Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH) Shares Gap Up Following Dividend Announcement

Match Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MTCH) gapped up prior to trading on Wednesday after the company announced a dividend. The stock had previously closed at $28.90, but opened at $33.18. Match Group shares last traded at $29.6170, with a volume of 1,616,409 shares changing hands.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Tuesday, April 21st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 7th will be issued a $0.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 7th. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. This is an increase from Match Group’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. Match Group’s payout ratio is presently 35.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have commented on MTCH. UBS Group set a $34.00 price target on shares of Match Group in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen set a $37.00 target price on Match Group in a research report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Match Group from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Match Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Match Group from $35.00 to $33.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $35.86.

Match Group Stock Up 5.9%

The company has a market capitalization of $7.23 billion, a PE ratio of 12.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.32. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $32.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $33.97.

More Match Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results largely beat expectations — revenue roughly in line and adjusted profitability strong; several outlets highlight profit growth and year-over-year improvement that underpin the rally. Match Group Q4 Earnings & Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Hinge and product signals improving — Hinge delivered strong direct revenue growth and engagement improvements were highlighted on the call, helping offset weakness at Tinder and supporting upside to long-term monetization. Match Group Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Results
• Positive Sentiment: Board returned capital — company raised the quarterly dividend (small but notable hike and ~2.6% yield), signaling confidence in cash generation and supporting investor sentiment. Match Group Highlights 2025 Results and Raises Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Cash flow and balance-sheet metrics look healthy (operating cash up, >$1B cash), which gives flexibility for product investment even as spending rises. QuiverQuant Q4 Financial Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts largely kept Hold/Neutral stances — some reiterated caution while acknowledging early turnaround signs, so analyst sentiment remains balanced rather than uniformly bullish. Match Group: Early Signs of Product-Led Turnaround
• Negative Sentiment: Management issued softer near-term guidance driven by increased product and AI investment (management said it will spend to test new products, ~ $60M+ allocated), which could pressure margins before benefits materialize. Match beats estimates, but issues weak guidance due to AI investments
• Negative Sentiment: User trends mixed — coverage flags Tinder user softness and some slowing in Hinge growth in parts of the business, highlighting execution risk for the turnaround. Match Group: Tinder Is Bleeding Users, And Hinge Growth Slows
• Negative Sentiment: Some price-target trims from banks (JPMorgan, Truist) reflect the tradeoff between growth investments and near-term profitability, which could cap upside until product initiatives show sustained user improvements. Price-target update coverage Truist lowers target

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Spencer M. Rascoff acquired 14,000 shares of Match Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $5,257,675.52. This trade represents a 9.26% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.64% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Woodline Partners LP bought a new stake in shares of Match Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $662,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its stake in Match Group by 3.7% in the second quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 34,345 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $1,061,000 after purchasing an additional 1,213 shares during the period. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS lifted its position in shares of Match Group by 5.6% during the second quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 48,700 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $1,504,000 after purchasing an additional 2,600 shares during the last quarter. Callan Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Match Group during the second quarter valued at $229,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Match Group by 16.9% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 8,632 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 1,250 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.05% of the company’s stock.

About Match Group

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.