Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.17 EPS

Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) announced its earnings results on Tuesday. The technology company reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.00 by ($0.17), Briefing.com reports. Match Group had a negative return on equity of 339.08% and a net margin of 16.20%.The company had revenue of $878.01 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $872.86 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.59 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Match Group’s conference call:

• Tinder’s product turnaround is showing early improvement in SPARKS, SPARK coverage and moderating MAO declines, but management expects near-term direct revenue declines as it prioritizes user outcomes.
• Hinge remains a standout — Q4 revenue +26%, rapid international traction (3.3M MAU in Europe, strong early results in Mexico/Brazil/India) and a path to $1 billion revenue in 2027.
• Match generated over $1 billion of free cash flow in 2025, returned capital via nearly $800M of buybacks and ~$200M of dividends, increased the dividend and reduced diluted shares outstanding by 7%.
• 2026 guidance implies roughly flat total revenue with continued Tinder headwinds (a $60M user-testing budget), mid-teens declines in indirect revenue and pressure at E&E and MG Asia (including Azar’s Turkey block).
• The FaceCheck verification rollout cut interactions with bad actors by >50% in tested markets with only a small revenue impact, and management plans broader deployment to boost trust and retention.

Match Group Trading Down 8.4%

NASDAQ MTCH opened at $28.90 on Wednesday. Match Group has a 12 month low of $26.39 and a 12 month high of $39.20. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $32.40 and a 200-day moving average of $33.99. The company has a market cap of $6.82 billion, a PE ratio of 13.50, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.32.

Insider Activity at Match Group

In other news, CEO Spencer M. Rascoff acquired 14,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 20th. The stock was bought at an average price of $31.84 per share, with a total value of $445,760.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 165,128 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,257,675.52. The trade was a 9.26% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.64% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Match Group

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MTCH. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Match Group by 1,163.7% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 6,137,898 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $216,791,000 after buying an additional 5,652,174 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Match Group by 14.6% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 19,275,943 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $680,826,000 after purchasing an additional 2,461,025 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in Match Group by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 2,908,669 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $89,849,000 after purchasing an additional 507,901 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its position in Match Group by 69.8% during the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,190,021 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $36,760,000 after buying an additional 489,290 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi lifted its holdings in shares of Match Group by 1,477.6% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 358,709 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $11,637,000 after buying an additional 335,971 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.05% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Match Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Match Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat on key metrics and operational improvements — company statements and some reporters say Match exceeded revenue and adjusted EBITDA expectations and highlighted early engagement gains (Tinder conversation metric up; Hinge direct revenue growth), which supports longer?term growth assumptions. Match Group Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Results
• Positive Sentiment: Several outlets report Q4 beat on EPS/adjusted EPS and margin/cash improvements, and analysts (e.g., TD Cowen) continue to back the story with Buy/target calls, supporting upside if product changes gain traction. Match Group (MTCH) Surpasses Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Third?party data and institutional activity show improving Tinder performance and mixed hedge?fund positioning; analysts’ median price target remains above the current price (around $35 median), so market reaction may hinge on execution of product tests. Apptopia Data Signals Improvement in Tinder Performance
• Negative Sentiment: Management issued soft near?term guidance and said it will invest ~$60M in AI/new?product testing, trimming FY/Q1 revenue outlook versus consensus — that incremental spend and guidance softness is the main driver of the stock pullback. Match beats estimates, but issues weak guidance due to AI investments
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed headlines on EPS (some outlets report an EPS miss on GAAP metrics while others report adjusted beats), creating investor confusion and prompting profit?taking; trading volume is elevated relative to average, amplifying the move. Match Group Earnings Report & Call Transcript

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on MTCH shares. UBS Group set a $37.00 price objective on shares of Match Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Match Group from $34.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Match Group from $35.00 to $33.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Raymond James Financial restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Match Group in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Wolfe Research set a $43.00 price target on shares of Match Group and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Match Group currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $36.38.

Match Group Company Profile

Match Group, Inc (NASDAQ: MTCH) is a leading provider of online dating products and services. The company owns and operates a diverse portfolio of consumer brands that connect singles through digital platforms. Its flagship offerings include Match.com, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid and PlentyOfFish, which together serve users looking for long-term relationships, casual encounters and social networking opportunities.

Originating with the launch of Match.com in 1995, Match Group has grown through a combination of organic development and strategic acquisitions.