Match Group forecasts upbeat revenue as turnaround gains traction

By Kritika Lamba

Feb 3 (Reuters) - ⁠Match Group forecast ⁠first-quarter ‍revenue above estimates, signaling early gains from its turnaround push, sending its shares up 7% in extended trading.

The Tinder ‍parent has been reworking core features across its lineup to ​improve match quality and reduce negative experiences, as younger users grow more selective and ​leave platforms more quickly.

Paying users for the fourth quarter fell 5% to 13.8 million, with the company flagging near-term pressure as it tweaks products to improve longer-term outcomes. ​Paying users for Tinder continued to decline, down 8% to 8.8 million in the quarter.

While payer trends remain constrained, investor focus ​is shifting toward improving top-of-funnel metrics, said Chandler Willison, an analyst at M Science, adding that ‌early results from Match's product initiatives have eased investor concerns.

Match CEO Spencer Rascoff said the company expects Tinder's year-over-year ​direct revenue declines in 2026 to be ⁠similar to 2025 as it continues product changes to improve user outcomes, "but with short-term revenue trade-offs."

Rascoff took over ‌about a year ago and has pushed a reset focused on user experience and rebuilding trust across the apps.

The company forecast first-quarter revenue of $850 million to $860 ‌million. The midpoint of that range is above analysts' average estimate of $853.3 million, according ‌to LSEG data.

Match reported fourth-quarter revenue of $878 million, topping estimates of $871.3 million.

Hinge remained a bright spot, with payers rising 17% to 1.9 million, supported by international expansion ‍following launches in Mexico and Brazil in 2025, the company said.

Match has also rolled out AI-powered features aimed ⁠at improving match quality, verifying identities and curbing bad behavior, and plans to expand Hinge further in Latin America while stepping up investment in fast-growing markets including India in 2026.

(Reporting by Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore and Tasim Zahid)

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