LendingTree Appoints Ian Smith as COO to Drive Growth

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

TREE+12.86%

Source: PRnewswire

Updated: 10h ago

0mins

Source: PRnewswire

Leadership Transition: LendingTree announced the promotion of Ian Smith to Chief Operating Officer, succeeding Scott Peyree, who became CEO after the passing of founder Doug Lebda, aiming to enhance the company's operational execution and long-term growth potential.
Insurance Business Leadership: Laura Nelson will take over as Head of Insurance, continuing to drive performance and innovation in the insurance marketplace while strengthening relationships with carriers to enhance consumer value.
Operational Efficiency Boost: Smith's established operating system within the insurance sector will be extended across LendingTree, expected to improve operational efficiency in lending and other financial services, thereby strengthening the company's position in a competitive financial market.
Internal Talent Development: This leadership change reflects LendingTree's commitment to nurturing internal talent, with CEO Peyree emphasizing that Ian and Laura's leadership capabilities will lay a solid foundation for the company's continued growth.

TREE

$62.91+Infinity%1D

Analyst Views on TREE

Wall Street analysts forecast TREE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for TREE is 81.33 USD with a low forecast of 72.00 USD and a high forecast of 85.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.

6 Analyst Rating

6 Buy

0 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 55.740

Low

72.00

Averages

81.33

High

85.00

Current: 55.740

Low

72.00

Averages

81.33

High

85.00

Truist

Buy

maintain

$62 -> $72

2025-11-03

Reason

Truist

Price Target

$62 -> $72

2025-11-03

maintain

Buy

Reason

Truist raised the firm's price target on LendingTree to $72 from $62 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company's stronger than expected results in Q3 and outlook keep the firm constructive on the stock as its scale, well diversified revenue base and valuation provide an attractive play on the ongoing recovery in Insurance and over time in the Home and Consumer segments while interest rates normalize, the analyst tells investors in a research note.

JPMorgan

NULL -> Overweight

upgrade

$66 -> $83

2025-10-31

Reason

JPMorgan

Price Target

$66 -> $83

2025-10-31

upgrade

NULL -> Overweight

Reason

JPMorgan raised the firm's price target on LendingTree to $83 from $66 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The company upped its outlook on continued growth across all segments, the analyst tells investors in a research note.

Truist

Buy

maintain

$62 -> $72

2025-10-31

Reason

Truist

Price Target

$62 -> $72

2025-10-31

maintain

Buy

Reason

Truist raised the firm's price target on LendingTree to $72 from $62 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. LendingTree's solid Q3 results and upbeat outlook highlight broad-based double-digit growth across all segments, led by Insurance, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The company's improving leverage enhances flexibility for shareholder returns, while its scale and diversified revenue base position it well for continued recovery as rates normalize, Truist says.

Mizuho

Outperform

maintain

$875

2025-10-31

Reason

Mizuho

Price Target

$875

2025-10-31

maintain

Outperform

Reason

Mizuho argues that recent financial results from Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC) and LendingTree (TREE) offer a "bullish view" for Intuit's (INTU) Credit Karma segment revenue when the company reports fiscal Q1 results on November 20. The banks' new credit card account growth significantly accelerated in calendar Q3, while LendingTree saw strong growth in its personal loans and insurance segments, notes the analyst, who believes Intuit could post "another quarter" of significant Credit Karma revenue upside. Mizuho has an Outperform rating and $875 price target on Intuit shares.

About TREE

LendingTree, Inc. operates LendingTree.com, an online financial services marketplace. The Company provides customers with access to offers on loans, credit cards, insurance and more through its network of approximately 430 financial partners. Its segments include Home, Consumer, and Insurance. The Home segment includes products, such as purchase mortgage, refinance mortgage, and home equity loans and lines of credit. Its Consumer segment includes products, such as credit cards, personal loans, small business loans, auto loans, deposit accounts, and other credit products such as debt settlement. The Insurance segment consists of insurance quote products and insurance policies in its agency businesses. It helps customers obtain financing, save money, and improve their financial and credit health in their personal journeys. With a portfolio of products and tools and personalized financial recommendations, the Company helps customers achieve everyday financial wins.

About the author

Emily J. Thompson

Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.