Match Group Hold Rating: Uncertainty with Leadership Change and Foreign Exchange Challenges

BTIG analyst Jake Fuller has maintained their neutral stance on MTCH stock, giving a Hold rating today.

Jake Fuller has given his Hold rating due to a combination of factors surrounding Match Group’s recent developments. The company’s fourth-quarter results were in line with expectations, but its guidance for the first quarter and 2025 fell short due to foreign exchange challenges. This was somewhat predictable given the strong dollar environment. However, the unexpected leadership change, with Spencer Rascoff replacing Bernard Kim as CEO, adds uncertainty. Rascoff’s history with Zillow shows a mixed legacy, and it remains to be seen how the market will respond to his new role at Match Group.
There are concerns about the company’s ability to turn around Tinder’s performance, which currently has low visibility for improvement. The impact of foreign exchange, the exit of the Hakuna app, and the leap year effect are expected to weigh on revenue. With these headwinds and the uncertainty surrounding the new CEO’s influence, Fuller suggests that a cautious approach is advisable, hence the Hold rating.

In another report released today, Morgan Stanley also maintained a Hold rating on the stock with a $32.00 price target.

Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 44 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of MTCH in relation to earlier this year.