** Shares of consumer lender Upstart UPST.O plunge 13.5% to $33.72 after co's Q4 results and a management reshuffle
** Net income margin falls to 17.4% from 21.6% in the prior quarter
** Co appoints Paul Gu as CEO effective May; Andrea Blankmeyer to be CFO from March
** Brokerages J.P. Morgan, BofA Global Research and Truist Securities cut PTs after the announcements
** J.P. Morgan flags a weaker FY26 margin outlook, expects adj. EPS of $1.99 vs. $2.25 previously
** Take rates and contribution margin declined sequentially as co continues to mix into lower-yielding lending products like autos and HELOCs - J.P. Morgan
** Morgan Stanley cuts EPS view, citing contribution margin dilution from new products and variable operating expenses
** However, UPST forecasts FY26 revenue of $1.4 bln, above analysts' average estimate of $1.27 bln - LSEG-compiled data
** UPST stock fell 29% in 2025; down 23.3% YTD
(Reporting by Utkarsh Tushar Hathi)
((utkarshtushar.hathi@thomsonreuters.com))