TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP) Trading 8.2% Higher – Still a Buy?

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP)’s stock price traded up 8.2% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $12.72 and last traded at $12.8850. 3,008,357 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 16% from the average session volume of 3,591,498 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.91.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on TripAdvisor from $12.00 to $11.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 8th. B. Riley Financial cut their price target on TripAdvisor from $18.00 to $13.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on TripAdvisor from $25.00 to $22.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Wedbush assumed coverage on TripAdvisor in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $19.00 price target for the company. Finally, Zacks Research cut TripAdvisor from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $14.76.

TripAdvisor Stock Up 4.2%

The company has a market capitalization of $1.44 billion, a PE ratio of 124.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a quick ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $10.92 and a two-hundred day moving average of $12.01.

TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The travel company reported ($0.11) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.03) by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $382.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $384.69 million. TripAdvisor had a return on equity of 5.73% and a net margin of 0.99%.The company’s revenue was down 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.14 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that TripAdvisor, Inc. will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Almir Ambeskovic sold 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.30, for a total value of $98,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 34,396 shares in the company, valued at approximately $423,070.80. This represents a 18.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 3.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Headwater Capital Co Ltd purchased a new position in shares of TripAdvisor during the third quarter worth $14,959,000. Holocene Advisors LP boosted its position in shares of TripAdvisor by 78.5% during the third quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 2,210,903 shares of the travel company’s stock worth $35,949,000 after buying an additional 972,369 shares during the period. Public Sector Pension Investment Board boosted its position in shares of TripAdvisor by 12.5% during the third quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 452,986 shares of the travel company’s stock worth $7,366,000 after buying an additional 50,355 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in TripAdvisor by 1,712.3% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 1,107,995 shares of the travel company’s stock valued at $16,132,000 after purchasing an additional 1,046,858 shares during the period. Finally, Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in TripAdvisor in the third quarter valued at $6,294,000. 98.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

TripAdvisor Company Profile

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.