Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) Receives Consensus Rating of "Hold" from Analysts

Shares of Match Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH - Get Free Report) have been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the twenty-four brokerages that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $37.68.

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Match Group from $38.00 to $34.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 12th. BTIG Research cut shares of Match Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Loop Capital decreased their price target on Match Group from $35.00 to $30.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "hold" rating and issued a $32.00 price target (down previously from $40.00) on shares of Match Group in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Finally, HSBC cut Match Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th.

Match Group Stock Down 1.7 %

NASDAQ:MTCH traded down $0.60 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $33.87. The stock had a trading volume of 4,679,298 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,528,460. The stock has a market cap of $8.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.77, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.45. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $33.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $34.63. Match Group has a 12-month low of $27.66 and a 12-month high of $38.84.

Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The technology company reported $0.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.84 by ($0.22). Match Group had a negative return on equity of 574.22% and a net margin of 15.84%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Match Group will post 2.44 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Match Group declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, December 11th that permits the company to repurchase $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the technology company to repurchase up to 19% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Match Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Investors of record on Thursday, April 3rd will be given a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.24%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 3rd. Match Group's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.62%.

Insider Transactions at Match Group

In other Match Group news, Director Stephen Bailey sold 801 shares of Match Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.61, for a total transaction of $25,319.61. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 12,398 shares of the company's stock, valued at $391,900.78. The trade was a 6.07 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.77% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Match Group

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Starboard Value LP acquired a new stake in Match Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $361,605,000. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Match Group by 716.8% in the fourth quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 5,254,933 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $171,889,000 after buying an additional 4,611,598 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Match Group in the fourth quarter valued at about $112,176,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Match Group by 110.5% during the 4th quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 5,624,212 shares of the technology company's stock valued at $183,968,000 after buying an additional 2,952,470 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in Match Group by 24.2% during the 4th quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 10,499,123 shares of the technology company's stock worth $343,427,000 after acquiring an additional 2,042,677 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.05% of the company's stock.

Match Group Company Profile

Match Group, Inc engages in the provision of dating products. Its portfolio of brands includes Tinder, Hinge, Match, Meetic, OkCupid, Pairs, Plenty Of Fish, Azar, BLK, and Hakuna, as well as a various other brands, each built to increase users' likelihood of connecting with others. Its services are available in over 40 languages to users worldwide.