Key Highlights

  • Third-quarter 2026 Revenue came to $891 million, a 3% decline from the prior year, or 2% when currency effects are removed.
  • Net income advanced 8% to $174.4 million, which equals $0.73 per diluted share, up from $0.62 in the earlier year.
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $344 million, a 14% increase, with a 39% margin.
  • Hinge direct revenue increased 19% to $221 million, whereas Tinder direct revenue declined 2% to $480 million.
  • Fourth-quarter revenue is expected between $865 million and $875 million, while directors declared a $0.20 quarterly dividend.

Sales Decline of 3% Sits Beside Growth in Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA

The third-quarter report for the period ended Sep 30, 2026 was released Nov 2, 2026 by Match Group (NASDAQ:MTCH). Revenue landed at $891 million, compared with $914 million one year before. The firm operates a set of dating services, headed by Tinder and Hinge, plus Match, Pairs, Azar and additional brands. Paying users declined 5% to 13.8 million, and revenue per payer went up 3% to $21.19.

Net income reached $174.4 million, up from $160.7 million, while Operating Income increased to $268.6 million from $221.3 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 14% to $344 million, although the year-earlier period contained a $61 million legal settlement expense. Excluding that item, adjusted EBITDA dropped 5% on heavier Marketing at Tinder and Hinge.

Tinder Daily Users Return to Growth, Hinge Expands Double Digits, Other Brands Shrink

Tinder direct revenue totaled $480 million, a 2% decline, while paying users fell 4% to 8.9 million. Leadership noted that daily active users on Tinder grew year over year in September, the first such increase in roughly three and a half years.

Hinge brought in $221 million in direct revenue, a 19% increase, with paying users up 23%, reaching 2.3 million. Per-payer revenue slipped 3% to $31.81 because of discount adjustments and experiments with a cheaper subscription tier.

Revenue from the evolving and emerging Brand group dropped 20% to $176 million, and paying users slid 23% to 2.6 million. Azar's required app overhaul and softness at other brands weighed on results.

Lower Revenue Costs, Share Repurchases and a Steadier Balance Sheet Back the Quarter

Cost of revenue declined 16%, equal to 23% of revenue and four points lower, largely because of savings from alternative payment methods. Selling and marketing expense grew 9%, and product development spending rose 14%.

Year-to-date figures show Operating Cash Flow of $886 million, with free cash flow of $832 million. Buybacks totaled 9.6 million shares at a total cost of $336 million, dividends came to $137 million, and $118 million went to employee Equity award settlements.

Cash and short-term investments stood at $729 million, with gross Leverage at 2.6x and net leverage at 2.0x. The directors approved a $0.20 dividend, which will be paid Jan 21, 2027 to shareholders on record as of Jan 6, 2027.

Q4 Revenue Outlook Plus a 2027 In-App Fee Drag Alongside a Firmer Full-Year Margin

For the final quarter, Match Group anticipates sales between $865 million and $875 million, a decrease of 1% to flat, plus adjusted EBITDA between $327.5 million and $332.5 million, representing a midpoint drop of 11%. For the full year, revenue is seen as flat and the adjusted EBITDA Margin at 38.8%, versus 37.5% previously guided.

Looking ahead to 2027, in-app purchase charges are set to reduce margin by one point, a hit of roughly $20 million, as an app store contract ends and European fees rise. The $1 billion Hinge revenue target for 2027 is unchanged.