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Douglas Lebda

Founder & Former Chairman & Former Chief Executive Officer, LENDINGTREE INC

Search every verified Douglas Lebda interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. On LendingTree's fourth quarter 2024 earnings call, Lebda stated the company "has returned to growth after a prolonged period of difficult operating conditions" and forecast roughly 16% annual adjusted EBITDA growth. He noted the company finished 2024 "on a very strong note," generating $32 million of adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter, which he said was "well ahead of our forecast." Lebda attributed the performance to disciplined cost management and growth in the insurance segment, adding that the company's balance sheet "has improved significantly over the last year." He also commented on regulatory and market conditions, saying "the focus on common sense in the regulatory regime helps us" and that "any lowering of interest rates definitely helps our home business." In earlier appearances, Lebda discussed the housing market and consumer lending environment. In a November 2023 interview, he said "it is clear that the Fed is getting what the Fed wants with the housing market," noting that home prices had leveled off and application volume was down year-over-year due to higher rates. He described a "stall" in the market where homeowners with low-rate mortgages are reluctant to sell and buy at higher rates. Lebda also spoke about the origin of the My LendingTree product, saying it was built around a specific consumer named Calvin, and emphasized the importance of empathy and relationship-building in product design, stating that "if you don't build relationships across differences, you're hurting your business."

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