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StubHub (NYSE: STUB) stock was surging on Wednesday, up about 6% on news that it had forged several new event partnerships.

The online ticket seller and marketplace announced new Direct Issuance partnerships with event promoters to be a major ticket distributor.

The new partnerships are for the following events:

• Duel in the District — a college basketball game between Michigan and Duke on February 21, 2006 in Washington, D.C.
• BeachLife Festival — Southern California’s premier coastal festival held in Redondo Beach, Calif,.
• Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet – A holiday production held in Cleveland and San Jose.
• Country Thunder – a multi-city country music series with festivals in Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, and Saskatchewan, Alberta.

“Local events are where the magic of live entertainment really begins. It’s in the neighborhoods, venues, and communities where fans first fall in love with the experience,” Shaun Stewart, vice president of Direct Issuance at StubHub, said. “By bringing Direct Issuance to more cities across the country, we’re making it easier for fans to get out and experience the sports, music, and cultural moments that define their communities. These partnerships are another step toward a future where access is simpler, discovery is broader, and every fan feels closer to the events that matter most to them.”

Analysts see big upside for StubHub stock

The news follows a recent downgrade that StubHub received from analysts at Citizens. The firm lowered StubHub’s rating to market perform, or neutral, from outperform, as it anticipates competition to be more robust in 2026, according to the Fly.

The increased competition, according to the Citizens analyst, will increase marketing expenses and limit share gains, according to the Fly. In addition, Citizens noted that StubHub faces tough year-over-year comparisons in early 2026, mainly due to the success last year driven by Taylor Swifts Eras Tour.

The downgrade was posted the same day that the new partnerships were announced, so it is not clear if they were factored in. But investors clearly seemed to buy the news on Wednesday with the stock rising 6% to roughly $14 per share.

StubHub stock went public in September, so it has only quarter under its belt as a public company. It didn’t offer any guidance in its first earnings report as a public company. But since its September IPO at roughly $22 per share, it is down some 50%.

But analysts are very bullish on StubHub stock, with a median price target of $22 per share and a consensus buy rating. The $22 per share median price target would suggest 57% upside for the stock.

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