LendingClub Finding It Pays to be a Bank

At $48.75, LendingClub stock recently surpassed the highest valuation it has had since January 2016.

Successfully becoming a bank earlier this year and dropping its peer-to-peer lending business for good, the company is showing the benefit of that by recording a net income of $27.2M in Q3.

And its loan business is still strong. LendingClub originated $3.1B in loans last quarter, up from the $2.7B in Q2.

“When we launched back in 2007, LendingClub’s vision was to leverage technology, data and our marketplace model to transform the banking industry,” said company CEO Scott Sanborn on the earnings call. “We began by bringing a traditional credit product, the installment loan into the digital age by moving it online, broadening access, lowering costs and delivering a fast and frictionless experience for borrowers, all while delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns for loan investors.”

In 2014, however, it was their designation as a “tech company” rather than as a financial company that saw their valuation surge to nearly 3x higher than what it is now. (Note: The company did a reverse 1:5 stock split in 2019). But now as a bank, that valuation is surging back.

“Now with the added funding benefit of our bank, we’re able to generate positive unit economics,” Sanborn said.