Lendingtree (TREE) has been on my radar big time lately, and after a blowout Q2 report at the beginning of August I am more bullish than ever on TREE stock.
It should be obvious why. Lendingtree stock is up 180% since January and up over 400% since last August!
And judging by the latest earnings numbers, TREE stock still has much more to run. Lending Tree reported record revenue, with sales up 31% over last year, and increased guidance for the rest of this year thanks to strong performance.
If you’re not familiar with Lendingtree, it’s kind of like a Priceline.com (PCLN) but for borrowers looking for loans. TREE stock makes money as the middleman between consumers shopping around for a car loan or a mortgage, and banks who are competing for their business.
It’s a win-win . Regular folks getting transparency the the peace of mind that comes with shopping around, lenders find new customers they wouldn’t have met otherwise and Lendingtree stock holders benefiting from a small fee that is made with each connection.
As I wrote previously, right before TREE stock gapped up about 30% on amazing earnings, this company is not some profitless internet company that is just a fad. Lendingtree is the real deal, trading as a public stock for about a decade and boasting a history of profitability.
Growth is great, as evidenced by the latest revenue growth. But equally compelling is the diversification as TREE continues to move away from a focus on mostly mortgages. Personal loans in particularly continue to be a bright spot, as evidenced by the nearly 400% growth year-over-year in this segment, and non-mortgage lending is now roughly a third of Lendingtree’s business.
TREE stock is admittedly a bit frothy after this report, but I really like what this company has to offer. You should, too.
Jeff Reeves is the editor of InvestorPlace.com and the author of The Frugal Investor’s Guide to Finding Great Stocks. Write him at editor@investorplace.com or follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
