Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) Stock Gets Price Target Reduction from Morgan Stanley

Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) had its target price reduced by Morgan Stanley from $35.00 to $24.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the stock.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reduced their target price on shares of Upstart from $42.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Upstart from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Monday, September 28th. B. Riley Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $42.00 price target (down from $54.00) on shares of Upstart in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Upstart from $46.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Loop Capital began coverage on shares of Upstart in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $34.00 price objective for the company. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $32.40.

Upstart Trading Down 1.1%

Shares of NASDAQ UPST traded down $0.25 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $21.89. 4,573,996 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,074,217. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $24.50 and its 200 day moving average price is $29.40. Upstart has a 12 month low of $20.59 and a 12 month high of $52.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 2.48.

Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 3rd. The company reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $370.52 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $362.68 million. Upstart had a return on equity of 7.13% and a net margin of 4.84%. Upstart’s revenue was up 33.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.23 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Upstart will post 0.72 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Upstart

In other news, CFO Andrea Blankmeyer sold 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.33, for a total transaction of $87,990.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 152,208 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,464,260.64. The trade was a 1.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed 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, CEO Paul Gu purchased 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $25.55 per share, for a total transaction of $1,277,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 130,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,321,500. The trade was a 62.50% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 148,652 shares of company stock valued at $4,133,720 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 17.29% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Upstart

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UPST. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in Upstart by 267.1% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,022,780 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,234,000 after acquiring an additional 744,190 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Upstart during the second quarter valued at approximately $9,681,000. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in shares of Upstart by 17.2% in the first quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 373,455 shares of the company’s stock valued at $9,579,000 after purchasing an additional 54,908 shares during the period. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Upstart by 38.1% in the first quarter. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC now owns 344,646 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,840,000 after purchasing an additional 95,172 shares during the period. Finally, Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new position in Upstart in the second quarter worth approximately $8,461,000. 63.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Upstart News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Upstart this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Upstart reported third-quarter net income of $36.58 million and diluted EPS of $0.33, beating analyst estimates. Revenue also topped expectations, and contribution profit reached a record $218 million. Upstart Stock Jumps On Earnings Beat As Full Year Outlook Is Cut
• Positive Sentiment: B. Riley reiterated a positive view by assigning Upstart a “Buy” rating. Upstart Earns Buy Rating from B. Riley Financial
• Neutral Sentiment: Sell-side brokerages’ overall rating was reported as “Hold,” suggesting analysts remain divided rather than broadly bullish or bearish. Upstart Stock Rated Hold by Sell-Side Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the earnings beat, Upstart lowered its 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA outlook, citing weaker consumer credit quality, higher funding costs, and a higher Upstart Macro Index reading—indicating elevated default risk. Upstart Stock Jumps On Earnings Beat As Full Year Outlook Is Cut
• Negative Sentiment: Several firms lowered their price expectations, including Stephens, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Truist, Needham, and BTIG. Citigroup’s earlier target was cut from $61 to $46, though it retained a Buy rating. These revisions may reinforce concerns about the company’s near-term outlook. Stephens Cuts Upstart Price Target Truist Cuts Upstart Price Target Citigroup Lowers Upstart Price Target

Upstart Company Profile

Upstart Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: UPST) operates an artificial intelligence-powered lending marketplace. Its platform connects consumers seeking credit with banks and credit unions, using data-driven underwriting models designed to evaluate applicants beyond traditional credit-score-based methods.

The company provides technology for several lending categories, including personal loans, automotive retail and refinance lending, home equity lines of credit, and small-dollar lending. Upstart’s platform supports financial institutions with application processing, risk assessment, loan origination, and related automation, while offering consumers a digital borrowing experience.

Founded in 2012, Upstart is headquartered in San Mateo, California, and primarily serves the United States.