LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) Stock Now Rated “Moderate Buy” by Sell-Side Analysts

Shares of LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $61.33.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on TREE shares. Needham & Company LLC decreased their target price on LendingTree from $60.00 to $45.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on shares of LendingTree from $70.00 to $58.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 13th. Northland Securities set a $60.00 price target on shares of LendingTree in a report on Thursday, July 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of LendingTree from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of LendingTree in a research report on Monday, September 21st.

LendingTree Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of TREE opened at $25.38 on Thursday. LendingTree has a twelve month low of $23.50 and a twelve month high of $68.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $356.34 million, a P/E ratio of 9.37 and a beta of 2.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.85, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $27.28 and its 200 day simple moving average is $35.83.

LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The financial services provider reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.41 by ($0.73). The firm had revenue of $313.42 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $315.56 million. LendingTree had a net margin of 14.33% and a return on equity of 14.57%. LendingTree’s revenue was up 25.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.13 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that LendingTree will post 3.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TREE. IFP Advisors Inc raised its stake in shares of LendingTree by 572.0% during the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 719 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 612 shares during the period. OP Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in shares of LendingTree during the first quarter worth $34,000. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of LendingTree during the second quarter worth $42,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its stake in shares of LendingTree by 123.5% in the first quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 4,227 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $181,000 after purchasing an additional 2,336 shares during the period. Finally, Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new position in shares of LendingTree in the second quarter valued at $204,000. 68.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

LendingTree Company Profile

LendingTree, Inc operates an online marketplace that helps consumers compare and connect with providers of financial products. Through its digital platforms, the company facilitates shopping for mortgages, home equity loans, personal loans, business loans, credit cards, insurance and other consumer financial services.

The company generally earns revenue by connecting consumers with banks, lenders, insurers and other financial service providers. Its websites and tools are designed to provide product comparisons, educational content and lead-generation services, allowing consumers to evaluate available options and request offers from participating providers.

Founded in 1996 by Doug Lebda, LendingTree is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and primarily serves consumers and financial service providers in the United States.