CAR Group vs Seek shares: Which online classifieds company offers better value?

Australians weighing up online classifieds stocks might find themselves choosing between CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR) and Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK). Both companies have carved out leading roles in digital marketplaces, but their business models, recent performance, and value for investors are each surprisingly distinct. Whether you’re after dividends, growth, or just a smart long-term buy, there’s plenty to consider in a direct CAR Group vs Seek share showdown.

The case for CAR Group

CAR Group is a genuine heavyweight in the vehicle classifieds space. Best known locally for its flagship Carsales platform, CAR Group has expanded beyond Australia into digital marketplaces in South Korea, the US, and Latin America. According to its company profile, the group directly operates several overseas subsidiaries and holds a majority interest in Brazil’s webmotors.

Three fundamentals stand out for CAR Group:

• Market Cap: $8.34 billion, making it significantly larger than Seek Ltd in pure market size.
• Dividend Yield: 3.84%, with partial franking at 30% – not fully franked but still appealing given current rates.
• Earnings Per Share (EPS): $0.828, matched by a reported P/E ratio of 27.02.

CAR Group’s dividend has grown steadily over many years, reflecting a pattern of semi-annual increases. However, its year-to-date return has been negative at -24.5%, indicating the share price has faced a tough period.

The case for Seek

Seek is the dominant name in online employment classifieds, connecting jobseekers with employers and branching out into learning and business sale platforms. Seek’s reach extends well outside Australia across Asia and Latin America, and its inclusion of services like Seek Learning and Seek Volunteer gives it a somewhat diversified edge.

Key points for Seek:

• Dividend Yield: 4.33%, fully franked at 100%, which comes with maximum franking credits for eligible investors.
• Market Cap: $4.24 billion – noticeably smaller than CAR Group, but still a major ASX contender.
• P/E Ratio: 24.88, slightly below CAR Group, though the reported EPS is negative at -$0.858.

Notably, Seek has one of the most consistent and long-standing fully franked dividend histories among Australian tech-leaning businesses. However, its year-to-date return is -45.8%, which is a much steeper decline than CAR Group’s. Also, note: Seek’s reported P/E ratio may be based on a different earnings measure (e.g. underlying or forward earnings) than the EPS figure shown, which is why they may appear inconsistent.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how the numbers stack up side by side:

Metric	CAR Group	Seek
Market Cap	$8.34 billion	$4.24 billion
P/E Ratio	27.02	24.88
Dividend Yield	3.84% (30% franked)	4.33% (100% franked)
Earnings Per Share	$0.828	-$0.858
Dividend per Share	$0.87	$0.52
Year To Date Return	-24.5%	-45.8%

Seek edges ahead on dividend yield and investors get the bonus of full franking credits, which can be a decent tax benefit. CAR Group, on the other hand, is bigger, has a positive EPS, and more modest negative returns this year.

Recent share price momentum

Comparing recent share price performance up to 1 October 2026:

• As of 1 October 2026, CAR Group closed at $22.00. Its year-to-date return stands at -24.5%.
• As of 1 October 2026, Seek finished at $11.85, with a sharper year-to-date slide of -45.8%.
• Both shares have faced selling pressure over 2026, but Seek’s drop has been noticeably more severe over the same period.

Which is the better buy?

If I had to choose today, my pick would be CAR Group. Despite facing a tough year, it remains profitable with a positive EPS, a significantly larger market cap, and less severe recent losses than Seek. CAR Group’s dividend isn’t fully franked, but the blend of yield, size, and ongoing profitability tips the scale for me.

Seek’s fully franked, higher percentage dividend would normally be appealing. But the negative EPS and steeper price decline raise some red flags. The inconsistent EPS and P/E figures for Seek suggest underlying or adjusted measures are in play, so I’d approach its valuation with extra caution.

Of course, both businesses are proven leaders with global reach and clear digital moats. But for value and resilience right now, CAR Group looks just that bit steadier to me.

The post CAR Group vs Seek: Which ASX 200 stock is better value? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares to buy amid a volatile market: experts
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• These 3 ASX 200 shares have lost 49%+ in 2026. Are any now bargains?
• Top broker names 2 growing ASX dividend shares to buy now
• Where to invest as interest rates charge higher

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX All Ords Index (ASX: XAO) shares are up 0.34% to 8,889.5 points on Tuesday.

Over 12 months, the market is down 4.21%.

The US-Iran war, high oil prices, rising interest rates, and multi-decade-high bond yields are weighing on share price valuations.

However, experts say there are buying opportunities amid today’s turbulent trading conditions.

Let’s check them out. 

CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR)

The CAR share price is $22.02, down 0.23% today and down 43% over 12 months. 

Arthur Garipoli from Dolphin Partners has a buy rating on this ASX consumer discretionary share. 

Garipoli said (courtesy The Bull):

This online automotive platform operator recently posted a solid fiscal year 2026 result.

Reported revenue of $A1.253 billion was up 6 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Reported net profit after tax of $A314 million was up 14 per cent.

The stock has fallen on AI disruption concerns. At recent levels, the stock screens favourably on a risk adjusted returns basis.

The company expects to generate high single digit revenue growth in Australia in fiscal year 2027 and double digit revenue growth in constant currency in North America and Latin America.

Global Lithium Resources Ltd (ASX: GL1)

The Global Lithium Resources share price is $1.01, up 1.51% today and up 181% over 12 months. 

Shaw & Partners has a buy recommendation on this ASX lithium share. 

The broker has a 12-month share price target of $1.75 on Global Lithium Resources shares.

In a new note, Shaw & Partners said: 

Global Lithium Resources Limited (ASX: GL1) has released its Manna-Nova Integration Study, the first quantified assessment of a streamlined development pathway that treats Manna ore at the recently acquired Nova processing plant.

By utilising Nova’s existing infrastructure ($7m acquisition) via a 135km haul route, GL1 avoids the $440m greenfield concentrator build proposed in the Dec’25 DFS.

Integrating targeted process additions onto Nova’s established brownfield foundation significantly reduces upfront capital requirements, de-risks project delivery, and accelerates the timeline to first cash flow.

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

The Netwealth share price is $17.03, down 0.76% today and down 44% over 12 months. 

In a new note, Bell Potter retained its buy call on this ASX financial share. 

However, the broker reduced its 12-month share price target from $30 to $25.

Bell Potter said: 

Maintain Buy. Given interest rates,we have moved our valuation multiple to 2022-23 levels with a class action provision.

Our flow expectations are below FY27 guidance.

NWL has operated in similar environments,with large withdrawals and clients moving off platform.

FY23 flows landed -10% below the guidance and growth was restored in 12mths.

Our $17.9bn matches this experience. So far, we are 6mths into the cycle.

The post 3 ASX shares to buy amid a volatile market: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• CAR Group vs Seek: Which ASX 200 stock is better value?
• Buy, hold, sell: Myer, Develop Global, Netwealth shares
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Top ASX shares to buy in October 2026
• This ASX 200 share is tipped to return over 50%

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) and Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF (ASX: V500) are two Vanguard exchange-traded funds (ETFs) I would happily own for the long term.

There is also plenty of overlap between them, which can make choosing between the two less straightforward than it first appears.

So, if I could buy only one, which would get my money?

Why buy the VGS ETF?

The VGS ETF is the broader option. It gives investors exposure to around 1,300 stocks across approximately 23 developed countries outside Australia, including the United States, Japan, the UK, Canada, France, and Switzerland.

That geographic spread is its biggest strength, in my view. The US still accounts for a large part of the portfolio, so investors retain significant exposure to companies such as NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft. But the VGS ETF also puts money to work across other developed economies.

That could prove valuable during periods when US shares are not leading global markets. Rather than needing to predict which country performs best next, investors have exposure across a much wider group.

For someone wanting a single international ETF to provide broad diversification, I think the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF is difficult to fault.

What does the V500 ETF do differently?

The V500 ETF focuses entirely on the United States. It tracks the famous S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX), giving investors exposure to around 500 large US companies representing roughly 80% of the value of the American share market.

Many of the largest companies are also owned by the VGS ETF. NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet currently sit at the top of the portfolio.

The difference is how much influence these US businesses have. The V500 ETF does not dilute that exposure with Japanese, European, Canadian, or other developed-market companies. Investors are making a clearer bet that the US can continue producing some of the world’s strongest businesses.

I am comfortable with that. The US remains a major centre for artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, software, healthcare innovation, consumer brands, and many other industries. The S&P 500 Index also extends well beyond technology, so buying this Vanguard ETF is not simply a bet on a handful of AI companies.

Which Vanguard ETF would I choose?

I would lean towards the V500 ETF. Both funds are buys in my view, and the VGS ETF would actually win if broader geographic diversification were my main priority.

But if I could choose only one, I would prefer to put more weight behind the US businesses inside the Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF.

Foolish takeaway

I can see a strong case for owning either ETF.

But for me, the V500 ETF narrowly comes out ahead. I am comfortable accepting less geographic diversification in exchange for greater exposure to the US market.

If I were choosing just one today, it is the Vanguard ETF that would get my money.

The post VGS vs V500: Which Vanguard ETF would I buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• My top 3 Vanguard ETFs for October
• How much do I need to retire on $110,000 a year at 65?
• VGS vs IVV: Which ETF would I buy with $10,000?
• How I’d build a $50,000 ASX share portfolio today
• Own VAS, VHY, VGS, or other Vanguard ETFs? Here’s your next dividend

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.