Emerald Advisers LLC Sells 22,276 Shares of LendingTree, Inc. $TREE

Emerald Advisers LLC lowered its holdings in shares of LendingTree, Inc. (NASDAQ:TREE) by 6.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 339,669 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 22,276 shares during the quarter. Emerald Advisers LLC’s holdings in LendingTree were worth $14,565,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the business. Financial Management Professionals Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of LendingTree during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Fifth Third Bancorp purchased a new position in LendingTree in the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. OP Asset Management Ltd purchased a new position in LendingTree in the first quarter worth about $34,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its stake in LendingTree by 281.0% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,120 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 826 shares during the last quarter. Finally, New York State Teachers Retirement System bought a new stake in LendingTree during the fourth quarter worth approximately $54,000. 68.26% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

LendingTree Stock Performance

LendingTree stock opened at $45.24 on Tuesday. 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, Inc. has a 1-year low of $32.65 and a 1-year high of $77.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $631.10 million, a P/E ratio of 3.52 and a beta of 2.00. The company’s 50-day moving average is $39.07 and its 200 day moving average is $44.75.

LendingTree (NASDAQ:TREE) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.49 by ($0.11). LendingTree had a net margin of 15.02% and a return on equity of 17.01%. The business had revenue of $319.07 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $321.32 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.99 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 36.5% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that LendingTree, Inc. will post 3.64 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on TREE shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of LendingTree in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on LendingTree from $70.00 to $58.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on LendingTree in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $50.00 price target on the stock. Truist Financial set a $78.00 price target on LendingTree in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of LendingTree from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Sunday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $66.20.

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.