LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) Given Average Recommendation of “Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) have been assigned an average rating of “Buy” from the seven brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $68.60.

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of LendingTree in a report on Friday, May 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of LendingTree in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $50.00 target price for the company. Zacks Research upgraded shares of LendingTree from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 8th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on shares of LendingTree from $83.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of LendingTree from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday.

LendingTree Stock Performance

Shares of TREE opened at $38.48 on Friday. LendingTree has a one year low of $32.65 and a one year high of $77.35. The company has a 50-day moving average of $40.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $46.41. The stock has a market cap of $536.80 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 2.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 1.89.

LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.38 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.49 by ($0.11). LendingTree had a return on equity of 17.01% and a net margin of 15.02%.The firm had revenue of $319.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $321.33 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.99 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 36.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that LendingTree will post 3.64 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of LendingTree

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in TREE. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of LendingTree by 5.5% during the first 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 period. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of LendingTree by 43.6% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 16,039 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $595,000 after purchasing an additional 4,871 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings 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 worth $402,000 after purchasing an additional 1,223 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its holdings 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 worth $621,000 after purchasing an additional 1,875 shares during the period. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 2,217 shares during the period. 68.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

LendingTree Company Profile

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.