LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) Receives $67.40 Average PT from Analysts

Shares of LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $67.40.

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on TREE. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of LendingTree in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Needham & Company LLC reduced their target price on LendingTree from $85.00 to $60.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Wall Street Zen upgraded LendingTree from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on LendingTree from $83.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on LendingTree in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $50.00 price objective on the stock.

LendingTree Price Performance

LendingTree stock opened at $48.26 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $668.69 million, a PE ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 2.13. LendingTree has a 52 week low of $32.65 and a 52 week high of $77.35. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $42.04 and its 200 day simple moving average is $50.84. The company has a quick ratio of 1.67, a current ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35.

LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) last posted its earnings results on Monday, March 2nd. The financial services provider reported ($0.39) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.90 by ($1.29). LendingTree had a net margin of 13.55% and a return on equity of 12.44%. The business had revenue of $310.92 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $286.56 million. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 22.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that LendingTree will post 3.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting LendingTree

Here are the key news stories impacting LendingTree this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect earnings growth for TREE heading into the next report, highlighting key indicators that could produce an upside surprise and support the stock. Tree.com (TREE) Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage consensus is a “Moderate Buy,” which can attract momentum buyers and institutional interest if sentiment improves. Moderate Buy Consensus
• Positive Sentiment: Recent LendingTree-sponsored surveys on side hustles and consumer spending have wide local and national pickup (Fox5 Atlanta, KJRH, others). Increased media visibility typically drives traffic to LendingTree’s lead-generation funnels, which can translate into higher revenue if conversion holds. Side hustles pay more than ever — but fewer Americans are taking them on
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data reported for April is effectively zero/blank in the feed, which is unreliable and provides no clear signal about bearish positioning or squeeze risk. (Data appears inconsistent.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Local stories referencing cost-of-living and gas-price surveys that cite LendingTree research (e.g., KNOE, MSN) increase brand reach but have an ambiguous direct revenue impact. Rising gas prices force Americans adjust spending
• Negative Sentiment: The firm’s last reported quarter (March 2) included a substantial EPS miss, which remains a negative catalyst for valuation until management consistently demonstrates margin recovery and predictable earnings. This keeps the stock’s P/E and investor expectations under scrutiny.
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage of the late CEO Doug Lebda’s Quail Hollow mansion for sale is peripheral PR news; while not operational, such stories can create short-term headline noise. Late LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda’s Quail Hollow mansion for sale

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of LendingTree by 5.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 23,598 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,188,000 after purchasing an additional 1,222 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in shares of LendingTree by 43.6% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,039 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $595,000 after buying an additional 4,871 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in shares of LendingTree by 12.7% during the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 10,840 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $402,000 after buying an additional 1,223 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its stake in shares of LendingTree by 12.6% during the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 16,754 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $621,000 after buying an additional 1,875 shares during the period. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in LendingTree by 9.3% during the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 26,010 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $964,000 after acquiring an additional 2,217 shares during the last quarter. 68.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About LendingTree

LendingTree, Inc operates an online marketplace that connects consumers with a network of lenders and financial service providers. Through its platform, borrowers can compare loan offers for mortgages, home equity loans, personal loans, student loans, auto loans and small business financing. The company also offers tools for comparing credit cards and deposit accounts, allowing users to research rates and terms from a range of providers in one place.

Founded in 1996 by Doug Lebda, LendingTree pioneered the comparison-shopping model for consumer credit products.