Take a punt on this matchmaker

By Deputy Editor Tim Bennett Nov 13, 2009

Tim Bennett

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During a recession, everyone wants more for less. Which is great news for online dating agencies. According to comScore, five million people visited British dating sites during September, creating what they call a "recession boom".

And it's not difficult to see why. Traditional dating is expensive and pretty unreliable. Some singletons head out optimistically with a bunch of mates, drink lots and then try and make coherent conversation with someone they think they like the look of in an darkened, overcrowded bar or nightclub.

Or they rely on friends to set them up with someone thought to be a fabulous match, but who turns out to be a dull, unattractive, inappropriate - or all three.

Worse, there are dating agencies out there that will happily relieve you of £1,000 or more just to sign up in the (often vain) hope that a so-called "consultant" can do a better job.

Enter online dating.

First, you get to screen a potential date online and vice versa. Next – so I am told - not only do you get to view lots of potential matches online, it's also far cheaper than paying for an expensive offline dating agency. A typical internet-based service charges £30 a month for membership - about the price of a large round of drinks.

And for investors, this market has several pulls - it is not only growing, but also becoming more sophisticated. As the Economist noted recently, broadband access is increasing, web cams are becoming more popular and phones are getting smarter. Meanwhile, as dole queues continue to lengthen, more and more singletons are likely to turn to technology to provide cheap ways to date.

So what to buy? Like singletons, investors could do worse than turn to the French for help. Meetic (PA:MEET) runs a range of online dating services around Europe and also now owns the UK's number one dating site datingdirect.com. The latest nine-month revenues rose 20.8% on a year ago, and it trades on a price-earnings ratio of around 16. Not a stock to bet the farm on, but so far this year a pretty reliable recession beater.

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Published in Tips & advice | More articles by Tim Bennett

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