Match Group Inc. $MTCH Shares Sold by Vanguard Group Inc.

Key Points

• Vanguard Group trimmed its Match Group stake by 2.3% in Q4, selling 674,675 shares and ending the period with 28,543,146 shares (~12.09%) valued at about $921.7 million.
• Q4 results showed EPS of $0.83, missing the $1.00 consensus by $0.17, while revenue was $878.0 million (up 2.1% YoY); the company reported a 17.6% net margin and a negative return on equity of 289.3%.
• Match Group bumped its quarterly dividend to $0.20 ($0.80 annualized, ~2.1% yield), and analysts hold a consensus "Hold" rating with an average target price of $36.42.

Vanguard Group Inc. lowered its holdings in Match Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH - Free Report) by 2.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 28,543,146 shares of the technology company's stock after selling 674,675 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. owned about 12.09% of Match Group worth $921,658,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Match Group in the third quarter worth about $27,000. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Match Group in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Rossby Financial LCC lifted its holdings in Match Group by 126.5% in the third quarter. Rossby Financial LCC now owns 906 shares of the technology company's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 506 shares during the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC bought a new position in Match Group in the third quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Match Group in the fourth quarter worth $38,000. Institutional investors own 94.05% of the company's stock.

Match Group Stock Up 3.3%

Shares of MTCH stock opened at $38.67 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $32.31. Match Group Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $26.80 and a fifty-two week high of $39.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.25, a P/E/G ratio of 0.62 and a beta of 1.36.

Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The technology company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.00 by ($0.17). Match Group had a net margin of 17.59% and a negative return on equity of 289.29%. The firm had revenue of $878.01 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $872.86 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.59 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Match Group Inc. will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Match Group Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 21st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 7th were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This is a boost from Match Group's previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, April 7th. Match Group's payout ratio is currently 33.61%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Match Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Sunday, April 26th. Wolfe Research set a $43.00 target price on Match Group and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Truist Financial dropped their target price on Match Group from $35.00 to $34.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley set a $35.00 target price on Match Group in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Match Group from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $36.42.

About Match Group

Match Group, Inc NASDAQ: MTCH is a leading provider of online dating products and services. The company owns and operates a diverse portfolio of consumer brands that connect singles through digital platforms. Its flagship offerings include Match.com, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid and PlentyOfFish, which together serve users looking for long-term relationships, casual encounters and social networking opportunities.

Originating with the launch of Match.com in 1995, Match Group has grown through a combination of organic development and strategic acquisitions.

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