Bumble marks first user growth decline since IPO on COVID-19 hit

FILE PHOTO: The Bumble Inc. (BMBL) app is shown on an Apple iPhone in this photo illustration as the dating app operator made its debut IPO on the Nasdaq stock exchange February 11, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake/Illustration

(Reuters) -Bumble Inc posted its first sequential decline in user growth since the dating app owner went public in February, as fresh pandemic restrictions crimped demand in some markets, sending its shares down over 9% in extended trading.

In the third quarter, total paying users fell 2% from the prior quarter to 2.9 million as the global Delta variant surge prompted renewed lockdowns, curtailing consumer spending on dating app subscriptions and in-app purchases.