The share price of Match Group ('Tinder') is down nearly 85%, while Bumble has lost more than 95%.Grindr, the gay dating app, has fallen around 60%.Are these promising value stocks, or is the very concept of online dating heading for the dustbin of history?A fascinating sector to follow"The world of dating apps is very alien to me. I have no clue what works and what doesn't. Only biotech is worse."So said an esteemed member of my WhatsApp group of London finance bros when I floated the subject of dating app ...

Match Group Announces Manuel Bronstein and Raina Moskowitz to Join Board of Directors [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationLOS ANGELES, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) announced today that seasoned technology executives Manuel Bronstein and Raina Moskowitz are expected to join the Company's Board of Directors in connection with the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Bronstein and Moskowitz were identified through a deliberate and thorough search process."As we continue to stre ...

Core Insights - The dating app industry is facing challenges with user satisfaction and retention, leading to a decline in paid users for major platforms like Bumble and Match Group [2][3] - The introduction of generative AI is seen as a potential game-changer for the dating sector, aiming to enhance user experience and improve matching efficiency [2][4] Group 1: Industry Challenges - Many dating apps are caught in a "despair loop," where users download, swipe, and uninstall due to lack of success, resulting in a decrease in paid subscriptions [2] - Bumble's paid users decreased by 9%, while Match Group lost 5% of its paid users, with Match Group's stock price plummeting 80% from its 2021 peak [2] - Despite an increase in total users, the overall satisfaction and willingness to pay for services have declined [2] Group 2: Generative AI Integration - Generative AI is being integrated into dating apps to create more effective matching systems, with companies like Bumble and Match Group leading the charge [2][3] - Bumble's founder envisions AI acting as a personal concierge for users, while Match Group's CEO acknowledges AI's transformative impact on operational models [2][3] - New startups like Keeper and Sitch are emerging, leveraging AI to disrupt traditional dating platforms and potentially create billion-dollar businesses [3] Group 3: Enhancements in Matching - Hinge has implemented AI tools to optimize user profiles and improve matching accuracy, resulting in a 15% increase in matches [4] - Bumble plans to launch AI features to assist users in creating profiles and learning communication skills [4] - Tinder is testing an AI feature called "Spark" to analyze user photos and recommend better matches, addressing user fatigue from endless swiping [4] Group 4: User Privacy Concerns - The push for more personal information to enhance AI matching raises significant privacy concerns, including risks of fraud and data leaks [6] - Match Group has established principles for the use of generative AI, promising transparency in data usage, but the industry has a poor track record in user data protection [6] - Approximately 40% of users view AI manipulation of photos as a critical flaw, highlighting the need for a balance between technology and genuine human interaction [6]

Match Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) is one of the most undervalued mid cap stocks to buy now. On February 4, TD Cowen lowered its price target on Match Group to $37 from $40 with a Buy rating following solid Q4 2025 results. The firm particularly reduced its long-term estimates for the company. On the same day, Truist lowered its price target on Match Group to $34 from $35 and kept a Hold rating. The firm noted that better-than-expected Q4 2025 results indicate that the company is seeing green shoots from its ...

A complexity about Match Group is that we’re a portfolio of brands; we’re not just one product. So a lot of what I do is help decide, alongside the CEO and the CRO, how to best allocate capital. For example, we have roughly a $600 million marketing budget, and we have to determine which brands get the funds and how that money gets spent.So really, my superpower is that I know the business inside and out. I don’t just know finance, I know how the business operates and runs, and I can bring that perspective t ...

Core Insights - Bumble went public on February 11, 2021, with shares surging 76% on the IPO day, leading to a valuation of $14 billion [1] - The company reported 40 million monthly users across its Bumble and Badoo apps at the time of the IPO, utilizing a "freemium" model to convert free users into paying subscribers [2] Financial Performance - From January 29, 2020, to September 30, 2020, Bumble generated $376.6 million in revenue, with $231.5 million from the Bumble app and $145.1 million from Badoo, but incurred a net loss of $84.1 million during this period [3] - Despite the net loss, Bumble's paying users increased to 1.1 million by September 30, 2020, up from 844,000 the previous year [4] Stock Performance - Over the five years since its IPO, Bumble's shares have decreased by 92.5%, closing at $3.24 per share recently, meaning an initial $1,000 investment would now be worth only $75 [5] - As of the latest earnings report, paying users across Bumble's apps reached 3.57 million, a 16% decrease year over year, while total revenue also fell by 10% year over year [6]

Core Viewpoint - Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) is positioned for growth in the online dating sector, with a price target of $37 set by Cowen & Co., indicating a potential upside of 20.88% from its current price of $30.61 [1][6] Financial Performance - In Q4 2025, Match Group reported earnings per share of $1.06, exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimate by nearly 5%, representing a 29.3% increase year over year [2][6] - Revenues for the quarter increased by 2.1% year over year to $878 million, surpassing expectations by 0.74% [3][6] Growth Drivers - Hinge significantly contributed to revenue growth, with direct revenues rising by 26.3% year over year and the number of payers increasing by 16.5% [3][6] Cost Management - Despite a 5.3% decline in overall payers, Match Group improved its adjusted EBITDA margin to 42.1% as costs decreased by 6.8% [4] - On an FX-neutral basis, revenues remained flat year over year at $860.2 million, with direct revenues at $860.3 million, marking a 1.8% increase [4] Market Activity - Currently, MTCH is trading at $30.61, reflecting a 5.92% increase or $1.71, with a market capitalization of approximately $7.23 billion [5]

Market Overview - Technology stocks continued to decline, impacting Wall Street, with the S&P 500 falling 0.5% for its fifth loss in six days, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 260 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5% [1] - Despite more stocks rising than falling within the S&P 500, the decline in technology stocks weighed heavily on the index for a second consecutive day [1] Company Performance - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw a significant drop of 17.3% despite reporting stronger-than-expected profits and a positive revenue forecast for early 2026, indicating investor concerns after a 100% stock price increase over the past year [2] - Uber Technologies' stock fell 5.1% after reporting quarterly results that missed analysts' expectations and providing a profit forecast below expectations, alongside the announcement of a new CFO [4] - Super Micro Computer's stock rose 13.8% after exceeding profit expectations for the latest quarter, benefiting from its focus on AI servers [5] - Eli Lilly's stock increased by 10.3% after surpassing profit expectations, driven by growth from its diabetes and weight loss products [5] - Match Group's stock climbed 5.9% following better-than-expected results and an increased dividend, attributing success to new user verification features [6] Retail Sector - Walmart's stock edged up by 0.2% after its market value surpassed $1 trillion for the first time, joining a select group of companies valued over $4 trillion [7] Commodity Market - Gold prices rose by 0.3% to settle at $4,950.80 per ounce after fluctuating significantly, while silver prices increased by 1.3% [8]

Core Insights - Match Group (MTCH) reported Q4 2025 earnings of $1.06 per share, exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.95% and showing a 29.3% increase year-over-year [1] - Revenues reached $878 million, a 2.1% year-over-year growth, also surpassing Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.74% [1] Revenue Breakdown - Direct revenues were $860.3 million, up 1.8% year-over-year, while indirect revenues rose to $17.7 million, a 19.6% increase from the previous year [2] - Hinge was a key driver of revenue growth, with direct revenues increasing by 26.3% year-over-year [2] User Metrics - The total number of payers decreased by 5.3% year-over-year to 13.8 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.29% [3] - Revenue per payer (RPP) increased by 7.4% year-over-year to $20.72, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.91% [3] Segment Performance - Tinder's direct revenues fell by 2.6% year-over-year to $463.8 million, but still surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.51% [3] - Hinge revenues grew by 26.3% year-over-year to $186.5 million, with payers increasing by 16.5% to 1.9 million [4] Regional Performance - Match Group Asia's direct revenues declined by 1.5% year-over-year to $65.6 million, with payers increasing by 3.4% to 1.0 million [5] - Evergreen and Emerging revenues decreased by 6.8% year-over-year to $144.5 million, despite an 8.3% gain in RPP [6] Operating Metrics - Total operating costs and expenses were 67.6% of revenues, decreasing by 6.8% year-over-year to $593.3 million [7] - Adjusted EBITDA was $369.8 million, up 14.2% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 42.1%, expanding by 450 basis points [7] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2025, Match Group had cash and short-term investments of $1.0 billion, down from $1.1 billion as of September 30, 2025 [8] - Long-term debt was reported at $4.0 billion, a decrease from $4.1 billion [8] Share Repurchase - In Q4 2025, Match Group repurchased 7.3 million shares for $239 million, with $959 million in aggregate value of shares available under the current repurchase program as of January 31, 2026 [9] Guidance - For Q1 2026, Match Group expects revenues of $850-$860 million, indicating 2-3% year-over-year growth [10] - Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $315 to $320 million, reflecting a 15% year-over-year increase [10] - For the full year 2026, revenues are expected to be between $3.410 to $3.535 billion, roughly flat year-over-year at the midpoint [11]

Group 1: Market Overview - European stocks are expected to open mixed following a sell-off in major U.S. stock averages due to concerns over AI-led disruption [1] - U.S. equity futures remain little changed as investors await earnings reports from Alphabet and Amazon [1] - The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.4%, the S&P 500 decreased by 0.8%, and the Dow Jones dropped by 0.3% [7] Group 2: Company Earnings - Chipotle has projected no sales growth for 2026, indicating potential stagnation in its revenue [2] - Match Group exceeded Q4 revenue expectations, showcasing strong performance in the online dating sector [2] - Amgen reported significant beats on both top and bottom lines, reflecting robust financial health [2] Group 3: Economic Indicators - The flash Eurozone CPI print and reports on U.S. private sector employment and service sector activity are anticipated to attract investor attention [3] - The European Central Bank is expected to announce no change in interest rates, with a focus on growth and inflation outlook [3] - The Bank of England is also likely to maintain steady rates, with no major changes in economic projections [4] Group 4: Commodity Market - Gold prices increased nearly 3% to $5,079 per ounce, marking a significant rise amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran [6] - Oil prices extended gains after a 2% rise, influenced by military actions involving the U.S. and Iran [6]