Upstart Stock Is Sliding Tuesday: What's Going On?

BY Benzinga | CORPORATE | 11/12/24 09:30 AM EST

Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST) shares are trading lower Tuesday after the company announced a proposed private offering of convertible senior notes.

What Happened: After the market close on Monday, Upstart announced that it intends to offer $425 million of convertible senior notes due 2030 in a private offering to qualified institutional buyers.

Upstart will grant the underwriters a 13-day option to purchase up to an additional $75 million worth of the notes.

The notes will mature on Nov. 15, 2030, unless earlier converted, repurchased or redeemed. The notes will be convertible into cash, shares of Upstart common stock, or a combination.

Upstart said it expects to use any net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment or the retirement of existing debt.

The offering comes after Upstart reported third-quarter financial results last week that beat analyst expectations, showing strong lending volume growth and a return to positive adjusted EBITDA.

“Even without a significant boost from the macroeconomy, we’re back in growth mode,” said Dave Girouard, co-founder and CEO of Upstart.

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Upstart guided for fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $180 million. The company anticipates adjusted EBITDA of approximately $5 million in the fourth quarter.

Several analysts also raised price targets on Upstart following the print. Piper Sandler upgraded Upstart and raised the price target to $85, Citigroup upgraded the stock and raised its target to $87, JPMorgan upgraded the stock and raised its target to $45 and Wedbush lifted its price target to $60.

UPST Price Action: Upstart shares were down 7.07% at $72 at the time of publication, according to Benzinga Pro.

Photo: courtesy of Upstart.

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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