DA Davidson Raises TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP) Price Target to $15.50

Key Points

• DA Davidson raised its price target on TripAdvisor from $10.50 to $15.50 while keeping a neutral rating, implying about 18.7% upside from the current price.
• TripAdvisor shares were up 5.2% to $13.06, with trading volume well above average. The stock has traded between $9.01 and $20.16 over the past year.
• Analysts remain split overall, but recent news around TripAdvisor’s $700 million sale of TheFork to American Express has drawn positive attention and is viewed by some as a potential value-unlocking catalyst.

TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP - Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by equities researchers at DA Davidson from $10.50 to $15.50 in a research report issued on Monday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage presently has a "neutral" rating on the travel company's stock. DA Davidson's price objective would suggest a potential upside of 18.73% from the stock's current price.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on TRIP. Barclays lowered their target price on TripAdvisor from $10.00 to $9.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on TripAdvisor from $25.00 to $22.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. B. Riley Financial reduced their price objective on shares of TripAdvisor from $18.00 to $13.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of TripAdvisor in a research report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on TripAdvisor from $16.00 to $13.70 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 27th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $15.12.

TripAdvisor Trading Up 5.2%

TRIP stock traded up $0.65 on Monday, reaching $13.06. The company's stock had a trading volume of 10,752,416 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,696,878. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.25. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $10.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $11.99. The firm has a market cap of $1.52 billion, a PE ratio of 130.36, a PEG ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.90. TripAdvisor has a 12-month low of $9.01 and a 12-month high of $20.16.

TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The travel company reported ($0.11) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.03) by ($0.08). TripAdvisor had a net margin of 0.99% and a return on equity of 5.73%. The company had revenue of $382.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $384.69 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.14 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that TripAdvisor will post 0.69 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at TripAdvisor

In other news, CEO Almir Ambeskovic sold 8,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.30, for a total value of $98,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 34,396 shares in the company, valued at approximately $423,070.80. This trade represents a 18.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 3.10% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On TripAdvisor

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its holdings in TripAdvisor by 29.5% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 81,998 shares of the travel company's stock valued at $1,162,000 after buying an additional 18,699 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in TripAdvisor by 1,183.2% during the first quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 6,416 shares of the travel company's stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 5,916 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its position in TripAdvisor by 14.2% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 13,475 shares of the travel company's stock valued at $191,000 after acquiring an additional 1,676 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its position in shares of TripAdvisor by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 297,532 shares of the travel company's stock worth $4,216,000 after acquiring an additional 22,136 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning bought a new stake in TripAdvisor during the second quarter valued at about $349,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.99% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting TripAdvisor

Here are the key news stories impacting TripAdvisor this week:

• Positive Sentiment: TripAdvisor agreed to sell TheFork to American Express for $700 million in cash, a move that could unlock hidden value and strengthen the company’s financial position. Tripadvisor Enters into Agreement to Sell TheFork to American Express for $700 Million
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary also turned supportive, with Jefferies reportedly reiterating a Buy rating and citing the deal as a catalyst that could reveal value in TripAdvisor’s asset portfolio. Jefferies’ Fuller Reiterates Buy on TripAdvisor After TheFork Sale Unlocks Hidden Value, Sees Upside to $15 Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Reuters reported the deal sent the stock up sharply in premarket trading, reflecting investor optimism around the transaction’s strategic and financial benefits. American Express to buy Tripadvisor's restaurant booking platform TheFork in $700 million deal
• Negative Sentiment: Before the deal news, traders were already buying put options on TripAdvisor, suggesting some investors had been positioning for downside or volatility. Traders Buy High Volume of TripAdvisor Put Options NASDAQ: TRIP

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor NASDAQ: TRIP is a leading online travel company that operates a digital platform for travel information, reviews and booking services. The company's flagship website and mobile apps allow users to access and contribute travel-related content—ranging from hotel and restaurant reviews to ratings for tours, attractions and vacation rentals—helping consumers plan and book trips around the world.

The core of TripAdvisor's offering is its community-driven review system, which aggregates user-generated feedback alongside editorial content and professional photography.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.