What Happened?
Shares of real estate data provider CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) fell 7.8% in the afternoon session after reports surfaced that Google was testing a new ad format that placed homes-for-sale listings directly at the top of its search results, sparking investor concern. The test, which appeared in limited markets on mobile devices, positioned the search giant as a potential direct competitor to online property portals. This development threatened a core source of traffic and leads for companies like CoStar, which owns Homes.com, and rival Zillow, whose shares also fell sharply. Investors were concerned because Google's move could bypass the established real estate platforms. Analysts from Goldman Sachs viewed the development as a "long-term risk" for the industry, even though the immediate impact might be limited since much of the traffic to real estate sites is direct.
The shares closed the day at $63.75, down 6.6% from previous close.
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What Is The Market Telling Us
CoStar’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 5 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was about 2 months ago when the stock dropped 18.2% on the news that the company reported third-quarter results and provided a mixed forecast for the upcoming quarter.
Revenue grew a robust 20.4% year-over-year to $833.6 million, and adjusted earnings per share of $0.23 also surpassed Wall Street's expectations. However, investors focused on the company's outlook. While CoStar's fourth-quarter revenue guidance was strong and ahead of estimates, its adjusted earnings per share forecast of $0.27 came in below the analyst consensus of $0.30. Adding to concerns, the company's operating margin fell to negative 6.1% from positive 3.4% a year ago, signaling that expenses are growing faster than sales. The sharp stock decline suggests the market is prioritizing future profitability over current revenue growth.
CoStar is down 10% since the beginning of the year, and at $63.75 per share, it is trading 34.2% below its 52-week high of $96.83 from August 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of CoStar’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $735.82.
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