Chris Bryant, Columnist

Carvana Delivers Agony and Ecstasy for Hedge Funds

The online used-car dealer has staged an extraordinary turnaround, rewarding investors who stood by their convictions.

Carvana’s astonishing turnaround has rewarded investors who kept the faith.

Photographer: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg
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Picking stocks is a hard game, but Carvana Co. seems to possess a particular ability to bedevil hedge fund managers. The online used-car dealer’s improbable recovery from near-bankruptcy has rewarded investors who remained on the rollercoaster even as motion sickness drove others to the exit.

Carvana’s survival now looks secure after the Arizona-based company slashed costs, slowed its expansion and became profitable. But its eyepopping valuation means it’s still an investment only for the brave.