Lending Club Hits Record for Originations

In the second quarter of 2018, Lending Club originated a record high of $2.8 billion, up 31% from the same time last year. Net revenue also hit a record high of $177 million, up 27% year-over-year.

During today’s earning call, Lending Club CEO Scott Sanborn said that the company completed a successful securitization this quarter and Lending Club CFO Tom Casey said that that they expect several more by the end of the year. Both acknowledged that the company is still spending millions of dollars to resolve regulatory issues, but Sanborn said he expects that to come to a close by the end of the year. With regard to the record high in originations, Casey said that the company also had a higher percentage of A and B grade loans in the second quarter.       

Lending Club offers fixed rate business loans from $5,000 to $300,000 and personal loans of up to $40,000. The company also offers auto refinancing.

Founded in 2007, Lending Club was one of the first major peer-to-peer lenders. The company facilitates loans between individual borrowers and individual or institutional investors. Traditionally, individual investors in companies must be accredited investors. This means that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires the accredited investor to have a net worth of at least $1 million, excluding the value of one’s primary residence, or they must have income of at least $200,000 each year for the last two years, or $300,000 combined income if married.

Lending Club investors must also satisfy certain lesser financial requirements. In most states, excluding California, Lending Club investors must have an annual gross income of at least $70,000 and a net worth of at least $70,000 (excluding value of home, home furnishings, and automobile) or they must have a net worth of at least $250,000. (California requires the an investor’s annual gross income be $85,000).

Since investors are not accredited, every Lending Club loan, many of them to individuals, must be filed with the SEC so that investing in a Lending Club loan is like buying stock in a publicly traded company. Investors can buy fractions of loans in the form of notes as small as $25.

Lending Club is headquartered in San Francisco and went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014.

Todd Stone was a reporter for deBanked.