LendingTree, Inc. (TREE) - What Are Investment Firms Thinking About This Stock?

Key Points

• Analyst sentiment is moderately positive: Five of seven analysts rate LendingTree a buy, while two recommend holding. The average 12-month price target is $61.33, despite several firms recently lowering their targets.
• LendingTree’s stock has weakened significantly: Shares opened at $24.17, near the 12-month low of $23.50 and well below the 12-month high of $68.93.
• Institutional ownership remains substantial: Major investors including BlackRock, Punch & Associates, and Jennison Associates recently bought or increased stakes, with institutions collectively owning 68.26% of the company.

LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE - Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the seven ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $61.33.

Several research firms recently commented on TREE. Northland Securities set a $60.00 price objective on LendingTree in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on LendingTree from $70.00 to $58.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Zacks Research downgraded LendingTree from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on LendingTree from $78.00 to $70.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of LendingTree in a research note on Monday, September 21st.

LendingTree Stock Down 2.4%

TREE opened at $24.17 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.85, a current ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The stock has a market cap of $339.35 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 2.04. LendingTree has a twelve month low of $23.50 and a twelve month high of $68.93. The company's 50-day moving average price is $27.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $36.18.

LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.41 by ($0.73). LendingTree had a net margin of 14.33% and a return on equity of 14.57%. The company had revenue of $313.42 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $315.56 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.13 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 25.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that LendingTree will post 3.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On LendingTree

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in LendingTree during the 2nd quarter valued at $54,329,000. Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of LendingTree during the second quarter worth $32,140,000. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in shares of LendingTree by 74.0% during the first quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,020,211 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $43,747,000 after acquiring an additional 434,038 shares in the last quarter. S Squared Technology LLC purchased a new stake in shares of LendingTree during the second quarter worth $4,795,190. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of LendingTree by 33.3% in the first quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 274,366 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $11,765,000 after acquiring an additional 68,466 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.26% of the company's stock.

LendingTree Company Profile

LendingTree, Inc operates an online marketplace that helps consumers compare and connect with providers of financial products. Through its digital platforms, the company facilitates shopping for mortgages, home equity loans, personal loans, business loans, credit cards, insurance and other consumer financial services.

The company generally earns revenue by connecting consumers with banks, lenders, insurers and other financial service providers. Its websites and tools are designed to provide product comparisons, educational content and lead-generation services, allowing consumers to evaluate available options and request offers from participating providers.

Founded in 1996 by Doug Lebda, LendingTree is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and primarily serves consumers and financial service providers in the United States.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.