LendingTree (TREE) News Today

LendingTree, Inc. (TREE) shares are trading lower amid mixed industry news. Recent reports on mortgage access, insurance costs and demographic trends are weighing on sentiment, although a strategic divestiture provides a bright spot.

• Positive Sentiment: LendingTree sold its EarnUp AI advisor platform to Boeing Employees’ Credit Union, unlocking capital and allowing the company to refocus on core mortgage and loan marketplaces. EarnUp Announces Sale of AI Advisor Platform to BECU
• Neutral Sentiment: A surge in applications from rapidly growing Florida “boomtowns” could expand LendingTree’s addressable market for mortgage and personal-loan referrals as population inflows drive housing demand. These 5 Florida ‘boomtowns’ are growing faster than nearly anywhere else
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest in TREE remains negligible, reflecting limited bearish bets despite recent volatility in housing and credit markets.
• Negative Sentiment: Studies highlight that Black homebuyers are roughly 1.7 times more likely to be denied mortgages, underscoring persistent credit access issues that could dampen overall loan origination volumes. Study shows Black homebuyers are 1.7 times more likely to be denied mortgages and Black homebuyers are 1.7 times more likely to be denied a mortgage: study
• Negative Sentiment: Rising property insurance costs in many U.S. states may increase buyers’ upfront expenses, potentially slowing mortgage applications and refinancing activity. The Housing Scene: The Property Insurance Conundrum and Map shows rising home insurance costs across 50 states

Overall, despite a strategic divestiture bolstering financial flexibility, persistent barriers in mortgage approval and higher ancillary costs are pressuring LendingTree’s market outlook and share performance.