Independent Franchise Partners LLP Buys 94,569 Shares of Zillow Group, Inc. $Z

Key Points

• Independent Franchise Partners LLP increased its Zillow Group stake by 0.9% in the fourth quarter, buying 94,569 shares and bringing its total holdings to 10.95 million shares worth about $747.2 million.
• Zillow is facing multiple securities class action lawsuits tied to alleged anticompetitive conduct and possible federal securities law violations, which adds legal and regulatory uncertainty for shareholders.
• The company recently beat earnings expectations, reporting $0.53 EPS versus $0.43 expected and revenue of $708 million, though analysts still have a mixed view with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $76.

Independent Franchise Partners LLP grew its stake in Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:Z - Free Report) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 10,953,405 shares of the financial services provider's stock after purchasing an additional 94,569 shares during the quarter. Zillow Group comprises about 4.8% of Independent Franchise Partners LLP's holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Independent Franchise Partners LLP owned about 4.53% of Zillow Group worth $747,241,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC bought a new position in Zillow Group in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC bought a new position in Zillow Group in the 4th quarter worth $43,000. Clearstead Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Zillow Group by 4,119.0% in the 3rd quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 886 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $68,000 after purchasing an additional 865 shares in the last quarter. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. bought a new position in Zillow Group in the 4th quarter worth $68,000. Finally, SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd. bought a new position in Zillow Group in the 4th quarter worth $71,000. 71.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Zillow Group News

Here are the key news stories impacting Zillow Group this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced or promoted securities class action lawsuits against Zillow Group over alleged anticompetitive conduct and alleged violations of federal securities laws, increasing legal and regulatory uncertainty for shareholders. Z, ZG Breaking News: Zillow Sued for Securities Fraud after FTC Lawsuit Leads to 17% Stock Drop
• Negative Sentiment: Several notices highlight an August 10, 2026 deadline for investors who purchased Zillow Class A or Class C shares during the class period to seek lead plaintiff status, keeping the lawsuit in focus and potentially extending pressure on the stock. Deadline Alert: Zillow Group, Inc. (Z, ZG) Shareholders Who Lost Money Urged To Contact Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP About Securities Fraud Lawsuit
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks published a positive-style growth-stock note on Zillow, but it appears to be educational commentary rather than a material business update, so its market impact is likely limited. Here's Why Zillow (Z) is a Strong Growth Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Zillow also drew a separate consumer-facing article about home value and paint colors, which is not likely to materially move the stock. The retro bedroom color that adds $2,277 to your home's value, according to Zillow

Zillow Group Stock Performance

NASDAQ:Z opened at $32.01 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $7.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 128.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.97. Zillow Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $31.49 and a fifty-two week high of $93.88. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $39.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $51.15.

Zillow Group (NASDAQ:Z - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The financial services provider reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.43 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $708.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $705.10 million. Zillow Group had a net margin of 2.27% and a return on equity of 1.41%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Zillow Group, Inc. will post 0.9 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on Z shares. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Zillow Group from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a report on Friday, May 22nd. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Zillow Group from $80.00 to $75.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on shares of Zillow Group from $60.00 to $50.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Zillow Group from $84.00 to $76.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Zillow Group from $95.00 to $70.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $76.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Jeremy Hofmann sold 5,501 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.40, for a total transaction of $205,737.40. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 68,315 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,554,981. This trade represents a 7.45% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, General Counsel Bradley D. Owens sold 3,364 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.23, for a total transaction of $125,241.72. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 65,245 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,429,071.35. The trade was a 4.90% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 42,910 shares of company stock worth $1,605,732. 25.03% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Zillow Group Profile

Zillow Group, Inc is an online real estate marketplace company that operates a portfolio of consumer-facing websites and mobile apps designed to connect buyers, sellers, renters, homeowners and real estate professionals. The company's platforms aggregate property listings, rental listings, and related information to help users search for homes, estimate property values and connect with agents and service providers. Zillow generates revenue primarily through advertising and lead-generation services for real estate professionals, property managers and mortgage lenders.

Key products and services include the Zillow and Trulia consumer websites and apps, which provide searchable listings, photos, neighborhood data and the company's automated home valuation tool known as the “Zestimate.” Zillow also offers a rentals marketplace, a mortgage marketplace and tools for home buying and selling such as Zillow Premier Agent for agent advertising and leads, as well as ancillary services designed to support transactions, including closing and title-related offerings.

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