For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. This factor can impact your investment portfolio as well as help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.

The fear of missing out, or FOMO, also plays a factor in investing, especially with particular tech giants, as well as popular consumer-facing stocks.

What if you'd invested in Copart, Inc. (CPRT Quick QuoteCPRT - Free Report) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to CPRT for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?

Copart, Inc.'s Business In-Depth

With that in mind, let's take a look at Copart, Inc.'s main business drivers.

Based in Dallas, TX, Copart, Inc. was founded in 1982. The company provides an online auction of salvage and clean-title vehicles. It also offers a wide range of remarketing services. This is done mainly over the Internet, through its Virtual Bidding Third Generation (VB3) Internet auction-style sales technology. Sellers are primarily insurance companies, banks, financial institutions, charities, car dealerships, fleet operators and vehicle rental companies. Buyers include licensed vehicle dismantlers, rebuilders, repair licensees, used vehicle dealers and exporters, as well as the general public.

Copart’s services include online supplier access, salvage estimation services, end-of-life vehicle processing, transportation services, vehicle inspection stations, on-demand reporting, title processing and procurement, among others.

The company primarily has two revenue streams: service revenues and purchased vehicles. Service revenues come from Copart acting as an intermediary in vehicle sales. In these cases, Copart does not own the vehicles; instead, it facilitates the auction process through the platform. The company earns money by charging fees for the services provided during the auction. Purchased vehicle revenues are generated when Copart buys vehicles outright, takes ownership and then sells them at a higher price. The profit comes from the difference between the purchase price and the marked-up selling price.

In fiscal year 2025, service revenues constituted 85.4% of the company's total revenues, while vehicle sales accounted for the remaining 14.6%.

With operations at more than 250 locations in 11 countries, Copart has over 265,000 vehicles available online every day. In the United States, Canada, Brazil, the Republic of Ireland, Finland, the U.A.E., Oman and Bahrain, Copart sells vehicles primarily as an agent and earns revenues from auction-related sales transaction fees paid by vehicle suppliers and buyers, as well as the associated fees for services following the auction, such as delivery and storage. In the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany, it operates both as agent and principal. In Germany and Spain, Copart also generates revenues from sales listing fees for listing vehicles on behalf of insurance companies and insurance experts.

Bottom Line

While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Copart, Inc. ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.

A $1000 investment made in September 2016 would be worth $5,123.82, or a gain of 412.38%, as of September 10, 2026, according to our calculations. This return excludes dividends but includes price appreciation.

Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 258.88% and gold's return of 218.22% over the same time frame.

Analysts are forecasting more upside for CPRT too.

Copart enjoys aleadership position in the automotive auction market. The company's competitiveness is supported by its multiple locations, the size of new facilities and the differentiated digital-first global auction platform. Aging vehicles and costly high-tech parts make repairs less economical, prompting insurers to declare total losses more frequently. This trend benefits companies like Copart, which earns a fixed fee per vehicle sold. However, Copart's operating costs have been rising, led by higher G&A as it invests in employees, technology and yard operations. Continued spending on systems, compliance and capacity can limit near-term margin leverage. It also continues to face higher transportation and fuel costs across its towing and logistics network. Thus, the stock warrants a cautious stance.

Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 10.49%, and there have been 1 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2026 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.