisfy our debt obligations. We may not be able to maintain a sufficient level of cash flow from operating activities to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. Any failure to make payments of interest and principal on our outstanding indebtedness on a timely basis would likely result in a reduction of our credit rating, which would also adversely affect our ability to incur additional indebtedness.

We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital or seek to restructure or refinance our indebtedness. Any refinancing of our indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants. These alternative measures may not be successful, and we may be unable to meet our scheduled debt service obligations.

In the absence of such cash flows and resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to sell material assets or operations to attempt to meet our debt service obligations. We may not be able to consummate these asset sales to raise capital or sell assets at prices and on terms that we believe are fair, and any proceeds that we do receive may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due. If we cannot meet our debt service obligations, the holders of our indebtedness may accelerate such indebtedness and, to the extent such indebtedness is secured, foreclose on our assets. In such an event, we may not have sufficient assets to repay our indebtedness. If any of these risks are realized, our business and financial condition would be adversely affected.

Changes in the availability or cost of the financing to support the origination and sale of automotive finance receivables could adversely affect sales and results of operations. Among other programs, we may use securitization programs to fund many automotive finance receivables we originate. Changes in the condition of the securitization market could lead us to incur higher costs to access funds in this market or require us to seek alternative means to finance those originations that could be more expensive, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, sales, and results of operations.

Until we sell automotive finance receivables, and to the extent we retain interests in automotive finance receivables after we sell them, whether pursuant to securitization transactions or otherwise, we are exposed to the risk that applicable customers will be unable or unwilling to repay their loans according to their terms and that the vehicle collateral securing the payment of their loans may not be sufficient to ensure full repayment. Credit losses are inherent in the automotive finance receivables business and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We make various assumptions and judgments about the automotive finance receivables we originate and may provide an allowance for loan losses, value beneficial ownership interests, and estimate prepayment rates based on a number of factors. Although management may establish an allowance for loan losses, value beneficial ownership interests, and estimate prepayment rates based on analysis it believes is appropriate, this may not be adequate. For example, if economic conditions were to deteriorate unexpectedly, additional loan losses not incorporated in the existing allowance or valuation may occur. Losses or prepayments in excess of expectations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We have securitized, and may in the future securitize, certain of our automotive finance receivables to generate cash. In such transactions, we convey a pool of automotive finance receivables to a special purpose vehicle, typically a trust that, in turn, issues certain securities. The securities issued by the special purpose vehicle are collateralized by the pool of automotive finance receivables. In exchange for the transfer of finance receivables to the special purpose vehicle, we typically receive the cash proceeds from the sale of the securities.

Although we successfully completed four securitizations in 2019 and two securitizations in 2020, we can give no assurances that we will be able to complete additional securitizations if the securitization markets become constrained. In addition, the value of any securities that we may retain in our securitizations, including securities retained to comply with the Risk Retention Rules (defined below), might be reduced or, in some cases, eliminated as a result of an adverse change in economic conditions or the financial markets. If it is not possible or economical for us to securitize our automobile finance receivables in the future, we would need to seek alternative financing to support our operations and to meet our existing debt obligations, which may be less efficient and more expensive than raising capital via securitizations and may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity.

Effective as of December 24, 2016, "risk retention" rules promulgated by U.S. federal regulators under the Dodd-Frank Act (the "Risk Retention Rules") require a "securitizer" or "sponsor" of a securitization transaction to retain, directly or through a "majority-owned affiliate" (each defined in the Risk Retention Rules), in one or more prescribed forms, at least 5% of the credit risk of the securitized assets. For the securitization transactions for which we have acted as "sponsor," we have sought and will likely continue to seek to satisfy the Risk Retention Rules by retaining a "vertical interest" (as defined in the Risk Retention Rules) through either a majority-owned affiliate (MOA) or directly on our balance sheet. In addition, we have and will likely continue to enter into arrangements to finance or monetize a portion of the retained credit risk in one or more prescribed forms under the Risk Retention Rules. In addition to the discussion in this section, see Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 8 — Securitizations and Variable Interest Entities.

We have also participated in other structured program transactions that we have determined are not securitizations that require risk retention, and accordingly, we have not sought to comply with any Risk Retention Rules that would be applicable to securitization transactions. The Risk Retention Rules are subject to varying interpretations, and one or more regulatory or

In addition to the increased costs we expect to be generated by our efforts to comply with applicable Risk Retention Rules, which may be significant, we expect compliance with any applicable Risk Retention Rules will require capital, which could potentially have been deployed in other ways that could have generated better value. Holding risk retention interests or loans in contemplation of structured financing increases our exposure to the performance of the loans that underlie or are expected to underlie those transactions. Accordingly, although compliance with applicable Risk Retention Rules would be expected to more closely align our incentives with those of the investors in our loans, it is also expected that poor loan performance may have a heightened adverse effect on the value of our shares. This may exacerbate the negative effects of poor loan performance on the value of our shares.

The Garcia Parties together hold approximately 90% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock through their beneficial ownership of our Class A and Class B common stock as of December 31, 2020. The Garcia Parties are entitled to ten votes per share of Class B common stock they beneficially own, for so long as the Garcia Parties maintain, in the aggregate, direct or indirect beneficial ownership of at least 25% of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock (determined on an as-exchanged basis assuming that all of the Class A Units were exchanged for Class A common stock). Our Class A common stock has one vote per share. So long as the Garcia Parties continue to beneficially own a sufficient number of shares of Class B common stock, even if they beneficially own significantly less than 50% of the shares of our outstanding capital stock, the Garcia Parties will continue to be able to effectively control our decisions. For example, if the Garcia Parties hold Class B common stock amounting to 25% of our outstanding capital stock, they would collectively control 77% of the voting power of our capital stock.

As a result, the Garcia Parties have the ability to elect all of the members of our Board and thereby effectively control our policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of our Class A common stock or other securities, the payment of dividends, if any, on our Class A common stock, the incurrence of debt by us, amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, and the entering into of extraordinary transactions. The interests of the Garcia Parties may not in all cases be aligned with our stockholders’ interests.

In addition, the Garcia Parties can determine the outcome of all matters requiring stockholder approval, cause or prevent a change of control of our company or a change in the composition of our Board, and preclude any acquisition of our company. This concentration of voting control could deprive our stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares of Class A common stock as part of a sale of our company and ultimately might affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

In addition, the Garcia Parties may have an interest in pursuing acquisitions, divestitures, and other transactions that, in their judgment, could enhance their investment, even though such transactions might involve risks. For example, the Garcia Parties could cause us to make acquisitions that increase our indebtedness or cause us to sell revenue-generating assets. The Garcia Parties may from time to time acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. One of the Garcia Parties, Ernest Garcia II, is the chairman of the board of directors and controlling shareholder of DriveTime, which could compete more directly with us in the future. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that none of the Garcia Parties or any director who is not employed by us (including any non-employee director who serves as one of our officers in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her affiliates has any duty to refrain from engaging, directly or indirectly, in the same business activities or similar business activities or lines of business in which we operate. The Garcia Parties also may pursue acquisition opportunities that may otherwise be complementary to our business, and, as a result, those acquisition opportunities may not be available to us.

We may issue additional shares of Class A common stock in several ways:

Any stock that we issue or exchange would dilute the percentage ownership held by the investors who purchase Class A common stock. The market price of shares of our Class A common stock could decline as a result of newly issued or exchanged stock, or the perception that we might issue or exchange stock. A decline in the price of our Class A common stock might impede our ability to raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of Class A common stock or other equity securities.

The price of our Class A common stock could decline if there are substantial sales of our Class A common stock (including sales of Class A common stock issuable upon exchange of LLC Units), particularly sales by our directors, executive officers, and significant stockholders, or if there is a large number of shares of our Class A common stock available for sale. As of December 31, 2020, we have 76.5 million shares of our Class A common stock outstanding. All of the shares of Class A common stock sold in our IPO and the follow-on offerings in April 2018, May 2019, April 2020, and May 2020 are available for sale in the public market. Shares held by directors, executive officers and other affiliates are subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and various vesting agreements.

Certain of our LLC Unitholders have rights, subject to conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering Class A common stock issuable to them upon exchange of their LLC Units. We would be required to include certain Class A common shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or our stockholders, subject to market standoff and lockup agreements. These registration rights would facilitate the resale of such securities into the public market, and any such resale would increase the number of shares of our Class A common stock available for public trading. We also intend to register shares of common stock that we have issued and may issue under our employee equity incentive plans. Once we register these shares, they will be able to be sold freely in the public market upon issuance, subject to existing market standoff or lock-up agreements.

The market price of the shares of our Class A common stock could decline as a result of the sale of a substantial number of our shares of Class A common stock in the public market or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of such shares intend to sell their shares.

We currently have no intention to pay dividends on our Class A common stock at any time in the foreseeable future. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, contractual restrictions, and other factors that our Board may deem relevant. Certain of our debt instruments contain covenants that restrict our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries

We are a Delaware corporation, and the anti-takeover provisions of Delaware law impose various impediments to the ability of a third party to acquire control of us, even if a change of control would be beneficial to our existing stockholders. In addition, our certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated by-laws contain provisions that may make the acquisition of our company more difficult without the approval of our Board, including, but not limited to, the following:

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also contains a provision that provides us with protections similar to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), and prevents us from engaging in a business combination with a person (excluding the Garcia Parties and their transferees) who acquires at least 15% of our common stock for a period of three years from the date such person acquired such common stock, unless board or stockholder approval is obtained prior to the acquisition. These provisions could discourage, delay, or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for our stockholders to elect directors of their choosing and cause us to take other corporate actions our stockholders desire, including actions that our stockholders may deem advantageous, or negatively affect the trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, because our Board is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team.

These and other provisions in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and Delaware law could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our Board or to initiate actions that are opposed by our then-current Board, a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our company. The existence of these provisions could negatively affect the price of our common stock and limit opportunities for our stockholders to realize value in a corporate transaction.

Pursuant to our certificate of incorporation, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for (1) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (2) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, or other employees to us or our stockholders, (3) any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate or our bylaws or (4) any other action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. The forum selection clause in our certificate may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against us or our directors and officers and may limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees, or stockholders.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue one or more series of preferred stock. Our Board has the authority to determine the preferences, limitations and relative rights of the shares of preferred stock and to fix the number of shares constituting any series and the designation of such series, without any further vote or action by our stockholders. Our preferred

As a public company, we face increased legal, accounting, administrative, and other costs and expenses. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs related to operating as a public company. We are subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the rules and regulations implemented by the SEC, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and the listing requirements of the NYSE, each of which imposes additional reporting and other obligations on public companies.

These rules and regulations and changes in laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, which have created uncertainty for public companies, have and will continue to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time consuming and costly. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. Our investment in compliance with existing and evolving regulatory requirements has and will continue to result in increased administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions affecting the reported amounts of our assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. If these estimates or assumptions are incorrect, it could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. We have identified several accounting policies as being "critical" to the fair presentation of our financial condition and results of operations because they involve major aspects of our business and require us to make judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain. These policies are described in "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the notes to consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The implementation of new accounting requirements or other changes to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles could have a material adverse effect on our reported results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to income taxes in the United States, and our tax liabilities will be subject to the allocation of expenses in differing jurisdictions. Our future effective tax rates could be subject to volatility or adversely affected by a number of factors, including:

In addition, we may be subject to audits of our income, sales and other transaction taxes by U.S. federal and state authorities. Outcomes from these audits could have an adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

Volatility in the market price of our Class A common stock may prevent our stockholders from being able to sell their shares at or above the price they paid for them. Many factors may cause the market price of our Class A common stock to fluctuate significantly, including those described elsewhere in this "Risk Factors" section and this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the following:

As a result, volatility in the market price of our Class A common stock may prevent investors from being able to sell their Class A common stock at or above their purchase price or at all. These broad market and industry factors may materially reduce the market price of our Class A common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In addition, price volatility may be greater if the public float and trading volume of our Class A common stock is low.

As a public reporting company, we are subject to the rules and regulations established from time to time by the SEC and the NYSE. These rules and regulations require that, among other things, we establish and periodically evaluate procedures with respect to our internal control over financial reporting. Reporting obligations as a public company place a considerable strain on our financial and management systems, processes and controls, as well as on our personnel. Our management team, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, has limited experience managing a publicly traded company, and limited experience complying with the increasingly complex and changing laws pertaining to public companies.

In addition, as a public company we are required to document and test our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act so that our independent registered public accounting firm can attest in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and in future annual reports. Under this law, we have been required and will continue to be required to document and make significant changes to our internal control over financial reporting.

If our senior management is unable to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting or to certify the effectiveness of such controls; if our independent registered public accounting firm cannot render an unqualified opinion on management's assessment and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting; or if material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting is identified, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, a loss of public and investor confidence, and to litigation from investors and stockholders, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and our stock price. In addition, if we do not maintain adequate financial and management personnel, processes and controls, we

The trading market for our Class A common stock depends in part on the research and reports that analysts and journalists publish about us or our business. If analysts or journalists publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price would likely decline. If we fail to meet the expectations of analysts for our operating results, or if the analysts who covers us downgrade our stock, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.

Short selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has borrowed or intends to borrow from a third party with the intention of buying identical securities at a later date to return to the lender. A short seller hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the securities, as the short seller expects to pay less in the covering purchase than it received in the sale. It is therefore in the short seller’s interest for the price of the stock to decline, and some short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, opinions or characterizations regarding the relevant issuer, often involving deliberate misrepresentations of the issuer’s business prospects and similar matters calculated to create negative market momentum.

As a public entity in a highly digital world, we have been and in the future may be the subject of concerted efforts by profiteering short sellers to spread misinformation and misrepresentations in order to gain an illegal market advantage. In the past, the publication of intentional misinformation concerning Carvana by a disclosed short seller could be associated with the selling of shares of our common stock in the market on a large scale, resulting in a precipitous decline in the market price per share of our common stock. In addition, the publication of intentional misinformation may also result in lawsuits, the uncertainty and expense of which could adversely impact our business, financial condition, and reputation.

While utilizing all available tools to defend ourselves and our assets against these short seller efforts, there is limited regulatory control, making such efforts an ongoing concern for any public company. While we move forward in our business development strategies in good faith, there are no assurances that we will not face more of these short sellers' efforts or similar tactics by bad actors in the future, and the market price of our common stock may decline as a result of their actions or the action of other short sellers.