UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-Q

 

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2019

OR

For the transition period from                      to                      

Commission file number: 001-35362

 

TRIPADVISOR, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

400 1^st Avenue

Needham, MA 02494

(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(781) 800-5000

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

 

 

 

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TripAdvisor, Inc.

Form 10-Q

For the Quarter Ended March 31, 2019

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

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PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

 

TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in millions, except per share amounts)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(in millions)

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in millions, except number of shares and per share amounts)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in millions, except number of shares)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in millions, except number of shares)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in millions)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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TRIPADVISOR, INC.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1: BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

We refer to TripAdvisor, Inc. and our wholly-owned subsidiaries as “TripAdvisor”, “the Company”, “us”, “we” and “our” in these notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Description of Business

TripAdvisor is an online travel company and our mission is to help people around the world plan, book and experience the perfect trip. We seek to achieve our mission by providing consumers and travel partners a global platform of rich content, price comparison tools and online reservation and related services for destinations, accommodations, travel activities and experiences, and restaurants.

TripAdvisor, Inc., by and through its subsidiaries, owns and operates a portfolio of leading online travel brands. Our flagship brand is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor-branded websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the website in 48 markets and 28 languages worldwide. TripAdvisor features approximately 760 million reviews and opinions on approximately 8.3 million places to stay, places to eat and things to do – including 1.3 million hotels, inns, B&Bs and specialty lodging, 914,000 rental properties, 5.0 million restaurants and 1.1 million travel activities and experiences worldwide. We also enable consumers to compare prices and book a number of these travel experiences on either a TripAdvisor website or mobile application (“mobile app”), or on the website or mobile app of one of our travel partners. In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate the following other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bokun.io, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.restorando.com), www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

During the first quarter of 2019, as part of our continuous review of the business, we evaluated our operations and realigned the reportable segment information which our chief operating decision maker, or CODM, regularly assesses to evaluate performance for operating decision-making purposes, including evaluation and allocation of resources. The CODM for the Company is our Chief Executive Officer. The revised segment reporting structure includes the following reportable segments: (1) Hotels, Media & Platform; and (2) Experiences & Dining. For further information on our segments, including the change in segments, and principal revenue streams within these segments refer to “Note 3: Revenue Recognition” and “Note 15: Segment Information,” in these notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. All prior period segment disclosure information has been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure in this Form 10-Q. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in any period. 

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements present our results of operations, financial position and cash flows on a consolidated basis. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include TripAdvisor, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities we control, or in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary of expected cash profits or losses. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. One of our subsidiaries that operates in China has variable interests in affiliated entities in China in order to comply with Chinese laws and regulations, which restrict foreign investment in Internet content provision businesses. Although we do not own the capital stock of these Chinese affiliates, we consolidate their results as we are the primary beneficiary of the cash losses or profits of these variable interest affiliates and have the power to direct the activity of these affiliates. Our variable interest entities’ financials were not material for all periods presented.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include all normal and recurring adjustments that management of the Company considers necessary for a fair presentation of its financial position and operating results. We prepared the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, we condensed or omitted certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP for annual financial statements. Additionally, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified for comparability with the current period presentation. Our interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, previously filed with the SEC. The

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unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP.

Accounting Estimates

We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These estimates and assumptions also affect the reported amount of net income or loss during any period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include: (i) recognition and recoverability of goodwill, definite-lived intangibles and other long-lived assets; and (ii) accounting for income taxes.

Seasonality

Global travel market expenditures tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Correspondingly, advertising investments made by travel partners and, therefore, our revenue and profits, also tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Our financial performance tends to be seasonally highest in the second and third quarters of a given year, which includes the seasonal peak in consumer demand, traveler hotel and rental stays, and travel activities and experiences taken, compared to the first and fourth quarters, which represent seasonal low points. Significant shifts in our business mix or adverse economic conditions could result in future seasonal patterns that are different from historical trends.  

 

NOTE 2: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

 

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new accounting guidance which require a customer in a cloud computing arrangement (i.e., hosting arrangement) that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets or expense as incurred. The accounting for the cost of the hosting component of the arrangement (i.e., service costs the customer pays for the cloud computing service) is not affected by this new guidance. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, including adoption in any interim period. Entities have the option to apply the guidance retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. We are currently considering our timing of adoption and the transition application method. We are also in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on the measurement of credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost, which includes accounts receivable, and available-for-sale debt securities. For financial assets measured at amortized cost, this new guidance requires an entity to: (1) estimate its lifetime expected credit losses upon recognition of the financial assets and establish an allowance to present the net amount expected to be collected; (2) recognize this allowance and changes in the allowance during subsequent periods through net income; and (3) consider relevant information about past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in assessing the lifetime expected credit losses. For available-for-sale debt securities, this new guidance made several targeted amendments to the existing other-than-temporary impairment model, including: (1) requiring disclosure of the allowance for credit losses; (2) allowing reversals of the previously recognized credit losses until the entity has the intent to sell, is more-likely-than-not required to sell the securities or the maturity of the securities; (3) limiting impairment to the difference between the amortized cost basis and fair value; and (4) not allowing entities to consider the length of time that fair value has been less than amortized cost as a factor in evaluating whether a credit loss exists. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, including interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. We are currently considering our timing of adoption and in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which revises the accounting for leases (“ASC 842”). The new guidance requires entities that lease assets to recognize right-of-use (ROU) assets representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities related to the rights and obligations created by those leases on the balance sheet regardless of whether they are classified as finance or operating leases, with classification affecting the pattern and presentation of expenses and cash flows on

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our consolidated financial statements. In addition, new disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of the financial statements to better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019 and elected the modified retrospective transition method that allowed for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. Financial results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. The Company has also updated its accounting policies to reflect the new guidance and have implemented lease accounting software to support its accounting process, financial reporting, and new financial disclosure requirements.

We elected the following practical expedients that are available in transition upon the adoption of ASC 842 and for the Company’s ongoing accounting policy: 1) the “practical expedients package of three”, which allows us to not reassess the following:  a) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain a lease as of the adoption date, b) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases as of the adoption date; and c) the accounting treatment for initial direct costs for existing leases as of the adoption date, 2) the “short-term lease recognition exemption”, which allows entities to forego recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities for leases with a lease term of twelve months or less and which also do not include an option to renew the lease term that the entity is reasonably certain to exercise, 3) elect by asset class as an accounting policy, to combine  lease and non-lease components as a single component and subsequently account for the combined single component as the lease component; and 4) apply the portfolio approach to similar types of leases where the Company does not reasonably expect the outcome to differ materially from applying the new guidance to individual leases.

The adoption of ASC 842 did not have a material impact to our unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations or unaudited condensed consolidated statement of cash flows during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The effect of the adoption on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019 for the adoption of ASC 842 is as follows:

 

We lease office space in a number of countries around the world under non-cancelable lease agreements. Our corporate headquarters lease (“Headquarters Lease”) is our most significant office space lease. The Company has also entered into data center and certain equipment, such as network equipment, and other leases, which are not material to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. We determine whether a contract is or contains a lease at inception of a contract. We define a lease as a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Control over the use of the identified asset means that we have both the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from the use of the asset and the right to direct the use of the asset.

Our lease contracts contain both lease and non-lease components. We account separately for the lease and non-lease components of office space leases and certain other leases, such as data center leases. We allocate the consideration in the contract to the lease and non-lease components based on each component’s relative standalone price. We determine standalone prices for the lease components based on the prices for which other lessors lease similar assets on a standalone basis. We determine standalone prices for the non-lease

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component based on the prices that other suppliers charge for services for similar assets on a standalone basis. If observable standalone prices are not readily available, we estimate the standalone prices based on other available observable information. However, for certain categories of equipment leases, such as network equipment and others, we account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. Additionally, for certain equipment leases that have similar characteristics, we apply a portfolio approach to effectively account for operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities, hence we do not expect the outcome to differ materially from applying the new guidance to individual leases.

The Company uses its estimated incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate in measuring the present value of our lease payments given the rate implicit in our leases is not typically readily determinable. Given we do not currently borrow on a collateralized basis, our incremental borrowing rate is estimated to approximate the interest  rate in which the Company would expect to pay on a collateralized basis over a similar term and payments, and in economic environments where the leased asset is located. We use the portfolio approach to determine the discount rate for leases with similar characteristics or when the Company is reasonably certain that doing so would not materially affect the accounting for those leases to which a single discount rate is applied.

Operating Leases

Our office space leases, exclusive of our Headquarters Lease, are operating leases, which expire at various dates with the latest maturity in June 2027. Based on the present value of the lease payments for the remaining lease term of the Company's existing leases, we recognized $88 million of both operating ROU assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet upon adoption of ASC 842 as of January 1, 2019. These operating ROU assets were then reduced by a net deferred rent balance of $13 million as of January 1, 2019, which primarily consisted of existing deferred and prepaid rent balances.  

Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities commencing after January 1, 2019 are recognized at lease commencement date, or the date the lessor makes the leased asset available for use, based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term using the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate. ROU assets related to operating leases comprise the initial lease liability, and are then adjusted for any prepaid or deferred rent payments, unamortized initial direct costs, and lease incentives received. Amortization expense for operating lease ROU assets and interest accretion on operating lease liabilities are recognized as a single operating lease cost in our consolidated statement of operations, which is effectively recognition of rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease period. The carrying amount of lease liabilities are (1) accreted to reflect interest using the incremental borrowing rate if the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable; and (2) reduced to reflect lease payments made during the period. Lease incentives are recognized as reductions of rental expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Certain of our operating leases include options to extend the lease terms for up to 5 years and/or terminate the leases within 1 year, which we include in our lease term if we are reasonably certain to exercise these options. Payments under our operating leases are primarily fixed, however, certain of our operating lease agreements include rental payments which are adjusted periodically for inflation. We recognize these costs as variable lease costs on our unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations, which were not material in each of the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018. In addition, short-term lease costs, amortization expense of our initial direct costs, and unamortized initial direct costs were not material in any period. As of March 31, 2019, operating lease ROU assets was $73 million on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.    

Finance Lease

In June 2013, we entered into our Headquarters Lease. Pursuant to the Headquarters Lease, the landlord built an approximately 280,000 square foot rental building in Needham, Massachusetts (the “Premises”), and leased the Premises to the Company as our new corporate headquarters for an initial term of 15 years and 7 months or through December 2030. The Company also has an option to extend the term of the Headquarters Lease for two consecutive terms of five years each. The Company was deemed to be the owner of the Premises for accounting purposes only during the construction period under legacy GAAP accounting rules for lease accounting, or ASC 840. Accordingly, the Company recorded project construction costs during the construction period incurred by the landlord as a construction-in-progress asset and a related construction financing obligation on our consolidated balance sheet. The amounts that the Company incurred for normal tenant improvements and structural improvements had also been recorded to the construction-in-progress asset. Upon completion of construction at the end of the second quarter of 2015, we evaluated the construction-in-progress asset and construction financing obligation for de-recognition under the criteria for “sale-leaseback” treatment under ASC 840. We concluded that it did not meet the provisions for sale-leaseback accounting. Therefore, the Headquarters Lease was accounted for as a financing obligation through December 31, 2018, in which we depreciated the building asset over its estimated useful life and incurred interest expense related to the financing obligation, imputed using the effective interest rate method. 

Upon the adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, we derecognized the previous assets and liabilities recorded for the Headquarters Lease described above, with the exception of net assets and liabilities of $26 million, primarily related to structural improvements paid by the Company, net of tenant incentives and accumulated amortization, which is classified as net prepaid rent under the new guidance. The Company then assessed the lease classification of our Headquarters Lease and concluded it should be

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classified and accounted for as a finance lease upon adoption on January 1, 2019. Accordingly, on January 1, 2019, we recognized a finance lease ROU asset and a finance lease liability of $114 million and $88 million, respectively, on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet. The difference between the ROU asset and lease liability represents the aforementioned $26 million of net prepaid rent, and is being amortized straight-line over the remaining lease term. As of March 31, 2019, the ROU asset related to our Headquarters Lease was $112 million, net of accumulated amortization of $2 million, and is included in the property and equipment, net on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Finance lease ROU assets and finance lease liabilities commencing after January 1, 2019 are recognized similar to an operating lease, at the lease commencement date or the date the lessor makes the leased asset available for use. Finance lease ROU assets are generally amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term, and the carrying amount of the finance lease liabilities are (1) accreted to reflect interest using the incremental borrowing rate if the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, and (2) reduced to reflect lease payments made during the period. Amortization expense for finance lease ROU assets and interest accretion on finance lease liabilities are recorded to depreciation and interest expense, respectively, in our consolidated statement of operations.

We did not update any financial information or provide any disclosures required under the new guidance for the three months ended March 31, 2018 or as of December 31, 2018. The disclosures provided below for the three months ended March 31, 2018 or as of December 31, 2018 are based on the disclosure requirements under ASC 840.

The components of lease expense during the three months ended March 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

Additional information related to our leases during the three months ended March 31, 2019 is as follows:  

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Future lease payments under non-cancellable leases as of March 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

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As of December 31, 2018, future minimum lease commitments under our Headquarters Lease and other non-cancelable operating leases for office space with terms of more than one year and contractual sublease income were as follows:

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2019, we did not have any additional operating or finance leases that have not yet commenced but that create significant rights and obligations for us.

 

Significant Accounting Policies

Other than the change in our accounting policy for leases, as described above, there have been no other significant changes to our significant accounting policies and estimates since December 31, 2018, as described under “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies”, in the notes to consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

NOTE 3: REVENUE RECOGNITION

 

We generate all of our revenue from contracts with customers. We recognize revenue when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring control of the promised services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to receive in exchange for those services. When we act as an agent in the transaction under Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), we recognize revenue for only our commission on the arrangement. We determine revenue recognition through the following steps:

 

 

At contract inception, we assess the services promised in our contracts with customers and identify a performance obligation for each promise to transfer to the customer a service (or bundle of services) that is distinct. To identify the performance obligations, we consider all of the services promised in the contract regardless of whether they are explicitly stated or are implied by customary business practices. We have provided qualitative information about our performance obligations for our principal revenue streams discussed below. There was no significant revenue recognized in the three months ended March 31, 2019 related to performance obligations satisfied in prior periods. We have applied a practical expedient and do not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations that have an original expected duration of less than one year, and we do not have any material unsatisfied performance obligations over one year. The value related to our remaining or partially satisfied performance obligations relates to subscription services that are satisfied over time or services that are recognized at a point in time, but not yet achieved. Our timing of services, invoicing and payments are discussed in more detail below and do not include a significant financing component. Our customer invoices are generally due 30 days from the time of invoicing. The application of our revenue recognition policies and a description of our principal activities, organized by reported segment, from which we generate our revenue, are presented below.

 

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Hotels, Media & Platform Segment

TripAdvisor-branded Hotels Revenue. Our largest source of Hotels, Media & Platform segment revenue is generated from click-based advertising on TripAdvisor-branded websites, which is primarily comprised of contextually-relevant booking links to our travel partners’ websites. Our click-based travel partners are predominantly online travel agencies, or OTAs, and direct suppliers in the hotel category. Click-based advertising is generally priced on a cost-per-click, or “CPC”, basis, with payments from travel partners determined by the number of travelers who click on a link multiplied by the CPC rate for each specific click. CPC rates that our travel partners pay are determined in a dynamic, competitive auction process, also known as our hotel metasearch auction, as travel partner CPC bids for rates and availability listed on our site are submitted.  When a CPC bid is submitted, the partner agrees to pay us the bid amount each time a traveler clicks on the link to that partner’s website. Bids can be submitted periodically – as often as daily– on a property-by-property basis. We record click-based advertising revenue as the click occurs and traveler leads are sent to the travel partner websites as our performance obligation is fulfilled at that time. Click-based revenue is generally billed to our travel partners on a monthly basis consistent with the timing of the service. Transaction revenue is generated from our hotel instant booking feature, which enables hotel shoppers to book directly with a travel partner, with the latter serving as the merchant of record for the transaction, without leaving our website. We earn a commission from our travel partners for each traveler that completes a hotel reservation on our website based on a pre-determined commission rate. Our hotel instant booking revenue includes (i) arrangements where commissions are billable on all instant booking hotel reservations; and (ii) arrangements where the commissions are billable only upon the completion of each traveler’s stay resulting from the reservation. The travel partners provide the service to the travelers and we act as an agent under ASC 606. Our performance obligation in both arrangements is complete at the time of the booking and the commission earned is recognized upon booking, as we have no post-booking service obligations. The amount of revenue recognized for commissions that are billable contingent upon a traveler stay requires an estimate of the impact of cancellations using historical cancellation rates. Contract assets are recognized at the time of booking for commissions that are billable at the time of stay.

In addition, we offer subscription-based advertising to hoteliers, owners of B&Bs and other specialty lodging properties. Our performance obligation is generally to enable subscribers to advertise their businesses on our website, as well as manage and promote their website URL, email address, phone number, special offers and other information related to their business. Subscription-based advertising services are predominantly sold for a flat fee for a contracted period of time of one year or less and revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period of the subscription service as efforts are expended evenly throughout the contract period.  Subscription-based advertising services are generally billed at the inception of the service. When prepayments are received, we recognize deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied.

We also offer travel partners the opportunity to promote their business through media advertising placements on our website. This service is generally priced on a CPC basis, with payments from travel partners determined by the number of travelers who click on the sponsored link multiplied by the CPC rate for each specific click. CPC rates that our travel partners pay are based on a pre-determined rate. We record click-based advertising revenue as the click occurs and traveler leads are sent to the travel partner as our performance obligation is fulfilled at that time. Click-based revenue is generally billed to our travel partners on a monthly basis consistent with the timing of the service.

TripAdvisor-branded Display and Platform Revenue. Travel partners can promote their brands through display-based advertising placements on our websites across all of our segments and business units. Our display-based advertising clients are predominantly direct suppliers of hotels, airlines and cruises, as well as destination marketing organizations. We also sell display-based advertising to OTAs and other travel related businesses, as well as advertisers from non-travel categories. Display-based advertising is sold predominantly on a cost per thousand impressions, or CPM, basis. The performance obligation in our display-based advertising arrangements is to display a number of advertising impressions on our websites and we recognize revenue for impressions as they are delivered. Services are generally billed monthly. We have applied the practical expedient to measure progress toward completion, as we have the right to invoice the customer in an amount that directly corresponds with the value to the customer of our performance to date, which is measured based on impressions delivered.

Experiences & Dining Segment

We provide information and services for consumers to research, book and experience activities and attractions in popular travel destinations both through Viator, our dedicated Experiences offering, and on our TripAdvisor website and mobile apps. We also power travel activities and experiences booking capabilities to consumers on affiliate partner websites, including some of the world’s top airlines, hotel chains, and online and offline travel agencies. We work with local tour or travel activities/experiences operators (“the supplier”) to provide our consumers the ability to book tours, activities and experiences (“the activity”) in popular destinations worldwide. We generate commissions for each booking transaction we facilitate through our online reservation system. We provide post-booking service to the consumer until the time of the activity, which is the completion of the performance obligation. Revenue is recognized at the time that the activity occurs. We do not control the activity before the supplier provides it to our consumers and

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therefore act as agent for nearly all of these transactions under ASC 606. We generally collect payment from the consumer at the time of booking that includes both our commission revenue and the amount due to the supplier. Our commission revenue is recorded as deferred revenue until the activity occurs and revenue is recognized, and the amount due to the supplier is recorded as deferred merchant payables on our consolidated balance sheet until completion of the activity and payment is made to the supplier. To a lesser extent, we earn commissions from third-party merchant partners, who display and promote on their websites the supplier activities available on our platform to generate bookings.  In these transactions, where we are not the merchant of record, we generally invoice and receive commissions directly from the third-party merchant partners. Our performance obligation is to allow the third-party merchant partners to display and promote on their website suppliers who utilize our platform and we earn a commission when consumers book and complete an activity. We do not control the service and act as an agent for these transactions under ASC 606. Our performance obligation is complete and revenue is recognized at the time of the booking, as we have no post-booking obligations. We recognize this revenue net of an estimate of the impact of cancellations using historical cancellation rates. Contract assets are recognized for commissions that are billable contingent upon completion of the activity.  

We also provide information and services for consumers to research and book restaurants in popular travel destinations through our dedicated restaurant reservations offering, TheFork, and on our TripAdvisor-branded websites and mobile apps. TheFork is an online restaurant booking platform operating on a number of websites (including www.thefork.com, www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.restorando.com), with a network of restaurant partners located primarily across Europe and Australia. We primarily generate transaction fees (or per seated diner fees) that are paid by restaurants for diners seated primarily from bookings through TheFork’s online reservation system. The transaction fee is recognized as revenue after the reservation is fulfilled, or as diners are seated by our restaurant customers. We invoice restaurants monthly for transaction fees. To a lesser extent, we also generate subscription fees for subscription-based advertising to restaurants, access to certain online reservation management services and marketing analytic tools provided by TheFork and TripAdvisor. As the performance obligation is to provide restaurants with access to these services over the subscription period, subscription fee revenue is recognized over the period of the subscription service on a straight-line basis as efforts are expended evenly throughout the contract period. Subscription fees are generally billable in advance of service. When prepayments are received, we recognize deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied. In addition, we also offer restaurant partners the opportunity to promote their business through media advertising placements on our website. This service is generally priced on a CPC basis, with payments from restaurant partners determined by the number of users who click on the sponsored link multiplied by the CPC rate for each specific click. CPC rates that our restaurant partners pay are based on a pre-determined rate. We record click-based advertising revenue as the click occurs and diner leads are sent to the restaurant partner as our performance obligation is fulfilled at that time. Click-based revenue is generally billed to our restaurant partners on a monthly basis consistent with the timing of the service.

Other

We provide information and services for travelers to research and book vacation and short-term rental properties, including full homes, condominiums, villas, beach properties, cabins and cottages. Our Rentals offering generates revenue primarily by offering individual property owners and managers the ability to list their properties on our websites and mobile apps thereby connecting with travelers through a free-to-list, commission-based option or, to a lesser extent, by an annual subscription-based fee structure. These properties are listed on www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.niumba.com, and www.vacationhomerentals.com, and on our TripAdvisor-branded websites and mobile apps. We earn commissions associated with rental transactions through our free-to-list model from both the traveler and the property owner or manager. We provide post-booking service to the travelers, property owners and managers until the time the rental commences, which is the time the performance obligation is completed. Revenue from transaction fees is recognized at the time that the rental commences. We act as an agent, under ASC 606, in the transactions as we do not control any properties before the property owner provides the accommodation to the traveler and do not have inventory risk. We generally collect from the traveler at the time of booking payment representing the amount due to the property owner or manager, as well as our commission. That portion of the payment representing our commission is recorded as deferred revenue until revenue is recognized, and that portion of the payment representing the amount due to the property owner is recorded as deferred merchant payables until payment is made to the property owner after the completion of the rental. Payments for term-based subscription fees related to online advertising services for the listing of rental properties are generally due in advance. As the performance obligation is the listing service provided to the property owner or manager over the subscription period, revenue is recognized over the period of the subscription service on a straight-line basis as efforts are expended evenly throughout the contract period. We recognize deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied. 

In addition, our Other revenue includes revenue generated from our flights/cruise offerings, as well as revenue from non-TripAdvisor-branded websites not otherwise described above, such as www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.onetime.com and www.smartertravel.com, and TripAdvisor China, which primarily includes click-based advertising and display-based advertising revenue. The performance obligations, timing of customer payments for these brands and methods of recognizing revenue are generally consistent with click-based advertising or display-based advertising revenue, as described above.

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We disaggregate revenue from contracts with customers into major products/revenue sources. We have determined that disaggregating revenue into these categories achieves the disclosure objective to depict how the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. As noted in “Note 15: Segment Information”, our business consists of two reportable segments – Hotels, Media & Platform and Experiences & Dining. A reconciliation of disaggregated revenue to segment revenue is also included below.  

 

 

 

The following table provides information about the opening and closing balances of accounts receivable and contract assets from contracts with customers (in millions):

Accounts receivable are recognized when the right to consideration becomes unconditional. Contract assets are rights to consideration in exchange for services that we have transferred to a customer when that right is conditional on something other than the passage of time, such as commission payments that are contingent upon the completion of the service by the principal in the transaction. Contract liabilities generally include payments received in advance of performance under the contract, and are realized as revenue as the performance obligation to the customer is satisfied, which we present as deferred revenue on our consolidated balance sheets. As of January 1, 2019 and 2018, we had $63 million and $59 million, respectively, recorded as deferred revenue on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet, of which $34 million and $32 million was recognized in revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The difference between the opening and closing balances of our deferred revenue primarily results from the timing differences between when we receive customer payments and the time in which we satisfy our performance obligations. The difference between the opening and closing balances of our contract assets primarily results from the timing difference between when we satisfy our performance obligations and the time when the principal completes the service in the transaction. There were no significant changes in contract assets or deferred revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 related to business combinations, impairments, cumulative catch-ups or other material adjustments.

NOTE 4: EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic Earnings Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders

We compute basic earnings per share, or Basic EPS, by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. We compute the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period using the total of common stock and Class B common stock outstanding as of the last day of the previous year end reporting period plus the weighted average of any additional shares issued and outstanding less the weighted average of any common shares repurchased during the reporting period.

Diluted Earnings Per Share Attributable to Common Stockholders

Diluted earnings per share, or Diluted EPS, includes the potential dilution of common equivalent shares outstanding that could occur from stock-based awards and other stock-based commitments using the treasury stock method. We compute Diluted EPS by dividing net income (loss) by the sum of the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. We computed the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period using the sum of (i) the number of shares of common stock and Class B common stock used in the Basic EPS calculation as indicated

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above; and (ii) if dilutive, the incremental weighted average common stock that we would issue upon the assumed exercise of outstanding common equivalent shares, primarily related to stock options and the vesting of restricted stock units using the treasury stock method; and (iii) if dilutive, performance-based and market-based awards based on the number of shares that would be issuable as of the end of the reporting period assuming the end of the reporting period was also the end of the contingency period.

Under the treasury stock method, the assumed proceeds calculation includes the actual proceeds to be received from the employee upon exercise of outstanding equity awards and the average unrecognized compensation cost during the period. The treasury stock method assumes that a company uses the proceeds from the exercise of an equity award to repurchase common stock at the average market price for the reporting period.

In periods of a net loss, common equivalent shares are excluded from the calculation of Diluted EPS as their inclusion would have an antidilutive effect. Accordingly, for periods in which we report a net loss, Diluted EPS is the same as Basic EPS, since dilutive common equivalent shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is antidilutive.

Below is a reconciliation of the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding in calculating Diluted EPS (shares in thousands and dollars in millions, except per share amounts) for the periods presented:

 

Potential common shares, consisting of outstanding stock options, service and performance-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and market-based restricted stock units (“MSUs”), totaling approximately 3.5 million shares and 12.0 million shares for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, have been excluded from the calculation of Diluted EPS because their effect would have been antidilutive. In addition, potential common shares of approximately 0.5 million shares and 0.4 million shares for three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, for which all targets required to trigger vesting had not been achieved, were excluded from the calculation of weighted average shares used to compute Diluted EPS for those reporting periods.

The earnings per share amounts are the same for common stock and Class B common stock because the holders of each class are legally entitled to equal per share distributions whether through dividends or in liquidation.

NOTE 5: STOCK BASED AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY INSTRUMENTS

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The following table presents the amount of stock-based compensation expense related to stock-based awards on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations during the periods presented:

 

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We capitalized $4 million and $3 million of stock-based compensation expense as internal-use software and website development costs during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  

Stock-Based Award Activity and Valuation

2019 Stock Option Activity

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we granted 536,863 service-based non-qualified stock options under the TripAdvisor, Inc. 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”). Our stock options generally have a term of ten years from the date of grant and typically vest equally over a four-year requisite service period.

A summary of our stock option activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019, is presented below:

Aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference between the closing stock price of our common stock and the exercise price of outstanding, in-the-money options. Our closing stock price as reported on NASDAQ as of March 31, 2019 was $51.45. The total intrinsic value of stock options exercised for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, was $1 million and $3 million, respectively.

The fair value of stock option grants has been estimated at the date of grant using the Black–Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions for the periods presented:

 

 

 

The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted was $22.32 and $17.60 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The total fair value of stock options vested was $8 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Cash received from stock option exercises for both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 were not material.

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2019 RSU Activity

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we granted 2,313,016 primarily service-based RSUs under the 2018 Plan which typically vest over a four-year requisite service period. A summary of our RSU activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019 is presented below:

 

(1)   Inclusive of 385,579 RSUs withheld due to net share settlement to satisfy required employee tax withholding requirements. Potential shares which had been convertible under RSUs that were withheld under net share settlement remain in the authorized but unissued pool under the 2018 Plan and can be reissued by the Company. Total payments for the employees’ tax obligations to the taxing authorities due to net share settlements are reflected as a financing activity within the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we granted 78,050 MSUs under the 2018 Plan which typically vest over a three-year requisite service period. A summary of our MSU activity during the three months ended March 31, 2019 is presented below:

 

A Monte-Carlo simulation model, which simulated the present value of the potential outcomes of future stock prices and TSR of the Company and the Nasdaq Composite Total Return Index over the performance period, was used to calculate the grant-date fair value of our MSU awards. The estimated grant-date fair value of these awards is being amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period through December 31, 2021.

Total current income tax benefits associated with the exercise or settlement of TripAdvisor stock-based awards held by our employees was $18 million and $3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

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Unrecognized Stock-Based Compensation

A summary of our remaining unrecognized stock-based compensation expense and the weighted average remaining amortization period at March 31, 2019 related to our non-vested equity awards is presented below (in millions, except in years information):

 

 

NOTE 6: FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Marketable Securities

The following tables show our cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term and long-term available-for-sale marketable debt securities, by major security type, that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and were categorized using the fair value hierarchy, as well as their classification on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets, as of the periods presented (in millions):

 

 

Our cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand in global financial institutions, money market funds and marketable securities with maturities of 90 days or less at the date of purchase. Our short-term marketable securities include maturities that were greater than 90 days at the date purchased and have 12 months or less remaining at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

 

For assets and liabilities required to be reported at fair value, GAAP provides a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels:

Level 1—Valuations are based on quoted market prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 2—Valuations are based on observable inputs other than quoted market prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

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Level 3—Valuations are based on unobservable inputs reflecting our own assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants. These valuations require significant judgment.

We classify our money market funds and other marketable securities within Level 1 and Level 2 as we value these financial instruments using quoted market prices (Level 1) or alternative pricing sources (Level 2). The valuation technique we used to measure the fair value of money market funds was derived from quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Fair values for Level 2 marketable securities are considered “Level 2” valuations because they are obtained from independent pricing sources for identical or comparable instruments, rather than direct observations of quoted prices in active markets. Our procedures include controls to ensure that appropriate fair values are recorded, including comparing the fair values obtained from our independent pricing services against fair values obtained from another independent source.

Our realized gains or losses related to the sales of our marketable securities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 were not material. Realized gains and losses on the sale of securities are determined by specific identification of each security’s cost basis. We consider any unrealized loss position in our available-for-sale marketable debt securities to be temporary in nature and do not consider any of these investments other-than-temporarily impaired as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We typically use derivatives, or forward contracts, to reduce the effects of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on our cash flows primarily for the Euro versus the U.S. Dollar. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. Counterparties to foreign currency exchange derivatives consist of major international financial institutions. We monitor our positions and the credit ratings of the counterparties involved and, by policy limits, the amount of credit exposure to any one party. For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, our forward contracts have not been designated as hedges and had maturities of less than 90 days.

Our outstanding or unsettled forward contracts were carried at fair value on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018. We measure the fair value of our outstanding or unsettled derivatives using Level 2 fair value inputs, as we use a pricing model that takes into account the contract terms as well as current foreign currency exchange rates in active markets. Any gain or loss resulting from the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 were not material, and were recognized in interest income and other, net, in our unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

The following table shows the notional principal amounts of our outstanding derivative instruments as of the periods presented:

 

 

Other Financial Instruments

Other financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis include accounts receivable and contract assets, accounts payable, deferred merchant payables, and accrued and other current liabilities. The carrying amount of these financial instruments approximate their fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments as reported on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

 

In addition, we hold investments in equity securities of privately-held companies that do not have a readily determinable fair value. As of both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the total carrying value of our equity investments in these privately-held companies was $12 million and is included in other long-term assets on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. Our policy is to measure these investments at cost less impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Such observable price changes may include instances where the investee issues equity securities to new investors, thus creating a new indicator of fair value, as an example. On a quarterly basis, we perform a qualitative assessment considering impairment indicators to evaluate whether these investments are impaired and also monitor for any observable price changes. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, we did not have any impairment loss on these equity investments or observable price change indicators.

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The Company did not have any material assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using the Level 3 unobservable inputs at both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

NOTE 7: PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

Property and equipment, net consists of the following for the periods presented:

 

NOTE 8: GOODWILL

We assess goodwill, which is not amortized, for impairment annually during the fourth quarter, or more frequently, if events and circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. We test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level. Goodwill is assigned to reporting units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the business combination as of the acquisition date. Once goodwill has been allocated to the reporting units, it no longer retains its identification with a particular acquisition and becomes identified with the reporting unit in its entirety. Accordingly, the fair value of the reporting unit as a whole is available to support the recoverability of its goodwill. We evaluate our reporting units when changes in our operating structure occur, and if necessary, reassign goodwill using a relative fair value allocation approach.

Subsequent to our prior annual impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2018 the composition of our reportable segments has been revised, as discussed in “Note 15: Segment Information.” Prior to implementing the revised segment reporting structure in the first quarter of 2019, our previously disclosed Hotel segment was considered a single reporting unit. Following the change in reportable segments, our legacy Hotel reporting unit was split into four distinct reporting units – (1) Hotels, Media & Platform, (2) SmarterTravel, (3) Flights/Cruises; and (4) TripAdvisor China, for the purposes of goodwill impairment testing. As a result, we first performed a qualitative assessment on our previous Hotel reporting unit prior to implementing the revised segment reporting structure and determined that it was more likely than not that the fair value of this reporting unit was greater than the carrying value consistent with our conclusion in the fourth quarter of 2018. We then performed a goodwill impairment test for each of the new reporting units upon the change in reportable segments using a quantitative assessment. We concluded the estimated fair values were significantly in excess of the carrying values for these reporting units. We also performed sensitivity analysis, such as calculating estimated fair values using different rates for the weighted-average cost of capital and long-term rates of growth in the income approach and different revenue/income multiples in our market approach and the estimated fair values remained in excess of the carrying values. Therefore, no indications of impairment were identified as a result of these changes as of March 31, 2019.

 

Management exercised significant judgment related to the above assessment, including the identification of reporting units, reassignment of assets and liabilities to the new reporting units, reassignment of goodwill to the new reporting units using the relative fair value method, and determination of the fair value of new reporting units. The fair value of our reporting units are generally estimated using an equal weighting of a market approach by using public company multiples and/or other precedent transactions; and a discounted cash flow methodology. The discounted cash flows model indicates the fair value of the reporting units based on the present value of the cash flows that we expect the reporting units to generate in the future. This analysis requires significant judgment, including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, the estimation of the long-term growth rate and profitability of the reporting unit, determination of the Company's weighted average cost of capital and income tax rates. Our significant estimates in the market approach model include identifying similar companies with comparable business factors such as size, growth, profitability, risk and return on investment and assessing comparable revenue and/or income multiples in estimating the

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fair value of the reporting units. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the fair value of the reporting unit, potentially resulting in a non-cash impairment charge.

The following table summarizes our goodwill activity by reportable segment for the periods presented:

NOTE 9: DEBT

2015 Credit Facility

We are party to a credit agreement with a group of lenders which, among other things, provides for a $1.2 billion unsecured revolving credit facility (the “2015 Credit Facility”) with a maturity date of May 12, 2022. Borrowings under the 2015 Credit Facility generally bear interest, at the Company’s option, at a rate per annum equal to either (i) the Eurocurrency Borrowing rate, or the adjusted LIBO rate for the interest period in effect for such borrowing; plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.25% to 2.00% (“Eurocurrency Spread”), based on the Company’s leverage ratio; or (ii) the Alternate Base Rate (“ABR”) Borrowing, which is the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the New York Fed Bank Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1.00% per annum and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate (or LIBO rate multiplied by the Statutory Reserve Rate) for an interest period of one month plus 1.00%; in addition to an applicable margin ranging from 0.25% to 1.00% (“ABR Spread”), based on the Company’s leverage ratio. The Company may borrow from the 2015 Credit Facility in U.S. dollars, Euros and British pound sterling. In addition, our 2015 Credit Facility includes $15 million of borrowing capacity available for letters of credit and $40 million for Swing Line borrowings on same-day notice. As of March 31, 2019, we had issued $3 million of outstanding letters of credit under the 2015 Credit Facility. We are also required to pay a quarterly commitment fee, at an applicable rate ranging from 0.15% to 0.30%, on the daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility for each fiscal quarter and additional fees in connection with the issuance of letters of credit. As of March 31, 2019, our unused revolver capacity was subject to a commitment fee of 0.15%, given the Company’s leverage ratio.

As of both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the 2015 Credit Facility. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company made a net repayment of $230 million on our 2015 Credit Facility. These net repayments were primarily made from a one-time cash repatriation of $325 million of foreign earnings to the United States during the first quarter of 2018. For both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, we recorded total interest expense and commitment fees on our 2015 Credit Facility of $1 million to interest expense on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. All unpaid interest and commitment fee amounts as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 were not material.  

There is no specific repayment date prior to the maturity date for any borrowings under this credit agreement. We may voluntarily repay any outstanding borrowing under the 2015 Credit Facility at any time without premium or penalty, other than customary breakage costs with respect to Eurocurrency loans. Additionally, the Company believes that the likelihood of the lender exercising any subjective acceleration rights, which would permit the lenders to accelerate repayment of any outstanding borrowings, is remote. As such, we classify any borrowings under this facility as long-term debt. The 2015 Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things, restrict our ability to: incur additional indebtedness, create liens, enter into sale and leaseback transactions, engage in mergers or consolidations, sell or transfer assets, pay dividends and distributions, make investments, loans or advances, prepay certain subordinated indebtedness, make certain acquisitions, engage in certain transactions with affiliates, amend material agreements governing certain subordinated indebtedness, and change our fiscal year. The 2015 Credit Facility also requires us to maintain a maximum leverage ratio and contains certain customary affirmative covenants and events of default, including a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2015 Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of all amounts due under the 2015 Credit Facility. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, we were in compliance with all of our debt covenants.

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 Chinese Credit Facilities

We also maintain two credit facilities in China (jointly, the “Chinese Credit Facilities”) as of March 31, 2019. We are party to a $30 million, one-year revolving credit facility with Bank of America (the “Chinese Credit Facility—BOA”) that is currently subject to review on a periodic basis with no specific expiration period. We are also party to a RMB 70,000,000 (approximately $10 million) one-year revolving credit facility with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank (“Chinese Credit Facility—JPM”). Our Chinese Credit Facilities generally bear interest at a rate based on the People’s Bank of China benchmark, including certain adjustments which may be made in accordance with market conditions at the time of borrowing. As of both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there were no outstanding borrowings under our Chinese Credit Facilities.

NOTE 10: INCOME TAXES

Each interim period is considered an integral part of the annual period and, accordingly, we measure our income tax expense using an estimated annual effective tax rate. An enterprise is required, at the end of each interim reporting period, to make its best estimate of the annual effective tax rate for the full fiscal year and use that rate to provide for income taxes on a current year-to-date basis, as adjusted for discrete taxable events that occur during the interim period.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “2017 Tax Act”) introduced significant changes to U.S. income tax law. Changes include, but are not limited to, a corporate tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the transition of U.S. international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a territorial system, and a one-time tax on the mandatory deemed repatriation of cumulative foreign earnings (the “Transition Tax”) as of December 31, 2017.

Our effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was 21.2% and 76.2%, respectively. The decrease in our effective tax rate during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, was primarily driven by the recognition of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation and Transition Tax adjustments recorded in 2018.

Our policy is to recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits and income tax liabilities as part of our income tax expense. As of March 31, 2019, we had an accrued interest liability of $17 million, net of federal and state benefit, and no penalties have been accrued.  

By virtue of consolidated income tax returns previously filed with Expedia, we are currently under an IRS audit for the 2009, 2010 and short-period 2011 tax years. We are separately under examination by the IRS for the short-period 2011 and 2012-2016 tax years, under an employment tax audit by the IRS for the 2013 and 2014 tax years, and have various ongoing audits for state income tax returns. These audits include questioning of the timing and the amount of income and deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. These examinations may lead to proposed or ordinary course adjustments to our taxes. We are no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2009. As of March 31, 2019, no material assessments have resulted, except as noted below regarding our 2009, 2010, and 2011 IRS audit with Expedia.

In January 2017 and April 2019, as part of the IRS audit of Expedia, we received Notices of Proposed Adjustment from the IRS for the 2009, 2010, and 2011 tax years.  These proposed adjustments are related to certain transfer pricing arrangements with our foreign subsidiaries, and would result in an increase to our worldwide income tax expense in an estimated range of $15 million to $20 million at the close of the audit if the IRS prevails, after consideration of competent authority relief, exclusive of interest and penalties. We disagree with the proposed adjustments and we intend to defend our position through applicable administrative and, if necessary, judicial remedies.  Our policy is to review and update tax reserves as facts and circumstances change. Based on our interpretation of the regulations and available case law, we believe the position we have taken with regard to transfer pricing with our foreign subsidiaries is sustainable. In addition to the risk of additional tax for 2009, 2010, and 2011 transactions, if the IRS were to seek transfer pricing adjustments of a similar nature for transactions in subsequent years, we would be subject to significant additional tax liabilities.

In July 2015, the United States Tax Court (the “Court”) issued an opinion favorable to Altera Corporation (“Altera”) with respect to Altera’s litigation with the IRS. This opinion was submitted as a final decision under Tax Court Rule 155 during December 2015. The litigation relates to the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in an inter-company cost-sharing arrangement with Altera’s foreign subsidiary. In its opinion, the Court accepted Altera’s position of excluding stock-based compensation from its inter-company cost-sharing arrangement. The IRS appealed the Court decision on February 19, 2016. At this time, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has not withdrawn the requirement from its regulations to include stock-based compensation in intercompany cost-sharing arrangements. The Company recorded a tax benefit of $1 million in its unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations for both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Since the Court’s 2015 opinion, the Company has taken total income tax benefits of $15 million as of March 31, 2019. The Company will continue to monitor this matter and related potential impacts to its consolidated financial statements.

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NOTE 11: OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES

Other long-term liabilities consists of the following for the periods presented:

(1) Refer to “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies” for additional information on our lease information, including the transition accounting and updated accounting policy for leases upon adoption of ASC 842.

NOTE 12: COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

There have been no material changes to our commitments and contingencies since December 31, 2018. Refer to “Note 14: Commitments and Contingencies,” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, we are parties to regulatory and legal matters, including threats thereof, arising out of our operations. These matters may involve claims involving patent and intellectual property rights (including alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights), tax matters (including value-added, excise, transient occupancy and accommodation taxes), regulatory compliance (including competition, consumer matters and data privacy), defamation and other claims. Periodically, we review the status of all significant outstanding matters to assess any potential financial exposure. When (i) it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred; and (ii) the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, we record the estimated loss in our consolidated statements of operations. We provide disclosures in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for loss contingencies that do not meet both of these conditions if there is a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred that would be material to the consolidated financial statements. We base accruals on the best information available at the time which can be highly subjective. Although occasional adverse decisions or settlements may occur, we do not believe that the final disposition of any of these matters will have a material adverse effect on our business. However, the final outcome of these matters could vary significantly from our estimates. Finally, there may be claims or actions pending or threatened against us of which we are currently not aware and the ultimate disposition of which could have a material adverse effect on us. All legal fees incurred by the Company related to any regulatory and legal matters are expensed in the period incurred.

Income Taxes

We are under audit by the IRS and various other domestic and foreign tax authorities with regards to income tax matters. We have reserved for potential adjustments to our provision for income taxes that may result from examinations by, or any negotiated agreements with, these tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of audits could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of an audit could have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows in the period for which that determination is made. Refer to “Note 10: Income Taxes” for further information on potential contingencies surrounding income taxes.

We intend to indefinitely reinvest the remaining foreign undistributed earnings although we will continue to evaluate the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our capital deployment within and outside the U.S. Should we distribute, or be treated under certain U.S. tax rules as having distributed, the earnings of foreign subsidiaries in the form of dividends or otherwise, we may be subject to U.S. income taxes or tax benefits. The amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax on this temporary difference is not material.

NOTE 13: STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

On January 31, 2018, our Board of Directors authorized a repurchase of up to $250 million of our shares of common stock under a share repurchase program. This share repurchase program has no expiration date but may be suspended or terminated by our Board of Directors at any time. Our Board of Directors authorized and directed management, working with the Executive Committee of our Board of Directors, to affect the share repurchase program in compliance with applicable legal requirements.

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The Company did not repurchase any shares of outstanding common stock during the three months end March 31, 2019 under the share repurchase program. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we repurchased 252,650 shares of outstanding common stock under the share repurchase program at an aggregate cost of $10 million, or an average share price of $39.88, exclusive of fees and commissions. As of March 31, 2019, we had a remaining $150 million available to repurchase shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program. As of both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there were 12,056,688 shares of the Company’s common stock held in treasury with an aggregate cost of $547 million.

NOTE 14: RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

We consider Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc. (“LTRIP”) a related party. As of March 31, 2019, LTRIP beneficially owned approximately 18.2 million shares of our common stock and 12.8 million shares of our Class B common stock, which constitute 14.4% of the outstanding shares of common stock and 100% of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock. Assuming the conversion of all of LTRIP’s shares of Class B common stock into common stock, LTRIP would beneficially own 22.3% of the outstanding common stock. Because each share of Class B common stock is entitled to ten votes per share and each share of common stock is entitled to one vote per share, LTRIP may be deemed to beneficially own equity securities representing 57.5% of our voting power.

We had no related party transactions with LTRIP during both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.

NOTE 15: SEGMENT INFORMATION

Beginning in the first quarter of 2019 we have two reportable segments: (1) Hotels, Media & Platform; and (2) Experiences & Dining. Our Hotels, Media & Platform reportable segment includes the following revenue sources: (1) TripAdvisor-branded hotels revenue – primarily consisting of TripAdvisor-branded hotel metasearch auction-based revenue, transaction revenue from our hotel instant booking feature, subscription-based advertising and media advertising placements revenue; and (2) TripAdvisor-branded display and platform revenue –consisting of TripAdvisor-branded display-based revenue. Our focus within the Hotels, Media & Platform reportable segment is to grow profit while driving increased customer and client engagement with, and high-margin media advertising revenue from, the TripAdvisor platform. Our Experiences & Dining reportable segment, which includes an aggregation of our Experiences and Restaurants operating segments, reflects our ongoing investment focus to drive revenue growth and to reinforce our leadership position in these growing offerings. All remaining business units have been combined into and reported as “Other”, which includes Rentals, Flights/Cruise, SmarterTravel, and TripAdvisor China, as none of these businesses meet the quantitative thresholds and other criteria to qualify as reportable segments, and therefore are combined and disclosed as Other.

All direct general and administrative costs are included in the applicable segments and business units; however, all corporate general and administrative costs are included in the Hotels, Media & Platform reportable segment. In addition, the Hotels, Media & Platform reportable segment includes all TripAdvisor-related brand advertising expenses (primarily television advertising), and technical infrastructure and other costs supporting the TripAdvisor platform.

The nature of the services provided and revenue recognition policies are summarized by reported segment in “Note 3: Revenue Recognition.” All prior period segment disclosure information has been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure in this Form 10-Q. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in any period. 

Adjusted EBITDA is our segment profit measure and a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate the operating performance of our business and on which internal budgets and forecasts are based and approved. In particular, the exclusion of certain expenses in calculating Adjusted EBITDA can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results in the same manner as our management and board of directors. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus: (1) provision for income taxes; (2) other income (expense), net; (3) depreciation of property and equipment, including amortization of internal use software and website development; (4) amortization of intangible assets; (5) stock-based compensation and other stock-settled obligations; (6) goodwill, long-lived asset and intangible asset impairments; (7) legal reserves and settlements; and (8) non-recurring expenses and income.

The following tables present our segment information for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 and includes a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income. We record depreciation of property and equipment, including amortization of internal-use software and website development, amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation and other stock-settled obligations, legal reserves and settlements, other income (expense), net, other non-recurring expenses and income, net, and income taxes, which are excluded from segment operating performance, in corporate and unallocated. In addition, we do not report our assets, capital expenditures and related depreciation expense by segment as our CODM does not use this information to evaluate operating segments. Accordingly, we do not regularly provide such information by segment to our CODM. Intersegment revenue is not material and is included in Other.

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The information included in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes, as well as Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the views of our management regarding current expectations and projections about future events and are based on currently available information. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, those discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2019, Part II, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.” Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The use of words such as “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans” and “believes,” among others, generally identify forward-looking statements; however, these words are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. We are not under any obligation to, and do not intend to, publicly update or review any of these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized. Please carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in this report and in our other reports filed with the SEC that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business, prospects and results of operations.

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Overview

 

TripAdvisor is an online travel company and our mission is to help people around the world plan, book and experience the perfect trip. We seek to achieve this mission by providing consumers and travel partners a global platform of rich content, price comparison tools and online reservation and related services for destinations, accommodations, travel activities and experiences, and restaurants.

TripAdvisor, Inc., by and through its subsidiaries, owns and operates a portfolio of leading online travel brands. Our flagship brand, TripAdvisor, is the world’s largest travel site based on monthly unique visitors, which reached 490 million average monthly unique visitors during our seasonal peak during the year ended December 31, 2018, according to our internal log files.

Our TripAdvisor-branded websites include www.tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the TripAdvisor website in 48 markets and 28 languages worldwide. TripAdvisor features approximately 760 million reviews and opinions on approximately 8.3 million places to stay, places to eat and things to do – including 1.3 million hotels, inns, B&Bs and specialty lodging, 914,000 rental properties, 5.0 million restaurants and 1.1 million travel activities and experiences worldwide. We also enable consumers to compare prices and book a number of these travel experiences on either a TripAdvisor website or mobile application (“mobile app”), or on the website or mobile app of one of our travel partners.

In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate the following other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bokun.io, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.restorando.com), www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

Executive Financial Summary and Business Trends

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest online travel site, as measured by average unique monthly visitors. As a result, TripAdvisor represents an attractive platform for travel partners – including hotel chains, independent hoteliers, OTAs, destination marketing organizations, and other travel-related and non-travel related product and service providers – who seek to market and sell their products and services to a global audience. TripAdvisor’s platform and product offerings enable consumers to discover, research and price shop a variety of travel products, including hotels, flights, cruises, rental properties, tours, travel activities and experiences, and restaurants and book a number of these travel experiences either directly on our websites or mobile apps, or on our travel partners’ websites or mobile apps. Key drivers of our financial results are described below, including a summary of our long-term growth strategy, current trends affecting our business, and our segment reporting information.

Our Long-Term Growth Strategy

Our mission is to help people around the world plan, book and experience the perfect trip. We seek to deliver on this mission by delivering the best consumer experience throughout all phases of the travel journey, or the consumers’ progression from inspiration and travel-planning to trip-taking and sharing the experience, and increasing consumer engagement with our offerings and rich content, deepening relationships with travel partners through an array of advertising opportunities, and investing in technology, product development, marketing, as well as other strategic areas, to improve the TripAdvisor platform. We believe that executing upon this growth strategy can result in greater consumer and travel partner satisfaction and greater monetization on our platform.

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Segments

During the first quarter of 2019, as part of our continuous review of the business, we evaluated our operations and realigned the reportable segment information which our chief operating decision maker, or CODM, regularly assesses to evaluate performance for operating decision-making purposes, including evaluation and allocation of resources.  The CODM for the Company is our Chief Executive Officer. The revised reporting structure includes the following reportable segments: (1) Hotels, Media & Platform and (2) Experiences & Dining, which includes our Experiences and Restaurants operating segments. For further information, including the change in segments and principal revenue streams within these segments, refer to “Note 3: Revenue Recognition” and “Note 15: Segment Information,” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.  

All prior period segment disclosure information has been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure in this Form 10-Q. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in any period. 

Business Trends

The online travel industry in which we operate, is large and growing, and also remains highly dynamic and competitive. We have different objectives for each segment and take differentiated approaches to achieving those objectives, but generally maintain a long-term growth focus.

Hotels, Media & Platform Segment

We operate the Hotels, Media & Platform segment to grow profit while also driving increased customer and client engagement with – and media advertising revenue from – the TripAdvisor platform. We seek to achieve this by delivering consumers a holistic product experience and by offering travel partners a diversified number of advertising opportunities.

For consumers, we seek and implement product enhancements that deliver a more engaging and comprehensive hotel shopping experience. This includes providing rich, immersive content – reviews, photos, videos and ratings, among other contributions – as well as increasing the number of travel partners, properties and room prices for available hotel supply through our platform. We believe providing consumers tools to discover, research, price shop and book a comprehensive selection of accommodations, helps increase brand awareness and brand loyalty and, over time, can result in deeper consumer engagement, more qualified leads delivered to travel partners and greater monetization on our platform. This segment has two revenue sources, as described below: (1) TripAdvisor-branded hotels, and (2) TripAdvisor-branded display and platform.

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As stated above, we operate the Hotels, Media & Platform segment to grow profit. We seek to achieve profitable growth objectives through hotel-related product, supply and marketing efforts and customer advertising opportunities, including our hotel metasearch auction, as well as from other hotel-focused click-based and subscription-based advertising products.

In TripAdvisor-branded hotels, we generally seek to maximize the revenue per hotel shopper we generate on our platform. Revenue per hotel shopper performance improved throughout 2018 and grew for the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to product enhancements and higher-quality hotel shopper leads sent to travel partners, partially offset by the continued hotel shopper growth on mobile phone, which generally monetizes at significantly lower CPCs and revenue per hotel shopper compared to desktop and tablet.

Given our ongoing profit focus, a key ongoing objective is to attract or acquire hotel shoppers at or above our desired marketing return on investment targets. To that end, since mid-2017, we have optimized our direct selling and marketing investments for long-term returns. We progressively reduced direct selling and marketing investments in online channels which were not meeting our return on investment targets while we increased direct selling and marketing investments in long-term strategic brand-building efforts with longer estimated pay-back, primarily television advertising. As expected, these marketing efforts, alongside additional product improvements, have reduced the number of hotel shoppers to our platform and caused our TripAdvisor-branded hotels revenue growth to fluctuate, while successfully generating significant Hotels, Media & Platform profit growth and margin expansion, including year-over-year profit growth during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

In TripAdvisor-branded display and platform, we offer a number of display-based media opportunities to travel partners to generate brand impressions, and potentially qualified leads and bookings for their businesses. Generally, we prioritize consumer experience, particularly as more consumers access our products via mobile phone, as opposed to maximizing the number of display advertising impressions we can sell in a given period. This has historically, and may in the future, limit both the number and type of display-based advertising opportunities we make available to travel partners, which, in turn, has and can impact negatively display-based advertising revenue growth. That said, we have explored – and will continue to explore – product enhancements and media advertising products that deliver increased value to both consumers and travel partners alike, enabling us to increase monetization of our platform across all devices.

Experiences & Dining Segment

We operate the Experiences & Dining segment to drive revenue growth and to reinforce our leadership position in our growing Experiences and Restaurants offerings. These offerings enable us to deliver a more comprehensive consumer experience, which we believe will increase awareness of, loyalty to and engagement with our products, more bookings delivered to Experiences and Restaurants travel partners and greater monetization on our platform. In the three months ended March 31, 2019, we increased investments in product, supply and marketing in pursuit of our long-term growth objectives. Given the significant market opportunities in these categories, we expect to continue to strategically prioritize investments and revenue growth over profit margin expansion or profit growth, and believe that successful execution of our growth strategy will generate maximum long-term profitability.

Other

Other is a combination of our Rentals, Flights/Cruise, SmarterTravel, and TripAdvisor China business units and is not considered a reportable segment. Profits have been relatively stable and revenues have declined in recent periods primarily due to strategic re-alignments and resource re-allocation to our other areas of our business. We operate these offerings opportunistically as they complement our overall strategic objectives to deliver more value to consumers and travel partners.

Employees

As of March 31, 2019, we had 3,584 employees. Of these employees, nearly 50% were based in the United States. We believe we have good relationships with our employees, including relationships with employees represented by international works councils or other similar organizations.  

Seasonality

Global travel market expenditures tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Correspondingly, advertising investments made by travel partners and, therefore, our revenue and profits, also tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Our financial performance tends to be seasonally highest in the second and third quarters of a given year, which includes the seasonal peak in consumer demand, traveler hotel and rental stays, and travel activities and experiences taken, compared to the first and fourth quarters, which represent seasonal low points. Significant shifts in our business mix or adverse economic conditions could result in future seasonal patterns that are different from historical trends.

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Critical accounting policies and estimates are those that we believe are important in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements because they require that management use judgment and estimates in applying those policies. We prepare our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in accordance with GAAP. Preparation of the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes requires that management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements as well as revenue and expenses during the periods reported. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, when applicable and other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

 

There are certain critical estimates that we believe require significant judgment in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. We consider an accounting estimate to be critical if:

There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates as compared to the critical accounting policies and estimates described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

Significant Accounting Policies and New Accounting Pronouncements

Refer to “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for an overview of new accounting pronouncements that we have adopted in the first quarter of 2019 or that we plan to adopt that have had or may have an impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

Notably, in the first quarter of 2019, we adopted new lease guidance, or ASC 842, using the modified retrospective approach and applied the guidance retrospectively at the effective date of January 1, 2019 through a cumulative-effect adjustment. Under this transition method, we did not update the financial information or provide any disclosures required under the new guidance for dates and periods prior to January 1, 2019. Upon adoption, we recognized ROU assets and lease liabilities for our operating leases, while our Headquarters Lease is accounted for as a finance lease under the new guidance. The adoption of ASC 842 did not have a material impact to our consolidated statement of operations or statement of cash flows during the three months ended March 31, 2019. Refer to “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further discussion of our revised lease accounting policy and the adoption impact of ASC 842 to our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet.

 

There have been no other significant changes to our significant accounting policies and estimates, other than to our lease accounting policy, as discussed above, as compared to the significant accounting policies and estimates described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 under Item 8, “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements.

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Statement of Operations

Selected Financial Data

(in millions, except percentages)

 

Revenue and Segment Information

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Hotels, Media & Platform Segment

Hotels, Media & Platform segment revenue increased by $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to increases in hotel-related media advertising placement revenue and display-based advertising revenue, offset by a decrease in our hotel metasearch auction revenue, all of which are discussed below, as well as an unfavorable impact of foreign currency fluctuations when compared to the same period in 2018.

Hotels, Media & Platform segment Adjusted EBITDA increased $28 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to reduced direct selling and marketing expenses related to SEM and other online paid traffic acquisition costs as we have continued to optimize and improve our marketing efficiency from our online marketing campaigns, partially offset to a lesser extent by an unfavorable impact of foreign currency fluctuations, when compared to the same period in 2018.

The following is a detailed discussion of the revenue sources within our Hotels, Media & Platform segment:

TripAdvisor-branded Hotels Revenue

TripAdvisor-branded hotels revenue includes hotel metasearch auction as well as other click-based and subscription-based advertising services that we offer to travel partners. Our travel partners are predominantly OTAs and hoteliers. For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, 85% and 86%, respectively, of our total Hotels, Media & Platform segment revenue was derived from TripAdvisor-branded hotels revenue. TripAdvisor-branded hotels revenue decreased $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to lower international demand in our hotel metasearch auction, partially offset by an increase from hotel-related media advertising placements that enable hotels to enhance their visibility on TripAdvisor hotel pages.

Hotel metasearch auction revenue drivers include the number of average monthly unique hotel shoppers and revenue per hotel shopper growth, the latter of which measures how effectively we convert hotel shoppers into referrals to, and bookings on our travel partner websites, while we define hotel shoppers as visitors who view either a listing of hotels in a city or on a specific hotel page. We measure revenue per hotel shopper on an aggregate basis by dividing total hotel metasearch auction revenue by total average monthly unique hotel shoppers on TripAdvisor-branded websites.

Revenue per hotel shopper increased during the three months ended March 31, 2019, which was offset by a decline in average monthly unique hotel shoppers of approximately the same proportion during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018. Revenue per hotel shopper grew primarily due to product enhancements and higher-quality hotel shopper leads sent to travel partners, partially offset by a greater percentage of hotel shoppers visiting TripAdvisor-branded websites and apps on mobile phones which we continued to experience during the first quarter of 2019. The decrease in average monthly unique hotel shoppers was primarily due to our continued reduction of direct marketing spend on our least-profitable paid online marketing campaigns, partially offset by the aforementioned general trend of an increasing number of hotel shoppers visiting on mobile phones. 

Subscription-based advertising revenue was relatively flat during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018.

TripAdvisor-branded Display and Platform Revenue

For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, 15% and 14%, respectively, of Hotels, Media & Platform segment revenue was derived from our TripAdvisor-branded display and platform revenue, which consists of revenue from TripAdvisor-branded display-based advertising.

TripAdvisor-branded display-based advertising revenue increased by $2 million or 6%, during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase in pricing, partially offset by a decrease in impressions sold and the general trend of an increasing percentage of our traffic visiting our websites and apps on mobile phones, which yield smaller impression opportunities due to the smaller screen size.

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Experiences & Dining Segment

Experiences & Dining segment revenue increased by $18 million or 29% during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily driven by growth in Experiences and Restaurants bookings and Restaurants click-based media advertising placement revenue, partially offset to a lesser extent by unfavorable foreign currency fluctuation impacts, when compared to the same period in 2018.

Experiences revenue growth was driven by increased demand on free and paid traffic sources, overall bookings growth, including TripAdvisor sourced bookings growth and mobile bookings growth, and bookable supply growth. Another contributing factor is the improved shopping experience enabled by the investment in our new supplier platform launched in the fourth quarter of 2018, which has increased the efficiency with which suppliers can participate and market their bookable experiences, thereby offering consumers a greater selection of travel activities and experiences. Restaurants growth was driven by seated diner growth, mobile bookings growth, user experience improvements, increase in bookable supply of restaurant listings as well as increased bookings sourced on TripAdvisor, and click-based media advertising placement revenue growth.

Experiences & Dining segment Adjusted EBITDA decreased $20 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to increased people costs to drive product and supply investments, as well as marketing investments to fund long-term growth initiatives, offset by an increase in revenue, as noted above.

Other

Other revenue, which primarily includes click-based advertising and display-based advertising revenue from our rentals, flights/cruise and non-TripAdvisor branded websites, such as www.smartertravel.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com and www.onetime.com, decreased by $21 million or 33% during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018. This was primarily driven by the elimination of some marginal and unprofitable revenue within these offerings, as well as strategic resource re-allocation of investment across other areas of our business and continued competition in our Rentals offering.

Adjusted EBITDA in Other increased $1 million or 14% during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018. This marginal increase was primarily due to reduced costs related to marketing and operational re-alignments, primarily offset by a decrease in revenue, as described above.

Consolidated Expenses

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue consists of expenses that are directly related or closely correlated to revenue generation, including direct costs, such as credit card and other booking transaction payment fees, data center costs, costs associated with prepaid tour tickets, ad serving fees, flight search fees, and other transaction costs. In addition, cost of revenue includes personnel and overhead expenses, including salaries, benefits, stock-based compensation and bonuses for certain customer support personnel who are directly involved in revenue generation.

 

Cost of revenue increased $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to increased direct costs from credit card and other transaction costs in our Experiences & Dining segment as a result of revenue growth.    

Selling and Marketing

 

Selling and marketing expenses primarily consist of direct costs, including traffic generation costs from SEM and other online traffic acquisition costs, syndication costs and affiliate program commissions, social media costs, brand advertising (including television and other offline advertising), promotions and public relations. In addition, our sales and marketing expenses consist of

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indirect costs such as personnel and overhead expenses, including salaries, commissions, benefits, stock-based compensation expense, and bonuses for sales, sales support, customer support and marketing employees. 

 

Direct selling and marketing costs decreased $20 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an overall decrease in SEM and other online traffic acquisition costs, specifically in our Hotels, Media & Platform segment and Other, partially offset by increased SEM and other online traffic acquisition costs in our Experiences & Dining segment due to strategic acceleration of investment in this segment as well as, to a lesser extent, an overall increase in our television advertising campaign spend of $6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Personnel and overhead costs were flat during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, as an increase in personnel and overhead costs related to additional headcount in our Experiences & Dining segment to support business growth was offset in large part with decreased personnel and overhead costs in Other, as a result of strategic personnel re-allocation across the business.

Technology and Content

 

Technology and content expenses consist primarily of personnel and overhead expenses, including salaries and benefits, stock-based compensation expense, and bonuses for salaried employees and contractors engaged in the design, development, testing, content support, and maintenance of our websites and mobile apps. Other costs include licensing, maintenance expense, computer supplies, telecom costs, content translation and localization costs, and consulting costs.

 

Technology and content costs increased $6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018. Personnel and overhead costs increased by $4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase in personnel and overhead costs related to additional headcount in our Experiences & Dining segment to support business growth, partially offset by a decrease of personnel and overhead costs in Other, as a result of strategic personnel re-allocation across the business.

General and Administrative

 

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel and related overhead costs, including personnel engaged in leadership, finance, legal, and human resources, as well as stock-based compensation expense for those same personnel. General and administrative costs also include professional service fees and other fees including audit, legal, tax and accounting, and other costs including bad debt expense, non-income taxes, such as sales, use and other non-income related taxes. 

 

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General and administrative costs were flat during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018. Personnel and overhead costs increased $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily related to an increase in personnel and overhead costs related to additional headcount in our Experiences & Dining segment to support business growth, partially offset by a decrease in personnel and overhead costs in Other as a result of strategic personnel re-allocation across the business. Professional service fees and other decreased $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to a decrease in consulting costs, partially offset by an increase in bad debt expense.

Depreciation

Depreciation expense consists of depreciation on computer equipment, leasehold improvements, furniture, office equipment and other assets, and amortization of capitalized software and website development costs and ROU assets related to our finance lease.

Depreciation expense increased $3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018 primarily due to increased amortization related to capitalized software and website development costs and incremental amortization related to the ROU asset for our Headquarters Lease recorded upon adoption of ASC 842.  Refer to “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for additional information on our adoption of ASC 842.

Interest Expense

Interest expense primarily consists of interest incurred, commitment fees and debt issuance cost amortization related to our 2015 Credit Facility, Chinese Credit Facilities, as well as interest on finance leases.

Interest expense decreased $1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019 when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to lower average outstanding borrowings on our 2015 Credit Facility in 2019.

Interest Income and Other, Net

Interest income and other, net primarily consists of interest earned from our money market funds and marketable securities, amortization of discounts and premiums on our marketable securities, net foreign exchange gains and losses, and realized gains and losses on sales of our marketable securities.

Interest income and other, net increased $3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase in interest income earned from our money market funds due to increased interest rates and investment, partially offset by an increase of $1 million in net foreign currency transaction losses as a result of the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates.

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Provision for Income Taxes

Our effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 were 21.2% and 76.2%, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the effective tax rate was greater than the federal statutory rate primarily due to state income taxes and foreign valuation allowances, offset by the recognition of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation.  For the three months ended March 31, 2018, the effective tax rate was greater than the federal statutory rate primarily due to international provisions from the 2017 Tax Act, foreign valuation allowances, and the recognition of stock-based compensation shortfalls.

Our effective tax rate decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2019, when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily because of the recognition of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation and Transition Tax adjustments recorded in 2018.  Refer to “Note 10: Income Taxes” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further information.

Adjusted EBITDA

To provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results, we also disclose Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. A “non-GAAP financial measure” refers to a numerical measure of a company’s historical or future financial performance, financial position, or cash flows that excludes (or includes) amounts that are included in (or excluded from) the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in such company’s financial statements.

Adjusted EBITDA is also our segment profit measure and a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate the operating performance of our business and on which internal budgets and forecasts are based and approved. In particular, the exclusion of certain expenses in calculating Adjusted EBITDA can provide a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core business. Accordingly, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results in the same manner as our management and board of directors. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus: (1) provision for income taxes; (2) other income (expense), net; (3) depreciation of property and equipment, including amortization of internal use software and website development; (4) amortization of intangible assets; (5) stock-based compensation and other stock-settled obligations; (6) goodwill, long-lived asset and intangible asset impairments; (7) legal reserves and settlements; and (8) other non-recurring expenses and income.

Our use of Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results reported in accordance with GAAP. Because of these limitations, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA alongside other financial performance measures, including net income and our other GAAP results.

Some of these limitations are:

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The following table presents a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net income, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, for the periods presented:

Related Party Transactions

For information on our relationship with LTRIP, which may be deemed to beneficially own equity securities representing 57.5% of our voting power as of March 31, 2019, refer to “Note 14: Related Party Transactions” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We had no related party transactions with LTRIP during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

Refer to “Note 5: Stock Based Awards and Other Equity Instruments” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further information on current year equity award activity, including the issuance of 536,863 service-based stock options with a weighted average grant-date fair value per option of $22.32, 2,313,016 primarily service-based RSUs with a weighted average grant-date fair value of $54.10, and 78,050 MSUs with a weighted average grant-date fair value of $57.62 during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Our principal source of liquidity is cash flow generated from operations, and our liquidity needs can also be met through drawdowns under our 2015 Credit Facility and Chinese Credit Facilities. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, we had $811 million and $670 million, respectively, of cash, cash equivalents and short-term available-for-sale marketable debt securities. As of March 31, 2019, approximately $281 million of our cash and cash equivalents, and $40 million of short-term available-for-sale marketable debt securities, were held by our international subsidiaries outside of the United States, with the majority held in the United Kingdom. As of March 31, 2019, the significant majority of our total cash on hand was denominated in U.S. dollars. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we made a one-time repatriation of $325 million of foreign earnings to the United States primarily to repay our remaining outstanding debt under the 2015 Credit Facility. Cumulative undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries totaled approximately $694 million as of March 31, 2019. We intend to indefinitely reinvest the remaining foreign undistributed earnings although we will continue to evaluate the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our capital deployment within and outside the U.S. Should we distribute, or be treated under certain U.S. tax rules as having distributed, the earnings of foreign subsidiaries in the form of dividends or otherwise, we may be subject to U.S. income taxes or tax benefits. The amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax on this temporary difference is not material.

 

As of March 31, 2019, we had no outstanding borrowings and approximately $1.2 billion of borrowing capacity available under our 2015 Credit Facility and approximately $40 million of borrowing capacity available under our Chinese Credit Facilities. For further discussion on our credit facilities, refer to “Note 9: Debt” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

On January 31, 2018, our Board of Directors authorized a repurchase of up to $250 million of our shares of common stock under a share repurchase program. Our Board of Directors authorized and directed management, working with the Executive Committee of our Board of Directors, to affect the share repurchase program discussed above in compliance with applicable legal requirements. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we repurchased 252,650 shares of outstanding common stock under the share

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repurchase program at an aggregate cost of $10 million, or an average share price of $39.88, exclusive of fees and commissions. The Company did not repurchase any shares of outstanding common stock during the three months end March 31, 2019 under the share repurchase program. As of March 31, 2019, we had a remaining $150 million available to repurchase shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program. This share repurchase program has no expiration date but may be suspended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time.

Our business experiences seasonal fluctuations that affect the timing of our annual cash flows related to working capital. In our Rentals free-to-list model and our Experiences business, we generally receive cash from travelers at the time of booking and we record these amounts, net of commissions, on our consolidated balance sheets as deferred merchant payables. We pay the suppliers, or the property rental owners and experience providers, after the travelers’ use. Therefore, we receive cash from the traveler prior to paying the supplier and this operating cycle represents a working capital source or use of cash to us. During the first half of the year Rentals and Experiences bookings typically exceed the amount of completed stays and tour-taking, resulting in higher cash flow related to working capital, while during the second half of the year, particularly in the third quarter, this pattern reverses and cash flows from these transactions are typically negative. While we expect the impact of seasonal fluctuations to continue, further significant shifts in our business mix or adverse economic conditions could result in future seasonal patterns that are different from historical trends.  

We believe that our available cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, combined with expected cash flows generated by operating activities and available borrowings from our credit facilities, will be sufficient to fund our foreseeable working capital requirements, capital expenditures, existing business growth initiatives, debt obligations, lease commitments, and other financial commitments through at least the next twelve months. Our future capital requirements may also include capital needs for acquisitions, share repurchases, and/or other expenditures in support of our business strategy, and may potentially reduce our cash balance and/or increase our debt.

 

Our cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, as reflected in our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, are summarized in the following table:

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2019, our primary use of cash was from operations, financing activities (including payment of withholding taxes on net share settlements of our equity awards of $23 million), and investing activities (including capital expenditures incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2019 of $17 million and cash used of $40 million in purchases of marketable securities).  This use of cash was funded primarily with cash on hand and cash equivalents, cash provided by operations, and investing activities, including cash of $15 million generated from maturities of marketable securities.  

During the three months ended March 31, 2018, our primary use of cash was from operations, financing activities (including the repayment of outstanding borrowings under the 2015 Credit Facility of $235 million, payment of withholding taxes on net share settlements of equity awards of $12 million), and investing activities (including capital expenditures incurred during the year of $15 million). This use of cash was funded primarily with cash on hand and cash equivalents, which included a one-time cash repatriation $325 million of foreign earnings to the United States, cash provided by operations, and investing activities, including cash generated of $44 million from sales and maturities of marketable securities.  

Net cash provided by operating activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased by $8 million or 5% when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to an increase in net income of $21 million and incremental non-cash items affecting cash flow of $15 million, which was primarily due to an increase in deferred income tax expense.  These increases were partially offset by a decrease in working capital movements of $28 million primarily due to the timing of collection of customer receivables, vendor payments, income tax payments, and deferred merchant payments.  

Net cash provided by investing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 decreased by $70 million when compared to the same period in 2018, due to a decrease in net cash generated from the purchases, sales and maturities of marketable securities of $68 million and an increase in capital expenditures of $2 million.

Net cash used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 decreased by $222 million when compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to a net repayment on our 2015 Credit Facility of $230 million and cash used to purchase

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shares of our common stock under our share repurchase program of $4 million, both during the three months ended March 31, 2018, partially offset by an increase in payment of withholding taxes on net share settlements of equity awards of $11 million during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Contractual Obligations, Commercial Commitments and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

There have been no material changes outside the normal course of business to our contractual obligations and commercial commitments since December 31, 2018. As of March 31, 2019, other than our contractual obligations and commercial commitments, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC.  Refer to “Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Part II, Item 7. —Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 for a discussion of our contractual obligations and commercial commitments.

Contingencies

In the ordinary course of business, we are parties to regulatory and legal matters, including threats thereof, arising out of our operations. These matters may involve claims involving patent and intellectual property rights (including alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights), tax matters (including value-added, excise, transient occupancy and accommodation taxes), regulatory compliance (including competition, consumer matters and data privacy), defamation and other claims. Periodically, we review the status of all significant outstanding matters to assess any potential financial exposure. When (i) it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred; and (ii) the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, we record the estimated loss in our consolidated statements of operations. We provide disclosures in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for loss contingencies that do not meet both of these conditions if there is a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred that would be material to the consolidated financial statements. We base accruals on the best information available at the time which can be highly subjective. Although occasional adverse decisions or settlements may occur, we do not believe that the final disposition of any of these matters will have a material adverse effect on our business. However, the final outcome of these matters could vary significantly from our estimates. Finally, there may be claims or actions pending or threatened against us of which we are currently not aware and the ultimate disposition of which could have a material adverse effect on us.

We are also under audit by the IRS and various other domestic and foreign tax authorities with regards to income tax matters. We have reserved for potential adjustments to our provision for income taxes that may result from examinations by, or any negotiated agreements with, these tax authorities. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, the final determination of audits could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of an audit could have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows in the period for which that determination is made.

By virtue of consolidated income tax returns previously filed with Expedia, we are currently under an IRS audit for the 2009, 2010 and short-period 2011 tax years. We are separately under examination by the IRS for the short-period 2011 and 2012-2016 tax years, under an employment tax audit by the IRS for the 2013 and 2014 tax years, and have various ongoing audits for state income tax returns. These audits include questioning of the timing and the amount of income and deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. These examinations may lead to proposed or ordinary course adjustments to our taxes. We are no longer subject to tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2009. As of March 31, 2019, no material assessments have resulted, except as noted below regarding our 2009, 2010, and 2011 IRS audit with Expedia.

In January 2017 and April 2019, as part of the IRS audit of Expedia, we received Notices of Proposed Adjustment from the IRS for the 2009, 2010, and 2011 tax years.  These proposed adjustments are related to certain transfer pricing arrangements with our foreign subsidiaries, and would result in an increase to our worldwide income tax expense in an estimated range of $15 million to $20 million at the close of the audit if the IRS prevails, after consideration of competent authority relief, exclusive of interest and penalties. We disagree with the proposed adjustments and we intend to defend our position through applicable administrative and, if necessary, judicial remedies.  Our policy is to review and update tax reserves as facts and circumstances change. Based on our interpretation of the regulations and available case law, we believe the position we have taken with regard to transfer pricing with our foreign subsidiaries is sustainable. In addition to the risk of additional tax for 2009, 2010, and 2011 transactions, if the IRS were to seek transfer pricing adjustments of a similar nature for transactions in subsequent years, we would be subject to significant additional tax liabilities.

In July 2015, the United States Tax Court (the “Court”) issued an opinion favorable to Altera Corporation (“Altera”) with respect to Altera’s litigation with the IRS. This opinion was submitted as a final decision under Tax Court Rule 155 during December 2015. The litigation relates to the treatment of stock-based compensation expense in an inter-company cost-sharing arrangement with Altera’s foreign subsidiary. In its opinion, the Court accepted Altera’s position of excluding stock based compensation from its inter-company cost-sharing arrangement. The IRS appealed the Court decision on February 19, 2016. At this time, the U.S. Department of

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the Treasury has not withdrawn the requirement from its regulations to include stock-based compensation in intercompany cost-sharing arrangements. Since the Court’s 2015 opinion, the Company has taken total income tax benefits of $15 million as of March 31, 2019. On July 24, 2018, the IRS won the appeals court case at the Ninth Circuit; however, on August 7, 2018, the Ninth Circuit withdrew its decision regarding Altera and the case was reheard. While we have taken an income tax benefit based on the Court’s 2015 opinion, as discussed above, we will continue to review the latest decisions on the case and its impact to our consolidated financial statements.

Additionally, we continue to accumulate positive cash flows in foreign jurisdictions, which we consider indefinitely reinvested, although we will continue to evaluate the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our capital deployment within and outside the U.S. Should we distribute, or be treated under certain U.S. tax rules as having distributed, the earnings of foreign subsidiaries in the form of dividends or otherwise, we may be subject to U.S. income taxes or tax benefits. The amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax on this temporary difference is not material.

Refer to “Note 10: Income Taxes” in the notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for further information on the impact of potential contingencies surrounding current audits by the IRS and various other domestic and foreign tax authorities, and other income tax matters.  

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Market risk refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in stock prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. We are exposed to market risks primarily due to our international operations, and our ongoing investment and financial activities. The risk of loss can be assessed from the perspective of adverse changes in our future earnings, cash flows, fair values, and financial condition. Our exposure to market risk includes our credit facilities, derivative instruments, cash, cash equivalents, short term and long term marketable securities, accounts receivable, intercompany receivables/payables, accounts payable and deferred merchant payables denominated in foreign currencies. We have established policies, procedures and internal processes governing our management of market risks and the use of financial instruments to manage and attempt to mitigate our exposure to such risks.

There has been no material change in our market risk profile during the three months ended March 31, 2019. For additional information, refer to “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in Item 7A. in Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Since the United Kingdom’s referendum to exit the European Union, known as Brexit, the United Kingdom has reached a draft agreement with the European Union on the terms of its exit but the final terms of its withdrawal are still unknown.  We have significant operations in both the United Kingdom and the European Union.  Those operations are highly integrated across the United Kingdom and the European Union, and we are highly dependent on the free flow of labor and goods in those regions. There remains significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, including the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a negotiated and bilaterally approved withdrawal plan. The ongoing uncertainty and potential re-imposition of border controls and customs duties on trade between the United Kingdom and European Union nations could negatively impact our merchant and customer relationships and financial performance. In addition, uncertainty regarding the terms and timeline for Brexit could continue to adversely affect consumer confidence and spending in the United Kingdom. We could face new regulatory costs and challenges if the U.K. regulations diverge from those of the European Union.  The ultimate effects of Brexit on us will depend on the timing and specific terms of any agreement the United Kingdom and the European Union reach to provide access to each other’s respective markets.  Since the terms of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union are uncertain, we are unable to predict the effect Brexit will have on our business and results of operations.  

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of March 31, 2019, our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and President and our Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and President and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2019, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that material information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s, or the SEC’s, rules and forms, including ensuring that such material information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and President and our Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

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Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes to our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2019 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, we are parties to legal proceedings and claims involving alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, defamation, taxes, regulatory compliance and other claims. Rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC require the description of material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary, routine litigation incident to the registrant’s business, and advise that proceedings ordinarily need not be described if they primarily involve damages claims for amounts (exclusive of interest and costs) not individually exceeding 10% of the current assets of the registrant and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. In the judgment of management, none of the pending litigation matters that we are defending involves or is likely to involve amounts of that magnitude. There may be claims or actions pending or threatened against us of which we are currently not aware and the ultimate disposition of which could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should consider carefully the risks described below together with all of the other information included in this Quarterly Report as they may impact our business, results of operations and/or financial condition. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also impair our business, results of operations or financial condition. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

If we are unable to continue to attract a significant amount of visitors to our websites and mobile apps, to cost-effectively convert these visitors into revenue-generating users and to continue to engage our users, our revenue, financial results and business could be harmed.

Our long term success depends on our continued ability to attract a significant number of visitors to our platforms in a cost-effective manner, to convert those visitors into consumers and then to continue to engage those consumers throughout the travel planning, booking and trip-taking phases. Our traffic and user engagement could be adversely affected by a number of factors, including but not limited to, increased competition; inability to provide quality content, inventory or supply to our consumers; declines or inefficiencies in traffic acquisition; reduced awareness of our brands; and macroeconomic conditions. Certain of our competitors have advertising campaigns expressly designed to drive traffic directly to their websites, and these campaigns may negatively impact traffic to our site. Our traffic growth could decline over time, as our business matures, and our success could become increasingly dependent on our ability to increase levels of user engagement on our platform. There can be no assurances that we will continue to provide content and products in a manner that meets rapidly changing demand. Any failure to obtain and manage content and products in a cost-effective manner that will engage users, or any failure to provide content and products that are perceived as useful, reliable and trustworthy, could adversely affect user experiences and their repeat behavior, reduce traffic to our websites and negatively impact our business and financial performance.

We rely on internet search engines and application marketplaces to drive traffic to our platform, certain providers of which offer products and services that compete directly with our products.  If links to our websites and apps are not displayed prominently, traffic to our platform could decline and our business would be negatively affected.  

We rely heavily on internet search engines to generate a significant amount of traffic to our websites, principally through SEM (i.e., the purchase of travel-related keywords) as well as through SEO (i.e., free, or organic, search). The number of consumers we attract from search engines to our platform is due in large part to how and where information from, and links to, our websites are displayed on search engine results pages. The display, including rankings, of search results can be affected by a number of factors, many of which are not in our control and may change frequently. Search engines frequently update and change the logic that determines the placement and display of the results of a user’s search, such that the purchased or algorithmic placement of links to our websites can be negatively affected. In addition, a search engine could, for competitive or other purposes, alter its search algorithms or results causing our websites to place lower in search query results. If a major search engine changes its algorithms in a manner that negatively affects the search engine ranking of our websites or those of our travel partners, or if competitive dynamics impact the cost or effectiveness of SEO or SEM in a negative manner, our business and financial performance would be adversely affected.

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Furthermore, our failure to successfully manage our SEO and SEM strategies and/or other traffic acquisition strategies could result in a substantial decrease in traffic to our websites, as well as increased costs to the extent we replace free traffic with paid traffic.

In some instances, search and metasearch companies and application marketplaces may change their displays or rankings in order to promote their own competing products or services or the products or services of one or more of our competitors. For example, Google, a significant source of traffic to our website accounting for a substantial portion of the visits to our websites, frequently promotes its own competing products in its web search results, which has negatively impacted the search ranking of our website. Google’s promotion of its own competing products, or similar actions by Google in the future that have the effect of reducing our prominence or ranking on its search results, could have a substantial negative effect on our business and results of operations.

We also rely on application marketplaces, or app stores such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play, to drive downloads of our applications. In the future, Apple, Google or other marketplace operators may make changes to their marketplaces that make access to our products more difficult. For example, Google has entered various aspects of the online travel market, including by establishing a flight metasearch product and hotel metasearch product as well as reservation functionality. Our applications may receive unfavorable treatment compared to the promotion and placement of competing applications, such as the order in which they appear within marketplaces. Similarly, if problems arise in our relationships with providers of application marketplaces, traffic to our site and our user growth could be harmed.

We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from advertising and any significant reduction in spending by advertisers or redirections of advertising spend could harm our business.

We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from the sale of advertising, primarily through click-based advertising and, to a lesser extent, display-based and subscription-based advertising. We enter into advertising contracts with our advertising partners; however, the agreement terms are generally limited to legal matters, with campaign details and economics governed by insertion orders, and most of these contracts can be terminated by our partners at will or on short notice. Our ability to grow advertising revenue with our existing or new advertising partners is dependent in large part on our ability to generate revenue for them relative to other alternatives. Advertisers will not continue to do business with us if their investment in such advertising does not generate sales leads, customers, bookings, or revenue and profit on a cost-effective basis. Our ability to provide value to our advertising partners depends on a number of factors, including effectiveness of online advertising, competitiveness of our products, traffic quality, perception of our platform, availability and accuracy of analytics and measurement solutions to demonstrate our value, and macroeconomic conditions, whether in the advertising industry generally, among specific types of marketers or within particular geographies. We cannot guarantee that our current advertisers will fulfill their obligations under existing contracts, continue to advertise beyond the terms of existing contracts or enter into any additional contracts with us.

In addition, advertising revenue could be impacted by a number of other factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

The occurrence of any of these or other factors could result in a reduction in demand for our ads, which may reduce the prices we receive for our ads, or cause marketers to stop advertising with us altogether, either of which would negatively affect our revenue and financial results.

Click-based advertising revenue accounts for the majority of our advertising revenue. Our CPC pricing for click-based advertising depends, in part, on competition between advertisers. If our large advertisers become less competitive with each other, merge with each other or with our competitors, focus more on per-click profit than on traffic volume, or are able to reduce CPCs, this could have an adverse impact on our click-based advertising revenue which would, in turn, have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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We rely on a relatively small number of significant advertising partners and any reduction in spending by or loss of these partners could seriously harm our business.

We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from a relatively small number of advertising partners and rely significantly on our relationships. For example, for the year ended December 31, 2018, our two most significant advertising partners, Expedia Group, Inc., or Expedia, and Booking Holdings, Inc., or Booking (and their subsidiaries), accounted for a combined 37% of total revenue. While we enter into master advertising contracts with our partners, as discussed above, most of these contracts can be terminated by our partners at will or on short notice. If any of our significant advertisers were to cease or significantly curtail advertising on our websites, we could experience a rapid decline in our revenue over a relatively short period of time which would have a material impact on our business.

Our business depends on a strong brand and any failure to maintain, protect and enhance our brand could hurt our ability to retain and expand our base of consumers and partners, as well as increase the frequency with which consumers utilize our products and services.  

We believe that the strength of our brands (particularly the TripAdvisor brand) has contributed significantly to our success.  We also believe that maintaining, protecting and enhancing our brands is critical to expanding our base of consumers, increasing the frequency with which consumers utilize our solutions and attracting advertisers and business partners. Our ability to maintain and protect our brand depends, in part, on our ability to maintain consumer trust in our products and in the quality, integrity, reliability of usefulness of the content and other information found on our platform. For example, if consumers do not view our reviews to be useful and reliable, they may seek other sources to obtain the information they are looking for and may not return to our platform as often in the future, or at all. This would negatively impact our ability to attract and retain consumers and partners and the frequency with which they use our platform. We dedicate significant resources to these goals, primarily through our computer algorithms and teams of moderators that are focused on identifying inappropriate, unreliable or deceptive content.  We remove those types of content from our website and, in certain cases, take legal action against individuals or businesses that we believe have engaged in deceptive practices.  

Media, legislative, or regulatory scrutiny of our decisions regarding user privacy, content, advertising, and other issues may adversely affect our reputation and brands. Negative publicity about our company, including our content, technology, business practices or strategic plans, could diminish our reputation and confidence in our brand, thereby negatively affecting the use of our products and potentially even our share price. For example, certain media outlets have alleged that we have improperly filtered or screened reviews, that we have not properly verified reviews, or that we manipulate reviews, ranking and ratings in favor of our advertisers against non-advertisers. We expend significant resources to ensure the integrity of our reviews and to ensure that the most relevant reviews are available to our consumers; we do not establish rankings and ratings in favor of our advertisers.  Nevertheless, our reputation and brand, the traffic to our platform, our business and potentially even our share price may suffer from negative publicity about our company or if consumers otherwise perceive that our content is manipulated or biased.  In addition, regulatory inquiries or investigations require management time and attention and could result in further negative publicity, regardless of their merits or ultimate outcomes.  

In addition, unfavorable publicity regarding, for example, our practices relating to privacy and data protection, product changes, competitive pressures, litigation or regulatory activity, could adversely affect our reputation with our consumers and our partners. Such negative publicity also could have an adverse effect on the size, engagement, and loyalty of our user base and result in decreased revenue.

We continue to invest significant time and effort towards educating users about our brand and our product offerings and there can be no assurances that these efforts will be successful.

In an effort to enhance our brand we invest significantly in brand marketing including, but not limited to, television advertising. We expect these investments to continue, and potentially even increase, as a result of a variety of factors, including relatively high levels of advertising spending by competitors, the increasing costs of supporting multiple brands, expansion into new geographies, product positioning where our brands are less well known, and the continued emergence and relative traffic share growth of search engines as destination sites for travelers. We expect to continue our television advertising campaign and to adjust our marketing efforts and spend among the different marketing channels, in each case as we think appropriate based on the relative growth opportunity, the expected returns and the competitive environment in the different segments and businesses in which we operate.

Such efforts may not maintain or enhance consumer awareness of our brands and, even if we are successful in our branding efforts, such efforts may not be cost-effective or as efficient as they have been historically. If we are unable to maintain or enhance consumer awareness of our brands or to generate demand in a cost-effective manner, it would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial performance. In addition, there are no assurances that these actions will have a positive impact on our marketing efficiencies or operating margins or when the financial benefit expected to result from these efforts will exceed the costs of

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such efforts.  Furthermore, some of our current and potential competitors have access to significantly greater and more diverse resources than we do, and they may also be able to leverage other aspects of their businesses to enable them to compete more effectively with us.

 

Consumer adoption and use of mobile devices creates new challenges.  If we are unable to operate effectively on these platforms or our products for such devices are not compelling, our business may be adversely affected.  

 

Widespread adoption of mobile devices, such as the iPhone, Android-enabled smartphones and tablets such as the iPad, coupled with web browsing functionality and development of thousands of useful apps available on these devices, is driving substantial online traffic and commerce to mobile platforms.  We have seen a significant shift of business to mobile platforms and our advertising partners are also seeing a rapid shift of traffic to mobile platforms.  We anticipate that the rate of use of these devices will continue to grow. The functionality and user experience associated with these alternative devices, such as a smaller screen size or lack of a screen, may make the use of our platform through such devices more difficult.  For example, mobile phone devices monetize at a significantly lower rate than desktops and advertising opportunities are more limited on these mobile devices.  Additionally, consumer purchasing patterns differ on alternative devices.  For example, accommodation reservations made on a mobile device typically are for shorter lengths of stay and are not made as far in advance.  Mobile consumers may also be unwilling to download multiple apps from multiple companies providing similar services or contribute high quality content through such devices.  As a result, the consumer experience with mobile apps and brand recognition are likely to become increasingly important.  We expect that the ways in which consumers engage with our platform will continue to change over time as consumers increasingly engage via alternative devices. 

 

As a result, it is increasingly important for us to develop and maintain effective platforms to drive adoption and user engagement by providing consumers with an appealing, easy-to-use experience. As new devices and platforms are continually being released, it is difficult to predict the problems we may encounter in adapting our products and services to them – and developing competitive new products and services - and we may need to devote significant resources to the creation, support and maintenance of such products. If we are unable to continue to rapidly innovate and create new, user-friendly and differentiated offerings and efficiently and effectively advertise and distribute on these platforms, or if our offerings are not used by consumers, we could lose market share and our business, future growth and results of operations could be adversely affected.  

 

Our success will also depend on the interoperability of our products with a range of technologies, systems, networks and standards or in creating, maintaining and developing relationships with key participants in related industries, some of which may be our competitors.  For example, Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhone are the leading smartphones in the world. Therefore, our products need to synergistically function on their respective operating systems in order to create a positive user experience on a mobile device. However, Google could leverage its Android operating system to give its travel services a competitive advantage, either technically or with prominence on its Google Play app store or within its mobile search results. Similarly, Apple obtained a patent for “iTravel,” a mobile app that would allow a traveler to check in for a travel reservation. In addition, Apple’s iPhone operating system includes “Wallet,” a virtual wallet app that holds tickets, boarding passes, coupons and gift cards, and, along with iTravel, may be indicative of Apple’s intent to enter the travel reservations business in some capacity. Apple has substantial market share in the smartphone category and controls integration of offerings, including travel services, into its mobile operating system. Apple also has more experience producing and developing mobile apps and has access to greater resources than we do. Apple may use or expand iTravel, Wallet, Siri (Apple’s voice recognition “concierge” service), Apple Pay (Apple’s mobile payment system) or another mobile app or functionality as a means of entering the travel reservations marketplace. To the extent Google or Apple use their mobile operating systems, app distribution channels or, in the case of Google, search services, to favor their own travel service offerings, there may be an adverse effect on our ability to complete in the mobile space. We may not be successful in developing products that operate effectively with these technologies, systems, networks and standards or in creating, maintaining and developing relationships with key participants in related industries.  If we experience difficulties or increased costs in integrating our products into alternative devices, or if manufacturers elect not to include our products in their devices, make changes that degrade the functionality of our products, give preferential treatment to competitive products or prevent us from delivering advertising, our user growth and operating results may be harmed.  This risk may be exacerbated by the frequency with which consumers change or upgrade their devices.  In the event consumers choose devices that do not already include or support our platform or do not install our products when they change or upgrade their devices, our traffic and user engagement may be harmed.

 

In addition, the market for advertising products on mobile and other devices is rapidly evolving. As new devices and platforms are released, consumers may begin consuming content in a manner that is more difficult to monetize. Similarly, as advertising products for mobile and other platforms develop, demand may increase for products that we do not offer or that may alienate our user base, which we must balance against our commitment to prioritizing the quality of user experience over short-term monetization. If we are not able to balance these competing considerations successfully to develop compelling advertising products, advertisers may stop or reduce their advertising with us and we may not be able to generate meaningful revenue from alternative devices despite the expected growth in their usage.

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Declines or disruptions in the economy in general and travel industry in particular could adversely affect our businesses and financial performance.

Our businesses and financial performance are affected by the health of the global economy generally as well as the travel industry and leisure travel in particular. Sales of travel services tend to decline or grow more slowly during economic downturns and recessions when consumers engage in less discretionary spending, are concerned about unemployment or economic weakness, have reduced access to credit or experience other concerns that reduce their ability or willingness to travel. The global economy may be adversely impacted by unforeseen events beyond our control including incidents of actual or threatened terrorism, regional hostilities or instability, unusual weather patterns, natural disasters, political instability and health concerns (including epidemics or pandemics), defaults on government debt, significant increases in fuel and energy costs, tax increases and other matters that could reduce discretionary spending, tightening of credit markets and declines in consumer confidence. Decreased travel spending could reduce the demand for our services and have a negative impact on our business and financial performance. In addition, the uncertainty of macro-economic factors and their impact on consumer behavior, which may differ across regions, makes it more difficult to forecast industry and consumer trends and the timing and degree of their impact on our markets and business, which in turn could adversely affect our ability to effectively manage our business and our results of operations.

For example, since the United Kingdom’s referendum to exit the European Union, known as Brexit, global markets and foreign exchange rates have experienced increased volatility, including a decline in the value of the British pound as compared to the U.S. Dollar. We have significant operations in both the United Kingdom and the European Union. Our operations and that of our merchants are highly integrated across the United Kingdom and the European Union, and we are highly dependent on the free flow of labor and goods in those regions. There remains significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, including the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a negotiated and bilaterally approved withdrawal plan. The ongoing uncertainty and potential re-imposition of border controls and customs duties on trade between the United Kingdom and European Union nations could negatively impact our merchant and customer relationships and financial performance. In addition, uncertainty regarding the terms and timeline for Brexit could continue to adversely affect consumer confidence and spending in the United Kingdom. We could face new regulatory costs and challenges if the U.K. regulations diverge from those of the European Union. The ultimate effects of Brexit on us will depend on the timing and specific terms of any agreement the United Kingdom and the European Union reach to provide access to each other’s respective markets.  Since the terms of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union are uncertain, we are unable to predict the effect Brexit will have on our business and results of operations.  

We operate in an increasingly competitive global environment and our failure to compete effectively could reduce our market share and harm our financial performance.

We compete in rapidly evolving and competitive markets. We face competition for content, consumers, advertisers, online travel search and price comparison services, or what is known in the industry as metasearch, and online reservations. We compete globally with both online and offline, established and emerging, providers of travel, lodging, experiences and restaurant reservation and related services. The markets for the services we offer are intensely competitive, and current and new competitors can launch new services at a relatively low cost.

We also compete with different types of companies in the various markets and geographies where we operate, including large and small companies in the travel space as well as broader service providers. More specifically:

There has been a proliferation of new channels through which providers can offer accommodations, experiences and restaurant reservations.  Metasearch services may lower the cost for new companies to enter the market by providing a distribution channel without the cost of promoting the new entrant’s brand to drive consumers directly to its website. Some of our competitors and

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potential competitors offer a variety of online services, many of which are used by competitors more frequently than online travel services.  In addition, in some cases, our competitors are willing to make little or no profit on a transaction, or offer travel services at a loss, in order gain market share. Many of our competitors (such as Google, Booking and Ctrip) have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than us and have more expertise in developing online commerce and facilitating internet traffic as well as large client bases. They also have the ability to leverage other aspects of their business to enable them to compete more effectively against us. For example, Google has entered various aspects of the online travel market, including by establishing a flight metasearch product ("Google Flights") and a hotel metasearch product ("Google Hotel Ads") that are growing rapidly, as well as its "Book on Google" reservation functionality and its Google Trips app.

In addition, Google and other large, established companies with substantial resources and expertise in developing online commerce and facilitating internet traffic have launched travel or travel-related search, metasearch and/or reservation booking services and may create additional inroads into online travel. Google's travel metasearch services, Google Hotel Ads and Google Flights, are growing rapidly and have achieved significant market share in a relatively short time.  In addition, many of our competitors, including online search companies, continue to expand their voice and artificial intelligence capabilities, which may provide them with a competitive advantage in travel. We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully against our current, emerging and future competitors or on platforms that may emerge, or provide differentiated products and services to our traveler base.  

We compete with certain companies that we also do business with, including some of our click-based advertising travel partners. The consolidation of our competitors and travel partners, including Expedia (through its acquisitions of Orbitz, Travelocity, and HomeAway) and Booking (through its acquisitions of KAYAK and OpenTable), may affect our relative competitiveness and our travel partner relationships. Competition and consolidation could result in higher traffic acquisition costs, reduced margins on our advertising services, loss of market share, reduced customer traffic to our websites and reduced advertising by travel companies on our websites.

As the industry shifts towards online travel services and the technology supporting it continues to evolve, including platforms such as mobile phone and tablet computing devices, competition is likely to intensify. Competition in our industry may result in pricing pressure, loss of market share or decreased user engagement, any of which could adversely affect our business and financial performance.

We rely on information technology to operate our business and remain competitive, and any failure to adapt to technological developments or industry trends could harm our businesses.

We depend on the use of sophisticated information technologies and systems for website and mobile apps, supplier connectivity, communications, reservations, payment processing, procurement, customer service and fraud prevention. Our future success depends on our ability to continuously improve and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to meet rapidly evolving consumer trends and demands while at the same time maintaining the reliability and integrity of our systems and infrastructure. We may not be able to maintain or replace our existing systems or introduce new technologies and systems as quickly as we would like or in a cost-effective manner. We may not be successful, or as successful as our competitors, in developing technologies and systems that operate effectively across multiple devices and platforms in a way that is appealing to our consumers.

In addition, the emergence of alternative devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, and the emergence of niche competitors who may be able to optimize products, services or strategies for such platforms, will require new investment in technology. New developments in other areas could also make it easier for competitors to enter our markets due to lower up-front technology costs. Technology changes, including new devices, services and home assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa Voice and Google Home, and developing technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, could negatively impact our business.

If we do not continue to innovate and provide products, services and features that are useful to users, we may not remain competitive, and our business and financial performance could suffer.

Our success depends in part on continued innovation to provide products, features and services that make our platform compelling to users and engage our consumers. Our competitors are continually developing innovations in online travel-related services and features. As a result, we are continually working to improve our business model and consumer experience in order to engage our consumers and drive user traffic and conversion rates. We have invested, and expect to continue to invest, significant resources in developing and marketing these innovations. We can give no assurances that the changes we make will yield the benefits we expect and will not have unintended or adverse impacts that we did not anticipate. If we are unable to continue offering innovative products and services and quality features that users want to use, existing consumers may become dissatisfied and use competitors’ offerings and we may be unable to attract additional consumers, which could adversely affect our business and financial performance.

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Our dedication to making the user experience our highest priority may cause us to prioritize rapid innovation and user experience over short-term financial results.

We strive to create the best experience for our users, providing them with the information, products and tools to enable them to plan, book, and experience the perfect trip. We believe that in doing so we will increase our rates of conversion, our revenue per hotel shopper and, ultimately, our financial performance over the long-term. We have taken actions in the past and may continue to make decisions in the future that have the effect of reducing our short-term revenue or profitability if we believe that the decisions benefit the overall user experience. For example, we may introduce new products or changes to existing products or the user experience that decrease rates of conversion but increases revenue per hotel shopper.  In addition, our approach of putting users first may negatively impact our relationship with existing or prospective partners. These actions and practices could result in a loss of partners, which in turn could harm our results of operations. The short-term reductions in revenue or profitability could be more severe than we anticipate or these decisions may not produce the long-term benefits that we expect, in which case our user growth and engagement, our relationships with consumers and travel partners, and our business and results of operations could be harmed. In addition, if new or enhanced products fail to engage users or if we are unsuccessful in our effort to monetize these initiatives, we may fail to generate sufficient revenue, profit margin or other value to justify our investments, in which case our business and results of operations would be adversely affected.  

We are dependent upon the quality of traffic in our network to provide value to our partners, and any failure in our ability to deliver quality traffic and/or the metrics to demonstrate the value of the traffic could have a material adverse effect on the value of our websites to our partners and adversely affect our revenue.

We use technology and processes to monitor the quality of the internet traffic that we deliver to our partners and have identified metrics to demonstrate the quality of that traffic. These metrics are used to not only identify the value of advertising on our website but also to identify low quality clicks such as non-human processes, including robots, spiders or other software; the mechanical automation of clicking; and other types of invalid clicks or click fraud. Even with such monitoring in place, there is a risk that a certain amount of low-quality traffic, or traffic that online advertisers deem to be invalid, will be delivered to such online advertisers. As a result, we may be required to credit amounts owed to us by our partners. Furthermore, low-quality or invalid traffic may be detrimental to our relationships with partners, and could adversely affect our advertising pricing and revenue.

We rely on assumptions and estimates and data to calculate certain of our key metrics, and real or perceived inaccuracies in such metrics may harm our reputation and negatively affect our business.

We believe that certain metrics are key to our business. As both the industry in which we operate and our businesses continue to evolve, so too might the metrics by which we evaluate our businesses and the company. In addition, while the calculation of the metrics we use is based on what we believe to be reasonable estimates, our internal tools are not independently verified by a third party and have a number of limitations and, furthermore, our methodologies for tracking these metrics may change over time. For example, a single person may have multiple accounts or browse the internet on multiple browsers or devices, some consumers may restrict our ability to accurately identify them across visits, some mobile apps automatically contact our servers for regular updates with no user action, and we are not always able to capture user information on all of our platforms. As such, the calculations of our unique visitors may not accurately reflect the number of people actually visiting our platforms. We continue to improve upon our tools and methodologies to capture data and believe that our current metrics are accurate; however, the improvement of our tools and methodologies could cause inconsistency between current data and previously reported data, which could confuse investors or lead to questions about the integrity of our data. Also if the internal tools we use to track these metrics under-count or over-count performance or contain algorithm or other technical errors, the data we report may not be accurate.  Finally, we may, in the future, identify new or other metrics that enable us to more accurately evaluate our business.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on these metrics.

We rely on the performance of highly skilled personnel and, if we are unable to retain or motivate key personnel or hire, retain and motivate qualified personnel, our business would be harmed.  

Our future success is largely dependent on the talents and efforts of highly skilled individuals.  In particular, the contributions of Stephen Kaufer, our co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President, the contributions of key senior management and the contributions of software engineers and other technology professionals, are critical to our overall management and the success of our business.  We cannot ensure that we will be able to retain the services of our existing key personnel and the loss of one or more of our key personnel could seriously harm our business. We do not maintain any key person life insurance policies.

In addition, competition remains intense for well-qualified employees in certain aspects of our business, including software engineers, developers, product management and development personnel, and other technology professionals. Our continued ability to

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compete effectively depends on our ability to attract new employees and to retain and motivate existing employees. As a global company, we aim to attract quality employees from all over the world, so any restrictions on travel for professional or personal purposes may cause significant disruption to our businesses or negatively affect our ability to attract and retain employees on a global basis. If we do not succeed in attracting well-qualified employees or retaining or motivating existing employees, our business would be adversely affected.

Acquisitions, investments, significant commercial arrangements and/or new business strategies could disrupt our ongoing business and present new challenges and risks.

Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to expand our product offerings in order to grow our business in response to changing technologies, user and travel partner demands and competitive pressures. As a result, we have acquired, invested in and/or entered into significant commercial arrangements with a number of new businesses in the past and our future growth may depend, in part, on future acquisitions, investments, commercial arrangements and/or changes in business strategies. Such endeavors may involve significant risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the following:

We have invested, and may in the future invest, in privately-held companies and these investments are currently accounted for using the measurement alternative for equity investments without a readily determinable fair value, which measure these investments at cost while subtracting any impairments, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Such investments are inherently risky in that such companies are typically at an early stage of development, may have no or limited revenues, may not be or may never become profitable, may not be able to secure additional funding or their technologies, services or products may not be successfully developed or introduced into the market. Further, our ability to liquidate any such investments is typically dependent upon some liquidity event, such as a public offering or acquisition, since no public market exists for such securities. Valuations of such privately-held companies are inherently complex and uncertain due to the lack of liquid market for the company’s securities. Moreover, we could lose the full amount of any of our investments and any impairment of our investments could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

We cannot assure you that these investments will be successful or that such endeavors will result in the realization of the full benefits of synergies, cost savings, innovation and operational efficiencies that may be possible or that we will achieve these benefits within a reasonable period of time.  

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If we fail to manage our growth effectively, our brand, results of operations and business could be harmed.

Over the years, we have experienced rapid growth in some areas of our business, including through acquisitions of other businesses and in new international markets. We continue to make substantial investments in our technology, product and sales and marketing organizations. This growth places substantial demands on management and our operational infrastructure. In addition, as our business matures, we make periodic changes and adjustments to our organization in response to various internal and external considerations, including market opportunities, the competitive landscape, new and enhanced products and acquisitions. These changes may result in a temporary lack of focus or productivity or otherwise impact our business.

To manage our growth, we may need to improve our operational, financial and management systems and processes which may require significant capital expenditures and allocation of valuable management and employee resources. As we continue to grow, we must effectively integrate, develop and motivate a large number of new employees, including employees in international markets, while maintaining the beneficial aspects of our company culture. If we do not manage the growth of our business and operations effectively, the quality of our platform and efficiency of our operations could suffer, which could harm our brand, results of operations and business.

Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Matters

We are a global company that operates in many different jurisdictions and these operations expose us to additional risks, which risks increase as our business continues to expand.

We operate in a number of jurisdictions both inside and outside of the United States and continue to expand our operations both domestically and internationally. Many regions have different economic conditions, languages, currencies, consumer expectations, legislation, regulatory environments (including labor laws and customs), tax laws, levels of consumer acceptance and use of the internet for commerce and levels of political stability. We are subject to associated risks typical of global businesses, including, but not limited to, the following:

•     Compliance with additional laws and regulations (including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR)), data privacy requirements, labor and employment law, laws regarding advertisements and promotions and anti-competition regulations;

•     Diminished ability to legally enforce contractual rights;

•     Increased risk and limits on enforceability of intellectual property rights;

•     Restrictions on repatriation of cash as well as restrictions on investments in operations in certain countries;

•     Financial risk arising from transactions in multiple currencies as well as foreign currency exchange restrictions;

•     Difficulties in managing staff and operations due to distance, time zones, language and cultural differences;

•     Uncertainty regarding liability for services, content and intellectual property rights, including uncertainty as a result of local laws and lack of precedent;

•     Economic or political instability or laws and regulations involving economic or trade prohibitions or sanctions; and

•     Threatened or actual acts of terrorism.

Our strategy includes continued expansion in existing international and new international markets. Many of these markets have different economic conditions, customers, languages, currencies, consumer expectations, levels of consumer acceptance and use of the internet for commerce, legislation, regulatory environments, tax laws and levels of political stability, and we are subject to associated risks typical of international businesses.  International markets have strong local competitors with established brands and travel service providers or relationships that may make expansion in certain markets difficult and costly and take more time than anticipated. In addition, compliance with legal, regulatory or tax requirements in multiple jurisdictions places demands on our time and resources, and we may nonetheless experience unforeseen and potentially adverse legal, regulatory or tax consequences. In some markets, such as China, legal and other regulatory requirements may prohibit or limit participation by foreign businesses, such as by making foreign ownership or management of internet or travel-related businesses illegal or difficult or may make direct participation in those markets uneconomic, which could make our entry or expansion in those markets difficult or impossible, require that we work with a local partner or result in higher operating costs.  If we are unsuccessful in expanding in new and existing markets and effectively managing that expansion, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. A number of countries are actively pursuing changes to their tax laws applicable to corporate multinationals, such as the recently enacted U.S. tax legislation, the 2017 Tax Act. Foreign governments may enact tax laws that could result in further changes to global taxation and materially affect our financial position and results of operations.

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The 2017 Tax Act resulted in significant changes to the U.S. corporate income tax system. The 2017 Tax Act requires complex computations to be performed that were not previously required in U.S. tax law, significant judgments to be made in interpretation of the provisions of the 2017 Tax Act and significant estimates in calculations, and the preparation and analysis of information not previously relevant or regularly produced. The U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS and other standard-setting bodies could interpret or issue guidance on how provisions of the 2017 Tax Act will be applied or otherwise administered that is different from our interpretation.

Additionally, we continue to accumulate positive cash flows in foreign jurisdictions, which we consider indefinitely reinvested, although we will continue to evaluate the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our capital deployment within and outside the U.S. The repatriation of such funds for use in the United States, including for corporate purposes such as acquisitions, stock repurchases, or debt refinancing, may result in additional U.S. income tax expense and higher cost for such capital.

We are regularly subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations, and other proceedings that may result in adverse outcomes.

We are regularly subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other proceedings involving, among other matters, patent and intellectual property rights (including alleged infringement of third-party intellectual property rights), tax matters (including value-added, excise, transient, occupancy and accommodation taxes), regulatory compliance (including competition and consumer protection matters), defamation and free speech, labor and employment matters and commercial disputes.

Such claims, lawsuits, government investigations and proceedings are inherently uncertain and their results cannot be predicted with certainty. Regardless of the outcome, any of these types of legal proceedings could have an adverse impact on us because of legal costs, diversion of management resources, injunctions or damage awards and other factors. Determining reserves for our pending litigation or other legal proceedings is a complex, fact-intensive process that requires significant judgment. It is possible that a resolution of one or more such proceedings could result in substantial damages, fines or penalties that could adversely affect our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows in a particular period. These proceedings could also result in reputational harm, criminal sanctions, consent decrees, or orders preventing us from offering certain features, functionalities, products, or services, requiring a change in our business practices or other field action, or requiring development of non-infringing or otherwise altered products or technologies. Any of these consequences could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

A failure to comply with current laws, rules and regulations or changes to such laws, rules and regulations and other legal uncertainties may adversely affect our business or financial performance.

Our business and financial performance could be adversely affected by unfavorable changes in or interpretations of existing laws, rules and regulations or the promulgation of new laws, rules and regulations applicable to us and our business, including those relating to internet and online commerce, internet advertising, consumer protection, data security and privacy, travel and rental licensing and listing requirements and tax. In some cases, these laws continue to evolve.  

For example, there is, and will likely continue to be, an increasing number of laws and regulations pertaining to internet and online commerce that may relate to liability for information retrieved from or transmitted over the internet, online editorial and user-generated content, user privacy, data security, behavioral targeting and online advertising, taxation, liability for third-party activities and the quality of products and services. In addition, enforcement authorities continue to rely on their authority under existing consumer protection laws to take action against companies relating to data privacy and security practices. The growth and development of online commerce may prompt calls for more stringent consumer protection laws and more aggressive enforcement efforts, which may impose additional burdens on online businesses generally.  

Further, Rentals has been and continues to be subject to regulatory developments globally that affect the rental industry and the ability of companies like us to list those rentals online. For example, some states and local jurisdictions, both domestically and internationally, have adopted, or are considering adopting, statutes or ordinances that prohibit property owners and managers from renting certain properties on a short-term basis or otherwise limit their ability to do so, and other states and local jurisdictions may introduce similar regulations.  Some states and local jurisdictions also have fair housing or other laws governing whether and how properties may be rented, which they assert apply to vacation rentals. In addition, many homeowners, condominium and neighborhood associations have adopted or are considering adopting rules that prohibit or restrict property owners and managers from short-term rentals.   Many of the fundamental statutes and ordinances that impose taxes or other obligations on travel and lodging companies were established before the growth of the internet and e-commerce, which creates a risk of these laws being used in ways not originally intended that could burden property owners and managers or otherwise harm our business. Operating in this dynamic regulatory environment requires significant management attention and financial resources.  We cannot assure that our efforts will be successful, and the investment and additional resources required to manage growth will produce the desired levels of revenue or profitability.  

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We also have been subject, and we will likely be subject in the future, to inquiries from time to time from regulatory bodies concerning compliance with consumer protection, competition, tax and travel industry-specific laws and regulations. The failure of our businesses to comply with these laws and regulations could result in fines and/or proceedings against us by governmental agencies and/or consumers, which if material, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, if such laws and regulations are not enforced equally against other competitors in a particular market, our compliance with such laws may put us at a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis competitors who do not comply with such requirements.

The promulgation of new laws, rules and regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws, rules and regulations, in each case that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or manner in which we provide services could require us to change certain aspects of our business, operations and commercial relationships to ensure compliance, which could decrease demand for services, reduce revenues, increase costs and/or subject the company to additional liabilities. For example, in 2018, the European Union adopted GDPR implementing enhanced data protection requirements and other jurisdictions are contemplating and may in the future adopt similar legislation.  This legislation could increase the cost and complexity of delivering our services. Unfavorable changes could decrease demand for products and services, limit marketing methods and capabilities, impede development of new products, result in negative publicity, require significant management time, increase costs and/or subject us to additional liabilities. Violations of these laws and regulations could result in penalties and/or criminal sanctions against us, our officers or our employees and/or restrictions on the conduct of parts of our business in certain jurisdictions.    

Likewise, the SEC, Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Office of Foreign Assets Controls (“OFAC”), as well as foreign regulatory authorities, have continued to increase the enforcement of economic sanctions and trade regulations, anti-money laundering, and anti-corruption laws, across industries. U.S. economic sanctions relate to transactions with designated foreign countries, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and nationals and others of those countries, Ukraine/Russia related sanctions, as well as certain specifically targeted individuals and entities. We believe that our activities comply with OFAC, European Union, United Kingdom and other regulatory authorities’ economic sanction and trade regulations, as well as anti-money laundering and anti-corruption regulations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act and the UK Criminal Finances Act. As regulations continue to evolve and regulatory oversight continues to increase, we cannot guarantee that our programs and policies will be deemed compliant by all applicable regulatory authorities. In the event our controls should fail or are found to be out of compliance for other reasons, we could be subject to monetary damages, civil and criminal money penalties, litigation and damage to our reputation and the value of our brands.

We cannot be sure that our intellectual property is protected from copying or use by others, including potential competitors.

Our websites rely on content, brands and technology, much of which is proprietary. We protect our proprietary content, brands and technology by relying on a combination of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, patents and confidentiality agreements. Any misappropriation or violation of our rights could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even with these precautions, it may be possible for another party to copy or otherwise obtain and use our proprietary technology, content or brands without authorization or to develop similar technology, content or brands independently.

Effective intellectual property protection is expensive to develop and maintain, both in terms of initial and ongoing registration requirements and expenses and the costs of defending our rights. In addition, effective intellectual property protection may not be available in every jurisdiction in which our services are made available, and policing unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and expensive. Therefore, in certain jurisdictions, we may be unable to protect our intellectual property adequately against unauthorized third-party copying or use, which could adversely affect our business or ability to compete. We cannot be sure that the steps we have taken will prevent misappropriation or infringement of our intellectual property. Furthermore, we may need to go to court or other tribunals or administrative bodies in order to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. These proceedings might result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Our failure to protect our intellectual property in a cost-effective or effective manner could have a material adverse effect on our business and ability to protect our technology, content and brands.

We currently license from third parties and incorporate the technologies and content into our websites. As we continue to introduce new services that incorporate new technologies and content, we may be required to license additional technology, or content. We cannot be sure that such technology or content will be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all.

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Risks Related to Data and Privacy

Our processing, storage and use of personal information and other data subjects us to additional laws and regulations and failure to comply with those laws and regulations could give rise to liabilities.

We collect, process, store and transmit data, including personal information, for our consumers. As a result, we are subject to a variety of laws in the United States and abroad regarding privacy and the storing, sharing, use, processing, disclosure and protection of personal information and other consumer data, the scope of which are changing, subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent between countries or conflict with other rules. In addition, the security of data when engaging in electronic commerce is essential to maintaining consumer and travel service provider confidences in our services. The regulatory framework for privacy issues worldwide is currently in flux and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. Practices regarding the collection, use, storage, transmission and security of personal information by companies operating over the internet have recently come under increased public scrutiny. The U.S. Congress and federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce, are reviewing the need for greater regulation for the collection and use of information concerning consumer behavior on the internet. Various U.S. courts are also considering the applicability of existing federal and state statutes, including computer trespass and wiretapping laws, to the collection and exchange of information online.

In addition, we are subject to GDPR, a new data protection legal framework adopted by the European Union that is intended to enhance the privacy and security of personal data, including credit card information. There are a number of proposals for data privacy laws pending or proposed in other jurisdictions, including at both the state and federal level of the United States (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act). Implementing and complying with these laws and regulations may be more costly or take longer than we anticipate, or could otherwise affect our business operations. We strive to comply with all applicable laws, policies, legal obligations and industry codes of conduct relating to privacy and data protection. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with our privacy policies, privacy-related obligations to consumers or other third parties, or privacy-related legal obligations, may result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation or public statements that could harm our reputation and cause our users and travel partners to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our business, brand, market share and results of operations. For example, GDPR imposes a strict data protection compliance regime with severe penalties of up to the greater of 4% of worldwide annual turnover and/or €20 million.

We are subject to risks associated with processing credit card and other payment transactions and failure to manage those risks may subject us to fines, penalties and additional costs and could have a negative impact on our business. 

We accept payments from consumers and travel partners using a variety of methods, including credit card, debit card, direct debit from a customer’s bank account, and invoicing. For existing and future payment options we offer to our customers, we may become subject to additional regulations and compliance requirements (including obligations to implement enhanced authentication processes). These regulations and/or requirements could result in significant costs and reduce the ease of use of our payment products and yet may still be susceptible to fraudulent activity. In addition, we may be held liable for accepting fraudulent credit cards on our websites as well as other payment disputes with our customers.  For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We rely on third parties to provide certain payment methods and payment processing services, including the processing of credit cards and debit cards. In each case, our business could be disrupted if these companies become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules, including data security rules, certification requirements, and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements or if our data security systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for card issuing banks’ costs, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, and/or lose our ability to accept credit and debit card payments, process electronic funds transfers, or facilitate other types of online payments. We are also subject to a number of other laws and regulations relating to payments, money laundering, international money transfers, privacy and information security, and electronic fund transfers. If we were found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations, we could be subject to additional requirements and civil and criminal penalties, or forced to cease providing certain services.

System security issues, data protection breaches, cyberattacks and system outage issues could disrupt our operations or services provided to our consumers, and any such disruption could damage our reputation and adversely affect our business, financial results and stock price.

Our reputation and ability to attract, retain and service our consumers and travel partners is dependent upon the reliable performance and security of our computer systems and those of third parties we utilize in our operations.  Significant security issues, data breaches, cyberattacks and outages, interruptions or delays, in our systems or third party systems upon which we rely, could impair our ability to display content or process transactions and significantly harm our business. Breaches of our security measures or

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the accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure or unapproved dissemination of proprietary information or sensitive or confidential data about us, our consumers or our travel partners, could expose us, our consumers and travel partners to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, damage our brand and reputation or otherwise harm our business and financial performance and result in government enforcement actions and litigation and potential liability for us.

Computer programmers and hackers also may be able to develop and deploy viruses, worms, ransomware and other malicious software programs that attack our products or otherwise exploit any security vulnerabilities of our products, or attempt to fraudulently induce our employees, consumers, or others to disclose passwords or other sensitive information or unwittingly provide access to our systems or data. In addition, sophisticated hardware and operating system software and applications that we produce or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture, including “bugs” and other problems that could unexpectedly interfere with the operation of the system. We may need to expend significant resources to protect against security breaches or to investigate and address problems caused by cyber or other security problems.  

We may be unable to proactively address these techniques or to implement adequate preventive measures and our efforts to address these problems may not be successful and could result in interruptions, delays, cessation of service and loss of existing or potential customers that may impede our sales, manufacturing, distribution or other critical functions. Failure to adequately protect against attacks or intrusions, whether for our own systems or systems of vendors, could expose us to security breaches that could have an adverse impact on our financial performance.  The costs of enhancing infrastructure to attain improved stability and redundancy may be time consuming and expensive and may require resources and expertise that are difficult to obtain. In addition, to the extent that we do experience a data breach, remediation may be costly and we may not have adequate insurance to cover such costs.

Much of our business is conducted with third party marketing affiliates or, to a lesser degree, through business partners powering our instant booking feature. A security breach at such third party could be perceived by consumers as a security breach of our systems and could result in negative publicity or damage our reputation, expose us to risk of loss or litigation and possible liability and subject us to regulatory penalties and sanctions. In addition, such incidents may also result in a decline in our active user base or engagement levels.  Finally, failure of such third parties to comply with applicable disclosure requirements could expose us to liability.

We have acquired a number of companies over the years and may continue to do so in the future. As a result of these acquisitions, we may increase the volume of personal data that we collect, store, process and transmit. While we make significant efforts to address any information technology security issues and personal data protection issues with respect to our acquisitions, we may still inherit such risks when we integrate the acquired businesses.

Media coverage of data breaches has escalated, in part because of the increased number of enforcement actions, investigations and lawsuits. Security breaches could result in negative publicity, damage to reputation, exposure to risk of loss or litigation and possible liability due to regulatory penalties and sanctions. As this focus and attention on privacy and data protection increases, we also risk exposure to potential liabilities and costs resulting from the compliance with, or any failure to comply with, applicable legal requirements, conflicts among these legal requirements or differences in approaches to privacy and security. Security breaches could also cause travelers and potential consumers to lose confidence in our data security, which would have a negative effect on the value of our brand.

"Cookie" laws could negatively impact the way we do business.

 

A "cookie" is a text file that is stored on a user's web browser by a website. Cookies are common tools used by thousands of websites, including ours, to, among other things, store or gather information (e.g., remember log-on details so a user does not have to re-enter them when revisiting a website), market to consumers and enhance the user experience on a website. Cookies are valuable tools for websites like ours to improve the customer experience and increase conversion on their websites. Many countries have adopted regulations governing the use of "cookies" by websites servicing consumers, especially in the European Union. To the extent any such regulations require "opt-in" consent before certain cookies can be placed on a user's web browser, our ability to serve certain customers in the manner we currently do, including with respect to retargeting of advertising, might be adversely affected and our ability to continue to improve and optimize performance on our websites might be impaired, either of which could negatively affect a consumer's experience using our services and our business, market share and results of operations.

 

Risks Related to the Financial and Tax Matters

We may have future capital needs and may not be able to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms.

We are currently party to a credit agreement with respect to a $1.2 billion revolving credit facility maturing in May 2022 (the “2015 Credit Facility”, as more fully discussed in Note 9: “Debt” in the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in Item 1 in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q). This agreement includes restrictive covenants that may impact the way

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we manage our business and may limit our ability to secure significant additional financing in the future on favorable terms. Our ability to secure additional financing and satisfy our financial obligations outstanding from time to time will depend upon our future operating performance, which is subject to then prevailing general economic and credit market conditions, including interest rate levels and the availability of credit generally, and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. There can be no assurance that sufficient financing will be available or desirable, or even any, terms to fund investments, acquisitions, stock repurchases, dividends, debt refinancing or extraordinary actions or that counterparties in any such financings would honor their contractual commitments.

We have indebtedness which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

At March 31, 2019, we had no outstanding long-term debt; however, we continue to have existing credit facilities from which we can borrow significant amounts. As such, we are still subject to risks relating to our indebtedness that include:

In addition, it is possible that we may need to incur additional indebtedness in the future in the ordinary course of business. The terms of our 2015 Credit Facility allow us to incur additional debt subject to certain limitations; however, there is no assurance that additional financing will be available to us on terms favorable to us, if at all. In addition, if new debt is added to the then existing debt levels, the risks described above could intensify.

Our 2015 Credit Facility provides for various provisions that limit our discretion in the operation of our business and require us to meet financial maintenance tests and other covenants and the failure to comply with these covenants could have a material adverse effect on us.

We are party to a credit agreement providing for our 2015 Credit Facility. The agreements that govern the 2015 Credit Facility contain various covenants, including those that limit our ability to, among other things:

These covenants may limit our ability to optimally operate our business. In addition, our 2015 Credit Facility requires that we meet certain financial tests, including a leverage ratio test. Any failure to comply with the restrictions of our credit facility may result in an event of default under the agreements governing such facility. Such default may allow the creditors to accelerate the debt incurred thereunder. In addition, lenders may be able to terminate any commitments they had made to supply us with further funds (including periodic rollovers of existing borrowings).

Our financial results will fluctuate from quarter to quarter and are difficult to predict.

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Our quarterly financial results have fluctuated in the past and will likely fluctuate in the future.  Additionally, we have limited operating history with the current scale of our business, which means it is difficult to forecast our financial results. As a result, you should not rely upon our quarterly financial results as indicators of future performance. Our financial results in any given quarter can be influenced by numerous factors, many of which we are unable to predict or are outside of our control, including:

If we are unable to successfully maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in our reported financial information and our stock price and business may be adversely impacted.

As a public company, we are required to maintain internal control over financial reporting and our management is required to evaluate the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of each fiscal year. Additionally, we are required to disclose in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K our management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and a registered public accounting firm’s attestation report on this assessment. If we are not successful in maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, there could be inaccuracies or omissions in the consolidated financial information we are required to file with the SEC. Additionally, even if there are no inaccuracies or omissions, we could be required to publicly disclose the conclusion of our management that our internal control over financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures are not effective. These events could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, adversely impact our stock price, result in increased costs to remediate any deficiencies, attract regulatory scrutiny or lawsuits that could be costly to resolve and distract management’s attention, limit our ability to access the capital markets or cause our stock to be delisted from NASDAQ or any other securities exchange on which we are then listed.

Our effective income tax rate is impacted by a number of factors that could have a material impact on our financial results and could increase the volatility of those results.

Due to the global nature of our business, we are subject to income taxes in the United States and other foreign jurisdictions. In the event we incur net income in certain jurisdictions but incur losses in other jurisdictions, we generally cannot offset the income from one jurisdiction with the loss from another. This lack of flexibility increases our effective income tax rate. Furthermore, significant judgment is required to calculate our worldwide provision for income taxes and depends on our ability to operate our business in a manner consistent with our corporate structure and intercompany arrangements. In the ordinary course of our business there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain.

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We believe our tax estimates are reasonable. However, we are routinely under audit by federal, state and foreign taxing authorities. The taxing authorities of jurisdictions in which we operate may challenge our methodologies for valuing developed technology or intercompany arrangements, including our transfer pricing, or determine that the manner in which we operate our business does not achieve the intended tax consequences, which would increase our effective income tax rate and harm our financial position and results of operations. As we operate in numerous taxing jurisdictions, the application of tax laws can also be subject to diverging and sometimes conflicting interpretations by taxing authorities of these jurisdictions. It is not uncommon for taxing authorities of different countries to have conflicting views, for instance, with respect to, among other things, the manner in which the arm’s length standard is applied for transfer pricing purposes, or with respect to the valuation of intellectual property. For example, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the “OECD”) has recently recommended changes to numerous long-standing international tax principles. If countries amend their tax laws to adopt certain parts of the OECD guidelines, this may increase tax uncertainty and may adversely impact our tax liabilities. Any of these changes could affect our financial performance.

The final determination of audits could be materially different from our income tax provisions and accruals and could have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows in the period or periods for which that determination is made. Also, our future effective income tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in valuation of deferred tax assets or changes in tax laws or their interpretation.  If our effective income tax rates were to increase, our results of operations and cash flows would be adversely affected.

The income tax effects of the accounting for share-based compensation may significantly impact our effective income tax rate. In periods in which our stock price is higher than the grant-date price of the share-based compensation awards vesting in that period, we will recognize excess tax benefits that will decrease our effective income tax rate. In periods in which our stock price is lower than the grant-date price of the share-based compensation awards vesting in that period, our effective income tax rate will increase.

Additionally, we continue to accumulate positive cash flow in foreign jurisdictions, which we consider indefinitely reinvested, although we will continue to evaluate the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our capital deployment within and outside the U.S. Should we distribute, or be treated under certain U.S. tax rules as having distributed, the earnings of foreign subsidiaries in the form of dividends or otherwise, we may be subject to U.S. income taxes or tax benefits. The amount of any unrecognized deferred income tax on this temporary difference is not material.

Application of U.S. state and local or international tax laws, changes in tax laws or tax rulings, or the examination of our tax positions, could materially affect our financial position and results of operations.

As an international business, we are subject to incomes taxes and non-income-based taxes in the United States and various other international jurisdictions.  Tax laws are dynamic and subject to change as new laws are passed and new interpretations of the law are issued or applied. Our existing corporate structure and intercompany arrangements have been implemented in a manner we believe is in compliance with current prevailing tax laws. However, due to economic and political conditions, tax rates and tax regimes in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change and the tax benefits that we intend to eventually derive could be undermined due to changing tax laws. Governments are increasingly focused on ways to increase tax revenues, which has contributed to an increase in audit activity, more aggressive positions taken by tax authorities and an increase in tax legislation.  Any such additional taxes or other assessments may be in excess of our current tax provisions or may require us to modify our business practices in order to reduce our exposure to additional taxes going forward, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.  

The 2017 Tax Act has resulted in significant changes to the U.S. corporate income tax system. The 2017 Tax Act requires complex computations to be performed that were not previously required in U.S. tax law, significant judgments to be made in interpretation of the provisions of the 2017 Tax Act, significant estimates in calculations, and the preparation and analysis of information not previously relevant or regularly produced. The tax law changes by the 2017 Tax Act are broad and complex and there are still uncertainties about how the 2017 Tax Act will be interpreted at both the U.S. federal and state levels.  The U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS and other standard-setting bodies could interpret or issue guidance on how provisions of the 2017 Tax Act will be applied or otherwise administered that is different from our interpretation. This could materially change the taxes that we recorded in 2017 and 2018, and the expected future impact of the 2017 Tax Act on our business.  

On January 28, 2016, the European Commission unveiled a new package of proposals aimed at providing a framework for fairer taxation and to provide a coordinated European Union response to combating corporate tax avoidance. Following agreement among the European Union member states on the final content of the package, the European Council formally adopted an Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive in July 2016, which was further amended in February 2017. The Directive is aimed at preventing aggressive tax planning, increasing tax transparency and creating a fairer tax environment for all businesses in the European Union. The OECD is working towards a consensus-based solution to the challenges of the digitalization of the economy by 2020. In addition, on March 21, 2018, the European Commission released two draft directives on the Taxation of the Digital Economy. One directive aims at a more

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comprehensive solution whereby EU states would be able to levy corporate income tax on companies that have digital presence in those states regardless of whether they have a physical presence in those states. The second directive provides for an interim solution whereby EU States are to apply a 3% revenue based Digital Services Tax, which if enacted, would be effective beginning in 2020. In the interim, certain EU States (Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the United Kingdom) have proposed legislation to implement a Digital Services Tax that, if enacted, would impose a tax on revenue earned by larger companies from users of digital services located in these respective EU States as early as 2019. Any changes to international tax laws, including new definitions of permanent establishment, could affect the tax treatment of our foreign earnings and adversely impact our effective income tax rate. Further, changes to tax laws and additional reporting requirements could increase the complexity, burden and cost of compliance. Due to the large and expanding scale of our international business activities, any changes in U.S. or international taxation of our activities or the combined effect of tax laws in multiple jurisdictions may increase our worldwide effective income tax rate, increase the complexity and costs associated with tax compliance (especially if changes are implemented or interpreted inconsistently across tax jurisdictions) and adversely affect our cash flows and results of operations.

In addition, the taxing authorities in the United States and other jurisdictions where we do business regularly examine our income and other tax returns as well as the tax returns of Expedia, our former parent. The ultimate outcome of these examinations (including the IRS audit described below) cannot be predicted with certainty. Should the IRS or other taxing authorities assess additional taxes as a result of examinations, we may be required to record charges to our operations, which could harm our operating results and financial condition. 

In July 2015, the United States Tax Court issued an opinion favorable to Altera Corporation, accepting Altera’s position of excluding stock-based compensation from its intercompany cost-sharing arrangement. The IRS subsequently appealed the Court decision on February 19, 2016.  On July 24, 2018, the IRS won an appeals court case at the Ninth Circuit, however, on August 7, 2018, the Ninth Circuit withdrew its decision regarding Altera and the case was reheard. While we have recorded an income tax benefit based on the Court’s 2015 opinion, we may be required to reverse the income tax benefit if an unfavorable opinion is issued by the Court when the case is reheard.

 

Changes in tax treatment of companies engaged in e-commerce may adversely affect the commercial use of our sites and our financial results.

 

Due to the global nature of the internet, it is possible that various states or foreign countries might attempt to levy additional or new sales, income or other taxes relating to our activities. Tax authorities at the international, federal, state and local levels are currently reviewing the appropriate treatment of companies engaged in e-commerce. New or revised international, federal, state or local tax regulations or court decisions may subject us or our customers to additional sales, occupancy, income and other taxes. For example, Congress is considering various approaches to legislation that would require companies engaged in e-commerce to collect sales tax on internet revenue and a growing number of U.S. states and certain foreign jurisdictions have adopted or are considering proposals to impose obligations on remote sellers and online marketplaces to collect taxes on their behalf. Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair Inc., in which a Court reversed longstanding precedent that remote sellers are not required to collect state and local sales taxes, may have an adverse impact on our business. We cannot predict the effect of these and other attempts to impose sales, income or other taxes on e-commerce. New or revised taxes and, in particular, sales taxes, occupancy taxes, value added taxes (“VAT”) and similar taxes would likely increase the cost of doing business online and decrease the attractiveness of selling products and services over the Internet. New taxes could also create significant increases in internal costs necessary to capture data and collect and remit taxes. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

 

Taxing authorities may successfully assert that we should have collected or in the future should collect sales and use, occupancy, VAT or similar taxes, and we could be subject to liability with respect to past or future sales, which could adversely affect our operating results.

 

We do not collect and remit sales and use, occupancy, VAT or similar taxes in all jurisdictions in which we have sales, based on our belief that such taxes are not applicable or legally required. Several states and other taxing jurisdictions have presented or threatened us with assessments, alleging that we are required to collect and remit certain taxes there. While we do not believe that we are subject to such taxes and intend to vigorously defend our position in these cases, we cannot be sure of the outcome of our discussions and/or appeals with these states or cases that are pending in the courts. In the event of an adverse outcome, we could face assessments for additional time periods since the last assessments we received, plus any additional interest and penalties. We also expect additional jurisdictions may make similar assessments or pass similar new laws in the future, and any of the jurisdictions where we have sales may apply more rigorous enforcement efforts or take more aggressive positions in the future that could result in greater tax liability allegations. Such tax assessments, penalties and interest or future requirements may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

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We continue to be subject to significant potential tax liabilities in connection with the Spin-Off.

Under the Tax Sharing Agreement between us and Expedia entered into in connection with the Spin-Off, we are generally required to indemnify Expedia for any taxes resulting from the Spin-Off (and any related interest, penalties, legal and professional fees, and all costs and damages associated with related stockholder litigation or controversies) to the extent such amounts resulted from (i) any act or failure to act by us described in the covenants in the tax sharing agreement, (ii) any acquisition of our equity securities or assets or those of a member of our group, or (iii) any failure of the representations with respect to us or any member of our group to be true or any breach by us or any member of our group of any covenant, in each case, which is contained in the separation documents or in the documents relating to the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of counsel.

We continue to be responsible for potential tax liabilities in connection with consolidated income tax returns filed with Expedia prior to or in connection with the Spin-Off. By virtue of previously filed consolidated tax returns with Expedia, we are currently under IRS audit for the 2009, 2010, and 2011 tax years. In connection with that audit, we received, in January 2017 and April 2019, notices of proposed adjustment from the IRS for the 2009, 2010, and 2011 tax years, which would result in an increase in our worldwide income tax expense. The proposed adjustments would result in an increase to our worldwide income tax expense in an estimated range totaling $15 million to $20 million for those specific years after consideration of competent authority relief, exclusive of interest and penalties. The outcome of these matters or any other audits could subject us to significant tax liabilities.

We are subject to fluctuation in foreign currency exchange risk.

We conduct a significant and growing portion of our business outside the United States but report our results in U.S. dollars. As a result, we face exposure to movements in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly those related to the Euro, British pound, and Australian dollar. These exposures include, but are not limited to, re-measurement of gains and losses from changes in the value of foreign denominated assets and liabilities; translation gains and losses on foreign subsidiary financial results that are translated into U.S. dollars upon consolidation; and planning risk related to changes in exchange rates between the time we prepare our annual and quarterly forecasts and when actual results occur. For example, Brexit caused significant volatility in currency exchange rates, especially between the U.S. dollar and the British pound. Continued uncertainty regarding Brexit may result in future exchange rate volatility. In addition, in the event that one or more European countries were to replace the Euro with another currency, our sales into such countries, or into Europe generally, would likely be adversely affected until stable exchange rates are established. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, such as the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Euro or the British pound, could adversely affect our net revenue growth in future periods.

Depending on the size of the exposures and the relative movements of exchange rates, if we were to choose not to hedge or were to fail to hedge effectively our exposure, we could experience a material adverse effect on our financial statements and financial condition. As seen in some recent periods, in the event of severe volatility in exchange rates the impact of these exposures can increase, and the impact on results of operations can be more pronounced. In addition, the current environment and the increasingly global nature of our business have made hedging these exposures both more complex. We hedge certain short-term foreign currency exposures with the purchase of forward exchange contracts. These forward exchange contracts only help mitigate the impact of changes in foreign currency rates that occur during the term of the related contract period and carry risks of counter-party failure. There can be no assurance that our forward exchange contracts will have their intended effects.

Significant fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect consumer travel behavior. Volatility in foreign currency exchange rates and its impact on consumer behavior, which may differ across regions, makes it more difficult to forecast industry and consumer trends and the timing and degree of their impact on our markets and business, which in turn could adversely affect our ability to effectively manage our business and adversely affect our results of operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Stock

Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc. currently is a controlling stockholder.

Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc., or LTRIP, effectively controls the outcome of all matters submitted to a vote or for the consent of our stockholders (other than with respect to the election by the holders of our common stock of 25% of the members of our Board of Directors and matters as to which Delaware law requires separate class votes), including but not limited to, corporate transactions such as mergers, business combinations or dispositions of assets, the authorization or issuance of new equity or debt securities and determinations with respect to our business direction and policies. Our Chairman, Gregory Maffei, and one of our Directors, Albert Rosenthaler, also serve as officers and directors of LTRIP. LTRIP may have interests that differ from those of our other stockholders and they may vote in a way with which our other stockholders may not agree or that may be adverse to other

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stockholders’ interests. LTRIP is not restricted from investing in other businesses involving or related to our business. LTRIP’s control of us, as well as the existing provisions of our organizational documents and Delaware law, may discourage or prevent a change of control that might otherwise be beneficial, which may reduce the market price of our common stock.

The market price and trading volume of our common stock may be volatile and may face negative pressure.

Our stock price has experienced, and could continue to experience in the future, substantial volatility. The market price of our common stock is affected by a number of factors, including the risk factors described in this section and other factors beyond our control. Factors affecting the trading price of our common stock could include:

Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations and general economic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, interest rate changes or foreign currency exchange fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of our common stock regardless of our actual operating performance.

We are currently relying on the “controlled company” exemption under NASDAQ Stock Market Listing Rules, pursuant to which “controlled companies” are exempt from certain corporate governance requirements otherwise applicable under NASDAQ listing rules.

The NASDAQ Stock Market Listing Rules exempt “controlled companies,” or companies of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, a group or another company, from certain corporate governance requirements, including those requirements that:

We currently rely on the controlled company exemption for certain of the above requirements. Accordingly, our stockholders will not be afforded the same protections generally as stockholders of other NASDAQ-listed companies with respect to corporate governance for so long as we rely on these exemptions from the corporate governance requirements.

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We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future and, as a result, our stockholders’ ability to achieve a return on their investment will depend on appreciation in the price of our common stock.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.  We anticipate that we will retain all of our future earnings for use in the development of our business and for general corporate purposes. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors. Accordingly, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize future gains on their investments.  

Future sales of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales may occur, may depress our stock price.

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, particularly sales by our directors, officers, employees and significant stockholders, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impact our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.  In addition, certain stockholders have rights, subject to some conditions, to require us to file registration statements covering their shares or to include their shares in registration statements that we may file for ourselves or other stockholders. If LTRIP or some other stockholder sells substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or if there is a perception in the public market that LTRIP might sell shares of our common stock, the market price of our common stock could decrease significantly. A decline in the price of shares of our common stock might impede our ability to raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of our common stock or other equity securities.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and Delaware law may discourage or prevent a change of control, even if an acquisition would be beneficial to our stockholders, which could affect our stock price adversely and prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that could delay or prevent a change of control of our company or changes in our Board of Directors that our stockholders might consider favorable. These provisions include:

We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which may prohibit certain business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These and other provisions in our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and Delaware law could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our Board of Directors or initiate actions that are opposed by our then-current Board of Directors, including a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our company. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our Board of Directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.  

 

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

During the quarter ended March 31, 2019, we did not issue or sell any shares of our common stock, Class B common stock or other equity securities pursuant to unregistered transactions in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Share Repurchases

 

          On January 31, 2018, our Board of Directors authorized a repurchase of up to $250 million of our shares of common stock under a share repurchase program. This share repurchase program has no expiration date but may be suspended or terminated by the Board of Directors at any time. Our Board of Directors authorized and directed management, working with the Executive Committee of our Board of Directors, to affect the share repurchase program in compliance with applicable legal requirements. The Company did not repurchase any shares of outstanding common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2019 under this existing share

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repurchase program. As of March 31, 2019, we had a remaining $150 million available to repurchase shares of our common stock under this share repurchase program.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information

 

Not applicable.

Item 6. Exhibits

The exhibits listed below are filed as part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

 

+ Indicates a management contract or a compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

May 7, 2019

 

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Exhibit 10.1

TRIPADVISOR, INC. OPTION AGREEMENT

(Domestic)

THIS OPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the grant date specified on the Grant Details referenced below (the “Grant Date”), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of an Option to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company, (in either case,  the “Plan”).

 

 

 

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(a)Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Eligible Individual and Company acknowledge and agree that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of any employment arrangement and the Plan, whichever term is more beneficial to the Eligible Individual between the Plan and the employment arrangement shall prevail.   In no event shall the Eligible Individual be entitled to the same type of benefits under both the Plan and any employment arrangement for the same event or qualifying termination.  

(b)For purposes of this Agreement, employment with the Company shall include employment with the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.  The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any interruption or Termination of Employment, whether there existed Cause or whether there occurred a Change in Control.  

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

 

 

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(1)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

(2)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(3)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 5 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters

During the Vesting Period and until as the Option is ultimately exercised as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the Option shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise.  

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, until such time as the Option is exercised, the Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the Option.  

(a)In the event of (i) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), or (ii) a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, spinoff, reorganization, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, payment of cash dividends other than an ordinary dividend or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the number and kind of shares of Common Stock underlying the Option.

 

(b)In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation (i) the cancellation of the Option in exchange for payments of cash, property or a

 

 

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combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such Option, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion, (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the shares of Common Stock underlying the Option and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of the Option, or the replacement of the Option with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary or Affiliate or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary or Affiliate following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to any Option that remains based upon securities of the Company).

 

(c)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Participants.

9.Taxes, Fees and Withholding

 

 

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10.Other Restrictions

In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

 

 

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(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been granted repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary,  or Affiliate, and such Award is outside the scope of the Eligible Individual’s employment contract, if any;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company, a Subsidiary or Affiliate; and

(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.

The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

 

 

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Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing) promptly after such change becomes effective.

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.  The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Option is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

(b)Any and all disputes arising under, as a result of or out of this Agreement, including without limitation any issues involving the construction, enforcement or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan or the Plan Prospectus, shall be determined and resolved by the Committee or its authorized delegate. Such determination or resolution by the Committee or its authorized delegate will be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes.

(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Option has vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Participant, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any

 

 

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erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about him or her, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

(a)The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of this Award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of

 

 

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any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.  

(b)This Award and payments made pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan are intended to qualify for an exemption from, or comply with, the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. If the Company makes a good faith determination that any compensation provided under this Agreement is likely to be subject to the additional tax imposed by Section 409A of the Code, the Company may, to the extent it deems necessary or advisable, modify this Agreement, without the Eligible Individual’s consent, to reduce the risk that such additional tax will apply, in a manner designed to preserve the material economic benefits intended to be provided to the Eligible Individual under this Agreement (other than any diminution of such benefit that may be attributable to the time value of money resulting from a delay in the timing of payments hereunder for a period of approximately six months or such longer period as may be required).  

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future Awards that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.2

TRIPADVISOR, INC. OPTION AGREEMENT

(International)

THIS OPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the Grant Date specified on the Grant Details referenced below (the “Grant Date”), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of an Option to the Eligible Individual by the Company.

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company,  (in either case,  the “Plan”).

 

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Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

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(1)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

(2)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(3)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 5 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

During the Vesting Period and until the Option is ultimately exercised as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the Option shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise.  

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, until such time as the Option is exercised, the Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the Option.

(a)In the event of (i) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), or (ii) a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, spinoff, reorganization, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, payment of cash dividends other than an ordinary dividend or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the number and kind of shares of Common Stock underlying the Option.

 

(b)In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation (i) the cancellation of the Option in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such Option, as determined

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by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion, (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the shares of Common Stock underlying the Option and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of the Option, or the replacement of the Option with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary or Affiliate or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary or Affiliate following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to any Option that remains based upon securities of the Company).

 

(c)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Participants.

9.Taxes, Fees and Withholding

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10.Other Restrictions

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11.Nature of Award

In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been made repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary,  or Affiliate, and such Award is outside the scope of the Eligible Individual’s employment contract, if any;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company, a Subsidiary or Affiliate; and

(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s Employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.

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12.No Advice Regarding Grant

The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

13.Notices

Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing) promptly after such change becomes effective.

14.Effect of Agreement; Severability

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.  The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

15.Laws Applicable to Construction; Consent to Jurisdiction

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Option is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

16.Conflicts; Interpretation and Correction of Errors

(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and

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application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Option has vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Participant, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

17.Data Privacy

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about him or her, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences

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of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

18.Amendment

The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of the Award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.  

19.Choice of Language

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.

20.Electronic Delivery

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future Awards that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  

21.Currency Exchange Risk

The Eligible Individual agrees and acknowledges that that Eligible Individual shall bear any and all risks associated with the exchange or fluctuation of currency associated with the Award, including without limitation the settlement of the Award and/or sale of the Shares (the “Currency Risk”).  Eligible Individual waives and releases the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and the Plan Administrator from any potential claims arising out of the Currency Risk.    Eligible Individual acknowledges and agrees that Eligible Individual shall with any and all exchange control requirements applicable to the Award and the sale of the Shares and any resulting funds including, without limitation, reporting or repatriation requirements.  

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22.Appendix

Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, the Option shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the Appendix to the Agreement.  Moreover, if Eligible Individual relocates to one of the countries included in the Appendix, the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Eligible Individual to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan (or the Company may establish alternative terms and conditions as may be necessary or advisable to accommodate the Eligible Individual’s relocation).  The Appendix constitutes a party of this Agreement and is incorporated by reference as fully as though set forth herein.

23.No Public Offer

The Award of the Option is not intended to be a public offering of securities in the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Company has not submitted any registration statement, prospectus or other filings with the local securities authorities (unless otherwise required under local law), and the grant of the Option is not subject to the supervision of the local securities authorities.

24.Imposition of Other Requirements

The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, on the Award of the Option and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require the Eligible Individual to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

 

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APPENDIX

ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TRIPADVISOR, INC.

OPTION AGREEMENT

(INTERNATIONAL)

 

Terms and Conditions

This Appendix includes special terms and conditions applicable to Eligible Individuals residing in one of the countries listed below.  These terms and conditions are in addition to or, if so indicated, in place of, the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement.  Unless otherwise provided below, capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan and/or the Agreement.  

Notifications

This Appendix also includes country-specific information of which the Eligible Individual should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the securities, exchange control and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of March 2019. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that Eligible Individual does not rely on the information noted herein as the only source of information relating to the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time that the Eligible Individual vests in Share awards or sells Shares acquired under the Plan.

In addition, the information is general in nature and may not apply to the Eligible Individual’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure the Eligible Individual of any particular result. Accordingly, the Eligible Individual is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in his or her country may apply to his or her situation. Finally, please note that if the Eligible Individual is a citizen or resident of a country other than the country in which he or she is currently working, or transfers employment after grant, the information contained in this Appendix may not be applicable to the Eligible Individual.

European Union (“EU”)/ European Economic Area (“EEA”) Data Privacy

The following replaces Section 17 of the Agreement:

In order to offer participation in the Plan, it is necessary for the Company to collect and process certain information about Eligible Individual. Further detail about this is set out below.

Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan is voluntary. Eligible Individual may withdraw from the Plan at any time. Withdrawal from the Plan will not affect Eligible Individual’s salary as an employee or his or her employment; Eligible Individual would merely forfeit the opportunities and benefits associated with the Plan.

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If Eligible Individual withdraws from the Plan, the Company will cease to use Eligible Individual’s information for the purpose of the Plan (subject to the data retention requirements set out below).

Data Collection and Usage. The Company collects personal information about Eligible Individual for purposes of administration of the Plan, including: name, home address, telephone number and email address, date of birth, social insurance number, passport or other identification number, salary, citizenship, nationality, job title, any equity, shares of stock or directorships held in the Company and its Affiliates, details of all Options or any other entitlement to equity granted, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in Eligible Individual’s favor, which the Company receives from Eligible Individual or the Employer (“Eligible Individual Data”).

The Company will process and use Eligible Individual Data for the purposes of allocating stock and implementing, administering and managing the Plan. The Company’s legal basis for the processing of Eligible Individual’s Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Stock Plan Administration Service Providers. The Company currently uses Fidelity and its affiliated companies (“Fidelity”) as its service provider for the Plan. The Company shares your Eligible Individual Data with Fidelity for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Plan. Fidelity is based in the United States. In the future, the Company may select a different service provider and share Eligible Individual Data with another company that serves in a similar manner. The Company’s service provider(s) will open an account for Eligible Individual to receive and trade stock. Eligible Individual may be asked to agree to separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider(s), which is a condition to his or her participation in the Plan.

International Data Transfers. The Company and its service provider(s), including Fidelity, are based in the United States, which means that it will be necessary for Eligible Individual Data to be transferred to, and processed in, the US. Eligible Individual should note that his or her country may have enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States and which may offer different levels of protection. The legal basis for the transfer of Eligible Individual Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Data Retention. The Company will use Eligible Individual Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage his or her participation in the Plan or as may be required by the Company in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws (which will generally be no more than 7 years after the Eligible Individual ceases participating in the Plan).

Data Subject Rights. Eligible Individual has a number of rights under data privacy laws in his or her country. Depending on where Eligible Individual is based, his or her rights may include: (a) the right of access to the Eligible Individual’s personal data held by the Company, (b) the right of rectification of incorrect data, (c) the right to erasure of data, (d) the right to restriction of processing, and (e) the right to data portability.

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If you have any questions about any aspect of the Plan or these terms, please contact privacy@tripadvisor.com.

Argentina

Exchange Control Notice.  Argentine currency exchange restrictions and reporting requirements may apply to the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan; the relevant laws and regulations are subject to frequent change. Eligible Individual should consult his or her personal legal advisor to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Notice.  If Eligible Individual holds Shares as of December 31 of any year, he or she is required to report the holding of the Shares on his or her personal tax return for the relevant year.

Brazil

Nature of Grant. In accepting the grant of the Option, Eligible Individual agrees that he or she is making an investment decision, the Shares will be issued to Eligible Individual only if the vesting conditions are met, the Option is exercised and any necessary services are rendered by Eligible Individual over the vesting period, and the value of the underlying Shares is not fixed and may increase or decrease in value over the vesting period without compensation to Eligible Individual.

Compliance with the Law.  In accepting the grant of the Option, the Eligible Individual acknowledges his or her agreement to comply with applicable Brazilian laws and to pay any and all applicable tax associated with the Option, the sale of the Shares acquired under the Plan and the receipt of any cash dividends paid on such Shares.

Labor Law Acknowledgment. The Eligible Individual agrees, for all legal purposes, (i) the benefits provided under the Agreement and the Plan are the result of commercial transactions unrelated to the Eligible Individual’s employment; (ii) the Agreement and the Plan are not a part of the terms and conditions of the Employee’s employment; and (iii) the income from the Option, if any, is not part of the Employee’s remuneration from employment.

Exchange Control Information. If Eligible Individual is a resident or domiciled in Brazil, he or she will be required to submit an annual declaration of assets and rights held outside of Brazil to the Central Bank of Brazil if the aggregate value of such assets and rights is equal to or greater than US$100,000. Assets and rights that must be reported include Shares.

Canada

Settlement of Stock Awards. Notwithstanding any discretion or anything to the contrary in the Plan, the grant of the Awards does not provide any right for Eligible Individual to receive a cash payment and the Awards will be settled in Shares only.

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Taxes, Fees and Withholding. This provision supplements Section 9 of the Agreement.  Any share withholding by the Company is subject to the consent of the Eligible Individual at the time of option exercise.

Authorization to Release and Transfer Necessary Personal Information. This provision supplements Section 22 of the Agreement:

Eligible Individual hereby authorizes the Company and the Company’s representatives to discuss with and obtain all relevant information from all personnel, professional or not, involved in the administration and operation of the Plan. Eligible Individual further authorizes the Company and its Affiliates and the Committee, which administers the Plan, to disclose and discuss the Plan with their advisors. Eligible Individual further authorizes the Company and any Affiliate to record such information and to keep such information in Eligible Individual’s employee file.

Chile

Labor Law Acknowledgement. The Option and the Shares underlying the Option , and the income and value of same, shall not be considered as part of your remuneration for purposes of determining the calculation base of future indemnities, whether statutory or contractual, for years of service (severance) or in lieu of prior notice, pursuant to Article 172 of the Chilean Labor Code.

Securities Law Information. This grant of Option constitutes a private offering of securities in Chile effective as of the Grant Date. This offer of Option is made subject to general ruling n° 336 of the Chilean Superintendence of Securities and Insurance (“SVS”). The offer refers to securities not registered at the securities registry or at the foreign securities registry of the SVS, and, therefore, such securities are not subject to oversight of the SVS. Given that the Options are not registered in Chile, TripAdvisor is not required to provide public information about the Options or the Shares in Chile. Unless the Options and/or the Shares are registered with the SVS, a public offering of such securities cannot be made in Chile.

Exchange Control Information. You are not required to repatriate any funds you receive with respect to the Options (e.g., any proceeds from the sale of any Shares issued upon vesting of the Option) to Chile. However, if you decide to repatriate such funds, you acknowledge that you will be required to effect such repatriation through the Formal Exchange Market (i.e., a commercial bank or registered foreign exchange office) if the amount of the funds repatriated exceeds US$10,000. Further, if the value of your aggregate investments held outside Chile exceeds US$5,000,000 (including Shares and any other cash proceeds acquired under the Plan) at any time in a calendar year, you must report the status of such investments to the Central Bank of Chile.

You will also be required to provide certain information to the Chilean Internal Revenue Service (“CIRS”) regarding the results of investments held abroad and the taxes you have paid abroad (if you will be seeking a credit against Chilean income tax owed). This information must be submitted on certain electronic sworn statements before March 19 or June 30 of each year,

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depending on the assets or taxes being reported. The statements may be found at the CIRS website at www.sii.cl.

You may be ineligible to receive certain foreign tax credits if you fail to meet the applicable reporting requirements. Exchange control and tax reporting requirements in Chile are subject to change, and you should consult with your personal legal and tax advisor regarding any reporting obligations that you may have in connection with the Restricted Stock.

Columbia

Nature of Grant.  This provision supplements the Agreement:  Eligible Individual acknowledges that pursuant to Article 128 of the Colombian Labor Code, the Plan and related benefits do not constitute a component of “salary” for any legal purpose.

Exchange Control Notice.  Prior approval from a government authority is not required to purchase and hold foreign securities or to receive an equity award.  However, if the value of foreign investments, including the value of any equity awards, equals or exceeds US $500,000 (as of December 31 of the applicable year), such investments must be registered with the Central Bank (Banco de la República). When the foreign investment is liquidated, the proceeds do not have to be repatriated to Colombia. However, if the investment was registered with the Central Bank, Eligible Individual must cancel the registration no later than March 31 of the year following the year of the liquidation or Eligible Individual will be subject to fines.

Foreign Asset / Account Reporting Notice:  Eligible Individual must file an annual informative return with the Colombian Tax Office detailing any assets held abroad. If the individual value of any of these assets exceeds a certain threshold, Eligible Individual must describe each asset and indicate the jurisdiction in which it is located, its nature and its value.

Denmark

Employer Statement:  Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has received the attached Employer Statement, translated into Danish, which sets forth additional terms of the Options as required by the Danish Stock Option Act, to the extent that the Danish Stock Option Act applies to the Options.

Foreign Asset / Account Reporting Notice:  Danish residents must submit certain forms to the Danish tax authorities:   Erklæring V must be completed in connection with the deposit of any securities (including Shares acquired under the Plan) into a bank or brokerage account outside of Denmark and Erklæring K must be completed to report the existence of any account outside of Denmark in which Shares or cash will be held. These forms are available at the website of the Danish Tax Authorities.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR EMPLOYEES IN DENMARK

EMPLOYER STATEMENT

Pursuant to Section 3(1) of the Act on Stock Options in employment relations (the “Stock Option Act”), you are entitled to receive the following information regarding the restricted stock

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units granted to you by TripAdvisor, Inc. (the “Company”) under the TripAdvisor, Inc. 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan(the “Plan”) in a written statement.

This statement contains information applicable to your participation in the Plan, as required under the Stock Option Act, while the other terms and conditions of your Options are described in detail in the Plan and the Option Agreement (the “Agreement”), both of which have been made available to you. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the same meanings given to them in the Plan or the Agreement, as applicable.

Section 1 of the Stock Option Act provides that the Stock Option Act only applies to employees. Employees are defined in section 2 of the Stock Option Act as persons who receive remuneration for their personal services in an employment relationship. Persons, including managers, who are not regarded as employees under the Stock Option Act, will not be subject to the Stock Option Act. If you are not an employee within the meaning of the Stock Option Act, the Company therefore has no obligation to issue an employer information statement to you and you will not be able to rely on this statement for legal purposes, since only the terms and conditions set out in the Plan apply.

1.Date of grant

The date of grant of your Options is the date that the Board or Committee that approved a grant for you determined it would be effective, which is set forth in the Notice.

2.  Terms or conditions for Option grant

The grant of Options under the Plan is made at the sole discretion of the Company. Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants of the Company and its Affiliates, are eligible to receive grants under the Plan. The Board has broad discretion to determine who will receive Options and to set the terms and conditions of the Options. The Company may decide, in its sole discretion, not to make any grants of Options to you in the future. Under the terms of the Plan and the Agreement, you have no entitlement or claim to receive future grants of Options.

3.Vesting date or period

The Options will vest over a period of time (as set forth in the Agreement), subject to your continued employment through the applicable vesting date and other conditions set forth in the Plan and Agreement, and subject to Section 5 of this statement.

4.Your rights upon termination of employment

The treatment of your Options upon termination of employment will be determined under Sections 4 and 5 of the Stock Option Act unless the terms contained in the Plan and the Agreement are more favorable to you than Sections 4 and 5 of the Stock Option Act. If the terms contained in the Plan and the Agreement are more favorable to you, then such terms will govern the treatment of your Options upon termination of employment.

5.Financial aspects of participating in the Plan

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The grant of Options has no immediate financial consequences for you. The value of the Options is not taken into account when calculating holiday allowances, pension contributions or other statutory consideration calculated on the basis of salary.

Shares of stock are financial instruments and investing in stock will always have financial risk. The future value of Company shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty.

Germany

Exchange Control Information. Cross-border payments in excess of €12,500 must be reported monthly to the German Federal Bank (Bundesbank). In case of payments in connection with the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan or the receipt of any cash dividends, the report must be filed electronically by the 5th day of the month following the month in which the payment was received. The form of report (“Allgemeine Meldeportal Statistik”) can be accessed via the Bundesbank’s website (www.bundesbank.de) and is available in both German and English.

Hong Kong

Securities Law Notice. The Award and Shares issued upon exercise (if any) do not constitute a public offering of securities under Hong Kong law and are available only to Eligible Individuals of the Company, its Affiliates and Subsidiaries. The Agreement, including this Appendix, the Plan and other incidental communication materials have not been prepared in accordance with and are not intended to constitute a “prospectus” for a public offering of securities under the applicable securities legislation in Hong Kong. Nor have the documents been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. The Award is intended only for the personal use of each Eligible Individual of the Company, its Affiliates or its Subsidiaries and may not be distributed to any other person. If Eligible Individual is in any doubt about any of the contents of the Agreement, including this Appendix, or the Plan, Eligible Individual should obtain independent professional advice.

Vesting of Awards and Sale of Shares. In the event the Eligible Individual’s Awards vest and Shares are issued to the Eligible Individual within six months of the date of grant, the Eligible Individual agrees that he or she will not dispose of any of such Shares prior to the six-month anniversary of the date of grant.

Nature of the Plan.  The Company specifically intends that the Plan will not be tread as an occupational retirement scheme for purposes of the Occupational Retirement Scheme Ordinance (“ORSO”).  To the extent that any court, tribunal or legal/regulatory body in Hong Kong determines that the Plan constitutes an occupational retirement scheme for the purpose of ORSO, the grant of Options shall be null and void.

Iceland

This offer is being made to employees as part of an employee incentive programme in order to provide an additional incentive and to encourage employee share ownership and to increase your interest in the success of TripAdvisor, Inc., its Subsidiaries and Affiliates.  The

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company offering these rights is TripAdvisor, Inc. The shares which are the subject of these rights are existing shares of Common Stock of TripAdvisor, Inc. More information in relation to TripAdvisor, Inc., including the share price can be found at the following web address: http://ir.tripadvisor.com/investor-relations.

India

Tax Information. The amount subject to tax at vesting may be dependent upon a valuation of Shares from a Merchant Banker in India. The Company has no responsibility or obligation to obtain the most favorable valuation possible nor obtain valuations more frequently than required under Indian tax law.

Exchange Control Obligations. Eligible Individual understands that he or she must repatriate any proceeds from the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan and any dividends received in relation to the Shares to India in accordance with local foreign exchange rules and regulations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be liable for any fines or penalties resulting from the Employee’s failure to comply with applicable laws.

Ireland

Director Notification Obligation. Directors, shadow directors and secretaries of the Company’s Irish Affiliates are subject to certain notification requirements under the Irish Companies Act. Directors, shadow directors and secretaries must notify the Irish Affiliates in writing of their interest in the Company (e.g., Option, RSUs, Shares, etc.) and the number and class of shares or rights to which the interest relates within five days of the acquisition or disposal of shares or within five days of becoming aware of the event giving rise to the notification. This disclosure requirement also applies to any rights or shares acquired by the director’s spouse or children (under the age of 18).

Italy

Data Privacy.  This provision replaces in its entirety the “Data Privacy” section of the Award Agreement:

Data Privacy. The Eligible Individual understands that the Employer and/or the Company may hold certain personal information about the Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, Awardee’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security number (or any other social or national identification number), salary, nationality, job title, number of Shares held and the details of any Option or any other entitlement to Stock awarded, cancelled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding (the “Data”) for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. The Eligible Individual is aware that providing the Company with the Eligible Individual’s Data is necessary for the performance of the Award Agreement and that the Eligible Individual’s refusal to provide such Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.

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The Controller of personal Data processing is TripAdvisor, Inc., 400 1^st Avenue, Needham, MA 02494, U.S.A., and, pursuant to D.lgs 196/2003, its representative in Italy is TripAdvisor Italy, S.r.l., with its registered offices at Corso Garibaldi, n 86 6th Floor, 20121 Milan MI
Italy.  The Eligible Individual understands that Data may be transferred to the Company or its Affiliates, or to any third parties assisting with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan, including any transfer required to Fidelity Stock Plan Services, LLC or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company, or any other third party with whom cash from the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan may be deposited. Furthermore, the recipients that may receive, possess, use, retain and transfer such Data for the above mentioned purposes may be located in Italy or elsewhere, including outside of the European Union, and the recipients’ country (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections from Awardee’s country. The processing activity, including the transfer of the Eligible Individual’s Data abroad, outside of the European Union, as herein specified and pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, does not require the Eligible Individual’s consent thereto as the processing is necessary for the performance of contractual obligations related to the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. the Eligible Individual understands that Data processing relating to the purposes above specified shall take place under automated or non-automated conditions, anonymously when possible, that comply with the purposes for which Data is collected and with confidentiality and security provisions as set forth by applicable laws and regulations, with specific reference to D.lgs. 196/2003.

The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be held only as long as is required by law or as necessary to implement, administer and manage the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. The Eligible Individual understands that pursuant to art.7 of D.lgs 196/2003, the Eligible Individual has the right, including but not limited to, access, delete, update, request the rectification of the Eligible Individual’s Data and cease, for legitimate reasons, Data processing. Furthermore, the Eligible Individual is aware that the Eligible Individual’s Data will not be used for direct marketing purposes. In addition, Data provided can be reviewed and questions or complaints can be addressed by contacting the Eligible Individuals local human representative.

Grant Terms Acknowledgment. By accepting the Option, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that the Eligible Individual has received a copy of the Plan and the Award Agreement, including this Appendix, in their entirety and fully understands and accepts all the provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement. The Eligible Individual further acknowledges having read and specifically approves the following sections of the Award Agreement: Vesting, Issuance of Stock, Termination of Employment, Tax Withholding, Nature of Grant, Governing Law and Venue and Imposition of Other Requirements, and the Data Privacy section in this Appendix.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. If the Eligible Individual holds investments abroad or foreign financial assets (e.g., cash, Shares, RSUs) that may generate income taxable in Italy, the Eligible Individual is required to report them on his or her annual tax returns (UNICO Form, RW Schedule) or on a special form if no tax return is due, irrespective of

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their value. The same reporting duties apply to the Eligible Individual if the Eligible Individual is a beneficial owner of the investments, even if the Eligible Individual does not directly hold investments abroad or foreign assets.

Foreign Asset Tax.  The value of the financial assets held outside of Italy by individuals resident of Italy is subject to a foreign asset tax. The taxable amount will be the fair market value of the financial assets (e.g., Shares) assessed at the end of the calendar year.

Japan

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. The Eligible Individual will be required to report details of any assets held outside of Japan as of December 31 (including Shares acquired under the Plan), to the extent such assets have a total net fair market value exceeding ¥50 million. Such report will be due by March 15 each year. The Eligible Individual should consult with his or her personal tax advisor as to whether the reporting obligation applies to the Eligible Individual and whether the Eligible Individual will be required to report details of his or her outstanding Options, as well as Shares, in the report.

Mexico

Labor Law Policy and Acknowledgment.  By accepting the Option, Eligible Individual expressly recognizes that TripAdvisor, Inc., with registered offices at 400 1^st Avenue, Needham, MA 02494 U.S.A., is solely responsible for the administration of the Plan and that Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan and acquisition of Shares do not constitute an employment relationship between Eligible Individual and the Company since Eligible Individual is participating in the Plan on a wholly commercial basis and Eligible Individual’s sole Employer is [TripAdvisor Mexico entity or employer] (“TripAdvisor -Mexico”). Based on the foregoing, Eligible Individual expressly recognizes that the Plan and the benefits that Eligible Individual may derive from his or her participation in the Plan do not establish any rights between Eligible Individual and TripAdvisor-Mexico, and do not form part of the employment conditions and/or benefits provided by TripAdvisor-Mexico and any modification of the Plan or its termination shall not constitute a change or impairment of the terms and conditions of Eligible Individual’s employment.

Eligible Individual further understands that his or her participation in the Plan is a result of a unilateral and discretionary decision of the Company; therefore, the Company reserves the absolute right to amend and/or discontinue Eligible Individual’s participation at any time without any liability to Eligible Individual.

Finally, Eligible Individual hereby declares that he or she does not reserve any action or right to bring any claim against the Company for any compensation or damages regarding any provision of the Plan or the benefits derived under the Plan, and Eligible Individual therefore grants a full and broad release to the Company, its Affiliates, branches, representation offices, its shareholders, officers, agents or legal representatives with respect to any claim that may arise.

Plan Document Acknowledgment.  By accepting the Option, Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of the Plan, has reviewed the Plan and the

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Agreement in their entirety and fully understands and accepts all provisions of the Plan and the Agreement. In addition, by accepting the Options, Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has read and specifically and expressly approves the terms and conditions of the Agreement (“Nature of Award”), in which the following is clearly described and established: (i) participation in the Plan does not constitute an acquired right; (ii) the Plan and participation in the Plan is offered by the Company on a wholly discretionary basis; (iii) participation in the Plan is voluntary; and (iv) neither the Company, the Employer nor any Affiliate is responsible for any decrease in the value of the Shares underlying the Option.

Netherlands

There are no country-specific provisions.

Portugal

Language Consent.  The Eligible Individual hereby express declares that he or she has full knowledge of the English language and has read, understood and fully accepted and agreed with the terms and conditions established in the Plan and the Agreement.

Consentimento linguístico.  Pela presente, O indivíduo elegível por este meio expressa declara que ele ou ela tem pleno conhecimento da língua inglesa e tem lido, compreendido e plenamente aceito e acordado com os termos e condições estabelecidos no plano e no acordo.

Exchange Control Notification.  If the Eligible Individual holds Shares issued upon exercise of Options , the acquisition of Shares could be reported to the Banco de Portugal for statistical purposes.  If the Shares are deposited with a commercial bank or financial intermediary in Portugal, such bank or financial intermediary could submit the report on Participant’s behalf.  If the Shares are not deposited with a commercial bank or financial intermediary in Portugal, the Eligible Individual is responsible for submitting the report to the Banco de Portugal.

Singapore

Securities Law Notice. The grant of this Award is made in reliance on section 273(1)(f) of the Securities and Futures Act (Cap. 289) (“SFA”) for which it is exempt from the prospectus and registration requirements under the SFA.

Director Notification Obligation. If Eligible Individual is a director, associate director or shadow director (i.e., a non-director who has sufficient control so that the directors act in accordance with the directions and instructions of this individual) of the Company’s local entity in Singapore, he or she is subject to notification requirements under the Singapore Companies Act. Some of these notification requirements will be triggered by Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. Specifically, Eligible Individual is required to notify the local Singapore company when he or she acquires or disposes an interest in the Company, including when Eligible Individual receives Shares upon vesting of this Award and when Eligible Individual sells these Shares. The notification must be in writing and must be made within two days of acquiring or disposing of any interest in the Company (or within two days of initially becoming a director, associate director or shadow director of the Company’s local entity in

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Singapore). If Eligible Individual is unclear as to whether he or she is a director, associate director or shadow director of the Company’s local entity in Singapore or the form of the notification, he or she should consult with his or her personal legal advisor.

Spain

Nature of Grant. This provision supplements the “Nature of Award” section of the Award Agreement:

In accepting the Options, the Eligible Individual consents to participation in the Plan and acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of the Plan.

Further, the Eligible Individual understands that the Company has unilaterally, gratuitously and in its sole discretion decided to grant Options under the Plan to individuals who may be employees of the Company or its Affiliates throughout the world. The decision is a limited decision that is entered into upon the express assumption and condition that any Award will not economically or otherwise bind the Company or any of its Affiliates on an ongoing basis. Consequently, the Eligible Individual understands that the Award is granted on the assumption and condition that the Options or the Shares acquired upon exercise shall not become a part of any employment contract (either with the Company or any of its Affiliates) and shall not be considered a mandatory benefit, salary for any purposes (including severance compensation) or any other right whatsoever. In addition, the Eligible Individual understands that this Award would not be made to the Eligible Individual but for the assumptions and conditions referred to above; thus, the Eligible Individual acknowledges and freely accepts that should any or all of the assumptions be mistaken or should any of the conditions not be met for any reason, then any Award shall be null and void.

The Eligible Individual also understands and agrees that, as a condition of the grant and vesting of the Option, the termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment for any reason (including the reasons listed below), the Option will cease vesting immediately, effective on the date of the Eligible Individual’s termination of employment. This will be the case, for example, even in the event of a termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by reason of, but not limited to, resignation, retirement, disciplinary dismissal adjudged to be with Cause (as defined in the Agreement), disciplinary dismissal adjudged or recognized to be without Cause, individual or collective dismissal on objective grounds, whether adjudged or recognized to be with or without Cause, material modification of the terms of employment under Article 41 of the Workers’ Statute, relocation under Article 40 of the Workers’ Statute, Article 50 of the Workers’ Statute, unilateral withdrawal by the Employer and under Article 10.3 of the Royal Decree 1382/1985.   “Cause” shall be as defined in the Agreement, regardless of whether the termination is considered a fair termination (i.e. despido procedente”) under Spanish legislation.

The Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has read and specifically accepts the conditions referred to in the “Termination of Employment” and “Nature of Award” sections of the Award Agreement.

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Securities Law Information. The grant of this Award and the Shares issued pursuant to the vesting and exercise of the Award are considered a private placement outside of the scope of Spanish laws on public offerings and issuances of securities.

Exchange Control Information. To participate in the Plan, the Eligible Individual must comply with exchange control regulations in Spain. The acquisition of Shares upon vesting and exercise of the Option and the sale of Shares must be declared on Form D-6, for statistical purposes, to the Dirección General de Comercio e Inversiones (the “DGCI”) of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. Generally, the D-6 form must be filed each January while the shares are owned or to report the sale of Shares.

Whenever receiving foreign currency payments derived from the ownership of Stock (i.e., cash dividends or sale proceeds) exceeding €50,000, the Eligible Individual must inform the financial institution receiving the payment of the basis upon which such payment is made. The Eligible Individual will need to provide the institution with the following information: (i) the Eligible Individual’s name, address, and fiscal identification number; (ii) the name and corporate domicile of the Company; (iii) the amount of the payment; (iv) the currency used; (v) the country of origin; (vi) the reasons for the payment; and (vii) any further information that may be required.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. To the extent that the Eligible Individual holds rights or assets (e.g., Shares or cash held in a bank or brokerage account) outside of Spain with a value in excess of €50,000 per type of right or asset (e.g., Shares, cash, etc.) as of December 31 each year, the Eligible Individual will be required to report information on such rights and assets on his or her tax return for such year. After such rights and assets are initially reported, the reporting obligation will only apply for subsequent years if the value of any previously-reported rights or assets increases by more than €20,000. The reporting must be completed by March 31 following the end of the relevant year. It is the Eligible Individual’s responsibility to comply with these reporting obligations, and the Eligible Individual should consult with his or her personal tax and legal advisors in this regard.

In addition, the Eligible Individual is required to electronically declare to the Bank of Spain any securities accounts (including brokerage accounts held abroad), as well as the securities (including Shares acquired under the Plan) held in such accounts if the value of the transactions for all such accounts during the prior tax year or the balances in such accounts as of December 31 of the prior tax year exceeds €1,000,000.

Sweden

There are no country-specific provisions.

Switzerland

Securities Law Information. The Award is considered a private offering in Switzerland and is therefore not subject to registration.  Neither this document nor any other materials relating to the Award (a)  constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article

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652a of the Swiss Code of Obligations, (b) may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland, or (c) has been or will be filed with, approved or supervised by any Swiss regulatory authority (in particular, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)).

United Arab Emirates

Securities Law Notice.  The Plan is only being offered to qualified employees and is in the nature of providing equity incentives to employees of the Company’s Subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates. The Plan and the Agreement are intended for distribution only to such employees and must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. Eligible Individual should conduct his or her own due diligence on the Option offered pursuant to this Agreement. If Eligible Individual does not understand the contents of the Plan and/or the Agreement, he or she should consult an authorized financial adviser. The Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority and the Dubai Financial Services Authority have no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with the Plan. Further, the Ministry of the Economy and the Dubai Department of Economic Development have not approved the Plan or the Agreement nor taken steps to verify the information set out therein, and have no responsibility for such documents.

United Kingdom

Settlement of Stock Awards. Notwithstanding any discretion or anything to the contrary in the Plan, the grant of the Award does not provide any right for Eligible Individual to receive a cash payment and the Awards will be settled in Shares only.

Tax and National Insurance Contributions Acknowledgment. The following provision supplements Section 9 of the Agreement:

Eligible Individual agrees that if Eligible Individual does not pay or the Employer or the Company does not withhold from Eligible Individual the full amount of Tax-Related Items that Eligible Individual owes in connection with the vesting of the Award and/or the acquisition of Shares pursuant to the vesting of the Award, or the release or assignment of the Award for consideration, or the receipt of any other benefit in connection with the Award (the “Taxable Event”) within ninety (90) days after the Taxable Event, or such other period specified in Section 222(1)(c) of the U.K. Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, then the amount that should have been withheld shall constitute a loan owed by Eligible Individual to the Employer, effective ninety (90) days after the Taxable Event. Eligible Individual agrees that the loan will bear interest at the official rate of HM Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) and will be immediately due and repayable by Eligible Individual, and the Company and/or the Employer may recover it at any time thereafter by withholding the funds from salary, bonus or any other funds due to Eligible Individual by the Employer, by withholding in Shares issued upon vesting of the Award or from the cash proceeds from the sale of such Shares or by demanding cash or a cheque from Eligible Individual. Eligible Individual also authorizes the Company to withhold the transfer of any Shares unless and until the loan is repaid in full.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Eligible Individual is an officer or executive director (as within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), the terms of the immediately foregoing provision will not apply. In the event that Eligible Individual is an officer or executive director and Tax-Related Items are not collected from or paid by Eligible Individual within ninety (90) days of the Taxable Event, the amount of any uncollected Tax-Related Items may constitute a benefit to Eligible Individual on which additional income tax and National Insurance contributions may be payable. Eligible Individual will be responsible for reporting any income tax and National Insurance contributions due on this additional benefit directly to HMRC under the self-assessment regime.

 

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Exhibit.10.3

 

TRIPADVISOR, INC. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(Domestic)

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the grant date specified on the Grant Details referenced below (the “Grant Date”), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a Delaware corporation  (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

 

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company, (in either case,  the “Plan”).

As soon as practicable after any RSUs have vested and are no longer subject to the RSU Restriction Period (but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter), such RSUs shall be settled.  Subject to Section 8 (pertaining to the withholding of taxes), for each RSU settled pursuant to this Section 2, the Company shall issue one Share and cause to be delivered to the Eligible Individual one or more unlegended, freely-transferable stock certificates in respect of such Shares issued upon settlement of the vested RSUs.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to hold the Shares issuable upon settlement of RSUs that have vested until the Company or Plan Administrator shall have received from the Eligible Individual a duly executed Form W-9 or Form W-8, as applicable, as well as such other documents as may be legally required.

 

 

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(a)In the event a Termination of Employment of the Eligible Individual occurs during the RSU Restriction Period for any reason (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), except as otherwise provided in the Plan or any written employment agreement between the Company and the Eligible Individual (an “Employment Arrangement”), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs under the Plan, if any, will terminate effective as of the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period pursuant to local law); furthermore, in the event of a Termination of Employment (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs after such Termination of Employment, if any, will be measured to the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law, unless otherwise provided in the Plan or an Employment Arrangement.  The Eligible Individual shall not be entitled by way of compensation for loss of office or otherwise howsoever to any sum or other benefit to compensate the Eligible Individual for the loss of any rights under this Agreement or the Plan.

(b)Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Eligible Individual and Company acknowledge and agree that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of any employment arrangement and the Plan, whichever term is more beneficial to the Eligible Individual between the Plan and the employment arrangement shall prevail.   In no event shall Eligible Individual be entitled to the same type of benefits under both the Plan and any employment arrangement for the same event or qualifying termination.  

(c)For purpose of this Agreement, employment with the Company shall include employment with the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.  The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any interruption or Termination of Employment, whether there existed Cause or whether there occurred a Change in Control.  

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

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For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 4 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

During the RSU Restriction Period and until the RSUs are settled as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the RSUs shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise.  

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, during the RSU Restriction Period the Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the RSUs.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company declares and pays dividends on the Common Stock during the RSU Restriction Period, the Eligible Individual will be credited with additional amounts for each RSU equal to the dividend that would have been paid with respect to such RSU if it had been an actual share of Common Stock, which amount shall remain subject to restrictions (and as determined by the Committee may be reinvested in RSUs or may be held in kind as restricted property) and shall vest concurrently with the vesting of the RSUs upon which such dividend equivalent amounts were paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends and distributions other than regular cash dividends, if any, may result in an adjustment pursuant to Section 7 below, rather than under this Section 6.

(a)In the event of (i) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), or (ii) a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, spinoff, reorganization, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, payment of cash dividends other than an ordinary dividend or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the number of RSUs and the number and kind of shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs.

 

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(b)In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation (i) the cancellation of RSUs in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such RSUs, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion, (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of the RSUs, or the replacement of the RSUs with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary or Affiliate or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary or Affiliate following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to any RSUs that remain based upon securities of the Company).

 

(c)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Eligible Individuals.

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In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been made repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary,  or Affiliate, and such Award is outside the scope of the Eligible Individual’s employment contract, if any;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company; and

(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.

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11.No Advice Regarding Grant.  

The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

12.Notices

Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing) promptly after such change becomes effective.

13.Effect of Agreement; Severability

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.  The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

14.Laws Applicable to Construction; Consent to Jurisdiction

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

15.Conflicts; Interpretation and Correction of Errors

(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and

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application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any RSUs have vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Eligible Individual, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

16.Data Privacy

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about the Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may

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affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

17.Amendment

(a)The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of this Award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.  

(b)This Award and payments made pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan are intended to qualify for an exemption from, or comply with, the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. If the Company makes a good faith determination that any compensation provided under this Agreement is likely to be subject to the additional tax imposed by Section 409A of the Code, the Company may, to the extent it deems necessary or advisable, modify this Agreement, without the Eligible Individual’s consent, to reduce the risk that such additional tax will apply, in a manner designed to preserve the material economic benefits intended to be provided to the Eligible Individual under this Agreement (other than any diminution of such benefit that may be attributable to the time value of money resulting from a delay in the timing of payments hereunder for a period of approximately six months or such longer period as may be required).  

18.Choice of Language

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.

19.Electronic Delivery

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future awards that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement

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on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  

 

 

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Exhibit 10.4

TRIPADVISOR, INC. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(International)

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the grant date specified on the Grant Details referenced below (the “Grant Date”), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a U.S. Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an Award of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company (in either case, the “Plan”).

1.Award and Vesting of RSUs

(a)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Details, the Company hereby grants RSUs to the Eligible Individual.  Reference is made to the “Grant Details” that can be found on the equity plan website of the current professional selected by the Company to administer the Plan (the “Plan Administrator”), currently located at www.netbenefits.fidelity.com (or any successor equity administration system selected by the Company to manage the Plan from time to time).  The Grant Details, which set forth the number of RSUs granted to the Eligible Individual by the Company, the Grant Date and the vesting schedule of the RSUs (among other information), are hereby incorporated by reference into, and shall be read as part and parcel of, this Agreement.  

(b)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Grant Details and the Plan, RSUs shall vest and no longer subject to any restriction (such period during which restrictions apply referred to as the “RSU Restriction Period”) on the dates detailed in the Grant Details.

2.Settlement of RSUs

As soon as practicable after any RSUs have vested and are no longer subject to the RSU Restriction Period (but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter), such RSUs shall be settled.  Subject to Section 8 (pertaining to the withholding of taxes), for each RSU settled pursuant to this Section 2, the Company shall issue one Share and cause to be delivered to the Eligible Individual one or more unlegended, freely-transferable stock certificates in respect of such Shares issued upon settlement of the vested RSUs.   Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to hold the Shares issuable upon settlement of RSUs that have vested until the Company or Plan Administrator shall have received from the Eligible Individual a duly executed Form W-9 or Form W-8, as applicable, as well as such other documents as may be legally required.

 

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3.Termination of Employment

(a)In the event a Termination of Employment of the Eligible Individual occurs during the RSU Restriction Period for any reason (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), except as otherwise provided in the Plan or any written employment agreement between the Company and the Eligible Individual (an “Employment Arrangement”), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs under the Plan, if any, will terminate effective as of the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period pursuant to local law); furthermore, in the event of a Termination of Employment (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs after such Termination of Employment, if any, will be measured to the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law, unless otherwise provided in the Plan or an Employment Arrangement.  The Eligible Individual shall not be entitled by way of compensation for loss of office or otherwise howsoever to any sum or other benefit to compensate the Eligible Individual for the loss of any rights under this Agreement or the Plan.

(b)Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Eligible Individual and Company acknowledge and agree that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of any employment arrangement and the Plan, whichever term is more beneficial to the Eligible Individual between the Plan and the employment arrangement shall prevail.   In no event shall Eligible Individual be entitled to the same type of benefits under both the Plan and any employment arrangement for the same event or qualifying termination.  

(c)For purpose of this Agreement, employment with the Company shall include employment with the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.  The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any interruption or Termination of Employment, whether there existed Cause or whether there occurred a Change in Control.  

4.Recoupment

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

(a)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

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(b)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(c)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 4 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

5.Non-Transferability of the RSUs

During the RSU Restriction Period and until the RSUs are settled as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the RSUs shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise.  

6.Rights as a Stockholder

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, during the RSU Restriction Period, the Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the RSUs.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company declares and pays dividends on the Common Stock during the RSU Restriction Period, the Eligible Individual will be credited with additional amounts for each RSU equal to the dividend that would have been paid with respect to such RSU if it had been an actual share of Common Stock, which amount shall remain subject to restrictions (and as determined by the Committee may be reinvested in RSUs or may be held in kind as restricted property) and shall vest concurrently with the vesting of the RSUs upon which such dividend equivalent amounts were paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends and distributions other than regular cash dividends, if any, may result in an adjustment pursuant to Section 7 below, rather than under this Section 6.

7.Adjustment in the Event of Change in Stock; Change in Control

(a)In the event of (i) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination, or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), or (ii) a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, spinoff, reorganization, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, payment of cash dividends other than an ordinary dividend or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the number of RSUs and the number and kind of shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs.

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(b)In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation (i) the cancellation of RSUs in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such RSUs, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion, (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the  Company) for the shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of the RSUs, or the replacement of the RSUs with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary or Affiliate or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary or Affiliate following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to any RSUs that remain based upon securities of the Company).

(c)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Eligible Individuals.

8.Taxes, Fees and Withholding

(a)The Company agrees to pay any and all original issue taxes and stock transfer taxes that may be imposed on the issuance of shares received by an Eligible Individual in connection with the RSUs, together with any and all other fees and expenses necessarily incurred by the Company in connection therewith.

(b)Regardless of any action taken by the Company, its Affiliate or Subsidiary with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related withholding (“Tax-Related Items”), the Eligible Individual acknowledges that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by him or her is and remains the Eligible Individual’s responsibility and that the Company and/or its Affiliate or Subsidiary (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Award, including the grant and vesting of the RSUs, the receipt of cash or any dividends or dividend equivalents; and (ii) do not commit to structure the terms of the Award or any aspect of the RSUs to reduce or eliminate the Eligible Individual’s liability for Tax-Related Items.

(c)In the event that the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate is required to withhold any Tax-Related Items as a result of the award, vesting or exercise of the RSUs, or the receipt of cash or any dividends or dividend equivalents, the Eligible Individual shall pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate to satisfy all withholding and payment on account of obligations of the Company, Subsidiary and/or Affiliate. The obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall be conditioned on compliance by the Eligible Individual with this Section 8.  In this regard, the Eligible Individual authorizes the Company and/or its Subsidiary or Affiliate to withhold all applicable Tax-Related Items legally payable by the Eligible Individual from his or her wages or other cash compensation paid to the Eligible Individual by the Company and/or its Subsidiary or Affiliate.  The Company may, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such provisions as it may specify from time to time, withhold in Shares the amount of Shares necessary to satisfy the minimum withholding amount or arrange for the sale of such number of Shares as is necessary to pay any Tax-Related Items.  In

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connection herewith, the Eligible Individual (i) authorizes, empowers and directs the Company and the Plan Administrator (or such brokerage firm as is contracted to manage the Company’s employee equity award program, the “Broker”) to sell, at the market price and on the Exercise Date or as soon thereafter as is practicable, the number of Shares sufficient to pay the Tax-Related Items, and (ii) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Broker and the Company from and against all losses, liabilities, damages, claims and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs, arising out of carrying out such actions.  Finally, the Eligible Individual will pay to the Company any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company may be required to withhold as a result of the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan or the Eligible Individual’s award that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described.  The Company may refuse to deliver the Shares issuable upon the vesting of the award if the Eligible Individual fails to comply with his or her obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items as described in this Section.”

(d)In particular, the Eligible Individual understands and acknowledges that all income to which the Eligible Individual is entitled under this Agreement is pre-tax and the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates has the right to withhold and pay on behalf of the Eligible Individual any individual income tax in connection with such income in accordance with applicable law.  In the event the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is not required under applicable law to serve as the withholding agent to withhold and pay on behalf of the Eligible Individual such individual income tax, the Eligible Individual shall have sole responsibility to make such payment, in which case the Eligible Individual shall provide, as requested by the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates from time to time, relevant tax receipts to certify full and prompt payment.  The Eligible Individual agrees to indemnify the Company and/or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates for any liability which may arise as a result of his or her failure to pay any and all taxes associated with any income derived pursuant to the Awards.

9.Other Restrictions

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10.Nature of Award

In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been made repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Affiliate or Subsidiary and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate, and such Award is outside the scope of the Eligible Individual’s employment contract, if any;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service Awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company; and  

(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.  

11.No Advice Regarding Grant.  

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The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

12.Notices

Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing).

13.Effect of Agreement; Severability

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.   The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.  

14.Laws Applicable to Construction; Consent to Jurisdiction

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

(b)Any and all disputes arising under, as a result of or out of this Agreement, including without limitation any issues involving the construction, enforcement or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan or the Plan Prospectus, shall be determined and resolved by the Committee or its authorized delegate.  Such determination or resolution by the Committee or its authorized delegate will be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes.  

15.Conflicts; Interpretation and Correction of Errors

(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any RSUs have vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in

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good faith shall be final and binding upon the Eligible Individual, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

16.Data Privacy

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the

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Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

17.Amendment

The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of the Award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.

18.Choice of Language

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.

19.Electronic Delivery

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future Awards that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details and Appendix.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details and Appendix.  

20.Currency Exchange Risk

The Eligible Individual agrees and acknowledges that that Eligible Individual shall bear any and all risks associated with the exchange or fluctuation of currency associated with the Award, including without limitation the settlement of the Award and/or sale of the Shares (the “Currency Risk”).  Eligible Individual waives and releases the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and the Plan Administrator from any potential claims arising out of the Currency Risk.    Eligible Individual acknowledges and agrees that Eligible Individual shall with any and all exchange control requirements applicable to the Award and the sale of the Shares and any resulting funds including, without limitation, reporting or repatriation requirements.  

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21.Appendix

Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, the RSUs shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the Appendix to the Agreement.  Moreover, if Eligible Individual relocates to one of the countries included in the Appendix, the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Eligible Individual to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable in order to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan (or the Company may establish alternative terms and conditions as may be necessary or advisable to accommodate the Eligible Individual’s relocation).  The Appendix constitutes a part of this Agreement and is incorporated by reference as fully as though set forth herein.  

 

22.No Public Offer

The grant of RSUs is not intended to be a public offering of securities in the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Company has not submitted any registration statement, prospectus or other filings with the local securities authorities (unless otherwise required under local law), and the grant of RSUs is not subject to the supervision of the local securities authorities.

23.Imposition of Other Requirements

The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, on the Award of RSUs and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require the Eligible Individual to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

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APPENDIX

ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TRIPADVISOR, INC.

RSU AGREEMENT

(INTERNATIONAL)

 

Terms and Conditions

This Appendix includes special terms and conditions applicable to Eligible Individuals residing in one of the countries listed below.  These terms and conditions are in addition to or, if so indicated, in place of, the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement.  Unless otherwise provided below, capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan and/or the Agreement.  

 

Notifications

This Appendix also includes country-specific information of which Eligible Individual should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the securities, exchange control and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of March 2019. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that Eligible Individual does not rely on the information noted herein as the only source of information relating to the consequences of Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time that Eligible Individual vests in Share Awards or sells Shares acquired under the Plan.

In addition, the information is general in nature and may not apply to Eligible Individual’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure Eligible Individual of any particular result. Accordingly, Eligible Individual is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in his or her country may apply to his or her situation. Finally, please note that if Eligible Individual is a citizen or resident of a country other than the country in which he or she is currently working, or transfers employment after grant, the information contained in this Appendix may not be applicable to Eligible Individual.

European Union (“EU”)/ European Economic Area (“EEA”) Data Privacy

The following replaces Section 16 of the Agreement:

In order to offer participation in the Plan, it is necessary for the Company to collect and process certain information about Eligible Individual. Further detail about this is set out below.

Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan is voluntary. Eligible Individual may withdraw from the Plan at any time. Withdrawal from the Plan will not affect Eligible Individual’s salary as an employee or his or her employment; Eligible Individual would merely forfeit the opportunities and benefits associated with the Plan.

If Eligible Individual withdraws from the Plan, the Company will cease to use Eligible Individual’s information for the purpose of the Plan (subject to the data retention requirements set out below).

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Data Collection and Usage. The Company collects personal information about Eligible Individual for purposes of administration of the Plan, including: name, home address, telephone number and email address, date of birth, social insurance number, passport or other identification number, salary, citizenship, nationality, job title, any equity, shares of stock or directorships held in the Company and its Affiliates, details of all RSUs or any other entitlement to equity granted, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in Eligible Individual’s favor, which the Company receives from Eligible Individual or the Employer (“Eligible Individual Data”).

The Company will process and use Eligible Individual Data for the purposes of allocating stock and implementing, administering and managing the Plan. The Company’s legal basis for the processing of Eligible Individual’s Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Stock Plan Administration Service Providers. The Company currently uses Fidelity and its affiliated companies (“Fidelity”) as its service provider for the Plan. The Company shares your Eligible Individual Data with Fidelity for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Plan. Fidelity is based in the United States. In the future, the Company may select a different service provider and share Eligible Individual Data with another company that serves in a similar manner. The Company’s service provider(s) will open an account for Eligible Individual to receive and trade stock. Eligible Individual may be asked to agree to separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider(s), which is a condition to his or her participation in the Plan.

International Data Transfers. The Company and its service provider(s), including Fidelity, are based in the United States, which means that it will be necessary for Eligible Individual Data to be transferred to, and processed in, the US. Eligible Individual should note that his or her country may have enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States and which may offer different levels of protection. The legal basis for the transfer of Eligible Individual Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Data Retention. The Company will use Eligible Individual Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage his or her participation in the Plan or as may be required by the Company in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws (which will generally be no more than 7 years after the Eligible Individual ceases participating in the Plan).

Data Subject Rights. Eligible Individual has a number of rights under data privacy laws in his or her country. Depending on where Eligible Individual is based, his or her rights may include: (a) the right of access to the Eligible Individual’s personal data held by the Company, (b) the right of rectification of incorrect data, (c) the right to erasure of data, (d) the right to restriction of processing, and (e) the right to data portability.

If you have any questions about any aspect of the Plan or these terms, please contact privacy@tripadvisor.com.

Argentina

Exchange Control Notice.  Argentine currency exchange restrictions and reporting requirements may apply to the RSUs and any Shares acquired under the Plan; the relevant laws

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and regulations are subject to frequent change. Eligible Individual should consult his or her personal legal advisor to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Notice.  If Eligible Individual holds Shares as of December 31 of any year, he or she is required to report the holding of the Shares on his or her personal tax return for the relevant year.

Australia

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (a) the RSUs may not be settled in cash; and (b) the vesting of RSUs may be accelerated by the Plan Administrator only upon the death or total permanent disablement of Eligible Individual, and to the extent permitted by applicable law.

An Eligible Individual will cease to be an Eligible Individual for the purposes of the Plan and this Agreement if he or she is no longer an “Eligible Individual” as defined in the Plan, or Eligible Individual is no longer employed by any of the following: (a) Eligible Individual’s employer in the employment in respect of which Eligible Individual acquired the RSUs; (b) a holding company (within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) of Eligible Individual’s employer in the employment in respect of which Eligible Individual acquired the RSUs; (c) a subsidiary (within the meaning of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth)) of Eligible Individual’s employer in the employment in respect of which Eligible Individual acquired the RSUs; or (d) a subsidiary (within the meaning of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) of a holding company (within the meaning of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) of Eligible Individual’s employer in the employment in respect of which Eligible Individual acquired the RSUs.

Belgium

The Eligible Individual is required to report any securities (e.g., Shares) or bank accounts opened and maintained outside Belgium on his or her annual tax return.

Brazil

Nature of Grant. In accepting the grant of the RSUs, Eligible Individual agrees that he or she is making an investment decision, the Shares will be issued to Eligible Individual only if the vesting conditions are met and any necessary services are rendered by Eligible Individual over the vesting period, and the value of the underlying Shares is not fixed and may increase or decrease in value over the vesting period without compensation to Eligible Individual.

Compliance with the Law.  In accepting the grant of the RSUs, the Eligible Individual acknowledges his or her agreement to comply with applicable Brazilian laws and to pay any and all applicable tax associated with the RSUs, the sale of the Shares acquired under the Plan and the receipt of any cash dividends paid on such Shares.

Labor Law Acknowledgment. The Eligible Individual agrees, for all legal purposes, (i) the benefits provided under the Agreement and the Plan are the result of commercial transactions unrelated to the Eligible Individual’s employment; (ii) the Agreement and the Plan

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are not a part of the terms and conditions of the Employee’s employment; and (iii) the income from the RSUs, if any, is not part of the Employee’s remuneration from employment.

Exchange Control Information. If Eligible Individual is a resident or domiciled in Brazil, he or she will be required to submit an annual declaration of assets and rights held outside of Brazil to the Central Bank of Brazil if the aggregate value of such assets and rights is equal to or greater than US$100,000. Assets and rights that must be reported include Shares.

Canada

Settlement of RSUs. Notwithstanding any discretion or anything to the contrary in the Plan, the grant of the RSUs does not provide any right for Eligible Individual to receive a cash payment and the Awards will be settled in Shares only.

Taxes, Fees and Withholding. This provision supplements Section 8 of the Agreement.  Any share withholding by the Company is subject to the consent of the Eligible Individual at the time of vesting.  

Authorization to Release and Transfer Necessary Personal Information. This provision supplements Section 16 of the Agreement:

Eligible Individual hereby authorizes the Company and the Company’s representatives to discuss with and obtain all relevant information from all personnel, professional or not, involved in the administration and operation of the Plan. Eligible Individual further authorizes the Company and its Affiliates and the Committee, which administers the Plan, to disclose and discuss the Plan with their advisors. Eligible Individual further authorizes the Company and any Affiliate to record such information and to keep such information in Eligible Individual’s employee file.

Chile

Labor Law Acknowledgement. The RSUs and the Shares underlying the RSUs , and the income and value of same, shall not be considered as part of your remuneration for purposes of determining the calculation base of future indemnities, whether statutory or contractual, for years of service (severance) or in lieu of prior notice, pursuant to Article 172 of the Chilean Labor Code.Securities Law Information. This grant of Restricted Stock constitutes a private offering of securities in Chile effective as of the Grant Date. This offer of Restricted Stock is made subject to general ruling n° 336 of the Chilean Superintendence of Securities and Insurance (“SVS”). The offer refers to securities not registered at the securities registry or at the foreign securities registry of the SVS, and, therefore, such securities are not subject to oversight of the SVS. Given that the RSUs are not registered in Chile, TripAdvisor is not required to provide public information about the RSUs or the Shares in Chile. Unless the RSUs and/or the Shares are registered with the SVS, a public offering of such securities cannot be made in Chile.

Exchange Control Information. You are not required to repatriate any funds you receive with respect to the RSUs (e.g., any proceeds from the sale of any Shares issued upon vesting of the RSUs) to Chile. However, if you decide to repatriate such funds, you acknowledge that you will be required to effect such repatriation through the Formal Exchange Market (i.e., a commercial bank or registered foreign exchange office) if the amount of the funds repatriated exceeds

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US$10,000. Further, if the value of your aggregate investments held outside Chile exceeds US$5,000,000 (including Shares and any other cash proceeds acquired under the Plan) at any time in a calendar year, you must report the status of such investments to the Central Bank of Chile.You will also be required to provide certain information to the Chilean Internal Revenue Service (“CIRS”) regarding the results of investments held abroad and the taxes you have paid abroad (if you will be seeking a credit against Chilean income tax owed). This information must be submitted on certain electronic sworn statements before March 19 or June 30 of each year, depending on the assets or taxes being reported. The statements may be found at the CIRS website at www.sii.cl.You may be ineligible to receive certain foreign tax credits if you fail to meet the applicable reporting requirements. Exchange control and tax reporting requirements in Chile are subject to change, and you should consult with your personal legal and tax advisor regarding any reporting obligations that you may have in connection with the Restricted Stock.

China

Foreign Exchange Control Laws.  The following provisions shall govern the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Program if the Eligible Individual is a national of the People’s Republic of China (“China”) resident in mainland China, or if determined to be necessary or appropriate by the Company in its sole discretion:

The Eligible Individual agrees to hold the Shares received upon settlement of the RSUs with the Company’s designated broker.  Upon a Termination, the Eligible Individual shall be required to sell all Shares issued pursuant to the RSUs within 90 days (or such shorter period as may be required by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange) of the Termination date and repatriate the sales proceeds to China in the manner designated by the Company.  For purposes of the foregoing, the Company shall establish procedures for effectuating the forced sale of the Shares (including procedures whereby the Company may issue sell instructions on behalf of the Eligible Individual), and the Eligible Individual hereby agrees to comply with such procedures and take any and all actions as the Company determines, in its sole discretion, are necessary or advisable for purposes of complying with local laws, rules and regulations in China.

 

The Eligible Individual understands and agrees that the repatriation of sales proceeds may need to be effected through a special exchange control account established by the Company or its Subsidiaries, and the Eligible Individual hereby consents and agrees that sales proceeds from the sale of Shares acquired under the Program may be transferred to such account by the Company on the Eligible Individual’s behalf prior to being delivered to the Eligible Individual.  The sales proceeds may be paid to the Eligible Individual in U.S. dollars or local currency at the Company’s discretion.  If the sales proceeds are paid to the Eligible Individual in U.S. dollars, the Eligible Individual understands that the Eligible Individual will be required to set up a U.S. dollar bank account in China so that the proceeds may be deposited into this account.  If the sales proceeds are paid to the Eligible Individual in local currency, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that the Company is under no obligation to secure any particular exchange conversion rate and that the Company may face delays in converting the dividends and proceeds to local currency due to exchange control restrictions.  The Eligible Individual agrees to bear any currency fluctuation risk between the time the Shares are sold and the net proceeds are converted into local currency and distributed to the Eligible Individual.  The Eligible Individual further agrees to comply with any other requirements that may be imposed by the Company or its

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Subsidiaries in China in the future in order to facilitate compliance with exchange control requirements in China.  The Eligible Individual agrees to be subject to these restrictions even after Termination.

Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be liable for any costs, fees, lost interest or dividends or other losses the Eligible Individual may incur or suffer resulting from the enforcement of the terms of this Addendum or otherwise from the Company’s operation and enforcement of the Program, the Agreement and the Units in accordance with Chinese law including, without limitation, any applicable State Administration of Foreign Exchange rules, regulations and requirements.

Columbia

Nature of Grant.  This provision supplements the Agreement:  Eligible Individual acknowledges that pursuant to Article 128 of the Colombian Labor Code, the Plan and related benefits do not constitute a component of “salary” for any legal purpose.

Exchange Control Notice.  Prior approval from a government authority is not required to purchase and hold foreign securities or to receive an equity award.  However, if the value of foreign investments, including the value of any equity awards, equals or exceeds US $500,000 (as of December 31 of the applicable year), such investments must be registered with the Central Bank (Banco de la República). When the foreign investment is liquidated, the proceeds do not have to be repatriated to Colombia. However, if the investment was registered with the Central Bank, Eligible Individual must cancel the registration no later than March 31 of the year following the year of the liquidation or Eligible Individual will be subject to fines.

Foreign Asset / Account Reporting Notice:  Eligible Individual must file an annual informative return with the Colombian Tax Office detailing any assets held abroad. If the individual value of any of these assets exceeds a certain threshold, Eligible Individual must describe each asset and indicate the jurisdiction in which it is located, its nature and its value.

Denmark

Employer Statement:  Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has received the attached Employer Statement, translated into Danish, which sets forth additional terms of the RSUs as required by the Danish Stock Option Act, to the extent that the Danish Stock Option Act applies to the RSUs.

Foreign Asset / Account Reporting Notice:  Danish residents must submit certain forms to the Danish tax authorities:   Erklæring V must be completed in connection with the deposit of any securities (including Shares acquired under the Plan) into a bank or brokerage account outside of Denmark and Erklæring K must be completed to report the existence of any account outside of Denmark in which Shares or cash will be held. These forms are available at the website of the Danish Tax Authorities.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR EMPLOYEES IN DENMARK

EMPLOYER STATEMENT

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Pursuant to Section 3(1) of the Act on Stock Options in employment relations (the “Stock Option Act”), you are entitled to receive the following information regarding the restricted stock units granted to you by TripAdvisor, Inc. (the “Company”) under the TripAdvisor, Inc. 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan(the “Plan”) in a written statement.

This statement contains information applicable to your participation in the Plan, as required under the Stock Option Act, while the other terms and conditions of your restricted stock units (“RSUs”) are described in detail in the Plan and the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the “Agreement”), both of which have been made available to you. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the same meanings given to them in the Plan or the Agreement, as applicable.

Section 1 of the Stock Option Act provides that the Stock Option Act only applies to employees. Employees are defined in section 2 of the Stock Option Act as persons who receive remuneration for their personal services in an employment relationship. Persons, including managers, who are not regarded as employees under the Stock Option Act, will not be subject to the Stock Option Act. If you are not an employee within the meaning of the Stock Option Act, the Company therefore has no obligation to issue an employer information statement to you and you will not be able to rely on this statement for legal purposes, since only the terms and conditions set out in the Plan apply.

1.Date of grant

The date of grant of your RSUs is the date that the Board or Committee that approved a grant for you determined it would be effective, which is set forth in the Notice.

 

2.  Terms or conditions for RSU grant

The grant of RSUs under the Plan is made at the sole discretion of the Company. Employees, Non-Employee Directors and Consultants of the Company and its Affiliates, are eligible to receive grants under the Plan. The Board has broad discretion to determine who will receive RSUs and to set the terms and conditions of the RSUs. The Company may decide, in its sole discretion, not to make any grants of RSUs to you in the future. Under the terms of the Plan and the Agreement, you have no entitlement or claim to receive future grants of RSUts.

 

3.Vesting date or period

The RSUs will vest over a period of time (as set forth in the Agreement), subject to your continued employment through the applicable vesting date and other conditions set forth in the Plan and Agreement, and subject to Section 5 of this statement.

 

4.Exercise Price

No exercise price is payable upon the conversion of your RSUs into Shares in accordance with the vesting and settlement schedule described in the Agreement.

 

5.Your rights upon termination of employment

The treatment of your RSUs upon termination of employment will be determined under Sections 4 and 5 of the Stock Option Act unless the terms contained in the Plan and the Agreement are more favorable to you than Sections 4 and 5 of the Stock Option Act. If the terms

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contained in the Plan and the Agreement are more favorable to you, then such terms will govern the treatment of your RSUs upon termination of employment.

 

6.Financial aspects of participating in the Plan

The grant of RSUs has no immediate financial consequences for you. The value of the RSUs is not taken into account when calculating holiday allowances, pension contributions or other statutory consideration calculated on the basis of salary.

Shares of stock are financial instruments and investing in stock will always have financial risk. The future value of Company shares is unknown and cannot be predicted with certainty.

Germany

Exchange Control Information. Cross-border payments in excess of €12,500 must be reported monthly to the German Federal Bank (Bundesbank). In case of payments in connection with the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan or the receipt of any cash dividends, the report must be filed electronically by the 5th day of the month following the month in which the payment was received. The form of report (“Allgemeine Meldeportal Statistik”) can be accessed via the Bundesbank’s website (www.bundesbank.de) and is available in both German and English.

Hong Kong

Securities Law Notice. The Award and Shares issued upon vesting (if any) do not constitute a public offering of securities under Hong Kong law and are available only to Eligible Individuals of the Company, its Affiliates and Subsidiaries. The Agreement, including this Appendix, the Plan and other incidental communication materials have not been prepared in accordance with and are not intended to constitute a “prospectus” for a public offering of securities under the applicable securities legislation in Hong Kong. Nor have the documents been reviewed by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong. The Award is intended only for the personal use of each Eligible Individual of the Company, its Affiliates or its Subsidiaries and may not be distributed to any other person. If Eligible Individual is in any doubt about any of the contents of the Agreement, including this Appendix, or the Plan, Eligible Individual should obtain independent professional advice.

Vesting of Stock Awards and Sale of Shares. In the event the Eligible Individual’s Awards vest and Shares are issued to the Eligible Individual within six months of the date of grant, the Eligible Individual agrees that he or she will not dispose of any of such Shares prior to the six-month anniversary of the date of grant.

Nature of the Plan.  The Company specifically intends that the Plan will not be tread as an occupational retirement scheme for purposes of the Occupational Retirement Scheme Ordinance (“ORSO”).  To the extent that any court, tribunal or legal/regulatory body in Hong Kong determines that the Plan constitutes an occupational retirement scheme for the purpose of ORSO, the grant of RSUs shall be null and void.

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Iceland

This offer is being made to employees as part of an employee incentive programme in order to provide an additional incentive and to encourage employee share ownership and to increase your interest in the success of TripAdvisor, Inc., its Subsidiaries and Affiliates.  The company offering these rights is TripAdvisor, Inc. The shares which are the subject of these rights are existing shares of Common Stock of TripAdvisor, Inc. More information in relation to TripAdvisor, Inc.,  including the share price can be found at the following web address: http://ir.tripadvisor.com/investor-relations.

 

India

 

Tax Information. The amount subject to tax at vesting may be dependent upon a valuation of Shares from a Merchant Banker in India. The Company has no responsibility or obligation to obtain the most favorable valuation possible nor obtain valuations more frequently than required under Indian tax law.

Exchange Control Obligations. Eligible Individual understands that he or she must repatriate any proceeds from the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan and any dividends received in relation to the Shares to India in accordance with local foreign exchange rules and regulations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be liable for any fines or penalties resulting from the Employee’s failure to comply with applicable laws.

Ireland

Director Notification Obligation. Directors, shadow directors and secretaries of the Company’s Irish Affiliates are subject to certain notification requirements under the Irish Companies Act. Directors, shadow directors and secretaries must notify the Irish Affiliates in writing of their interest in the Company (e.g., RSUs, Shares, etc.) and the number and class of shares or rights to which the interest relates within five days of the acquisition or disposal of shares or within five days of becoming aware of the event giving rise to the notification. This disclosure requirement also applies to any rights or shares acquired by the director’s spouse or children (under the age of 18).

Italy

Data Privacy.  This provision replaces in its entirety the “Data Privacy” section of the Award Agreement:

Data Privacy. The Eligible Individual understands that the Employer and/or the Company may hold certain personal information about the Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social security number (or any other social or national identification number), salary, nationality, job title, number of Shares held and the details of any RSUs or any other entitlement to Stock awarded, cancelled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding (the

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“Data”) for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. The Eligible Individual is aware that providing the Company with the Eligible Individual’s Data is necessary for the performance of the Award Agreement and that the Eligible Individual’s refusal to provide such Data would make it impossible for the Company to perform its contractual obligations and may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.

The Controller of personal Data processing is TripAdvisor, Inc., 400 1^st Avenue, Needham, MA 02494, U.S.A., and, pursuant to D.lgs 196/2003, its representative in Italy is TripAdvisor Italy, S.r.l., with its registered offices at Corso Garibaldi, n 86 6th Floor, 20121 Milan MI
Italy.  The Eligible Individual understands that Data may be transferred to the Company or its Affiliates, or to any third parties assisting with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan, including any transfer required to Fidelity Stock Plan Services, LLC or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company, or any other third party with whom cash from the sale of Shares acquired under the Plan may be deposited. Furthermore, the recipients that may receive, possess, use, retain and transfer such Data for the above mentioned purposes may be located in Italy or elsewhere, including outside of the European Union, and the recipients’ country (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections from the Eligible Individual’s country. The processing activity, including the transfer of the Eligible Individual’s Data abroad, outside of the European Union, as herein specified and pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, does not require the Eligible Individual’s consent thereto as the processing is necessary for the performance of contractual obligations related to the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. The Eligible Individual understands that Data processing relating to the purposes above specified shall take place under automated or non-automated conditions, anonymously when possible, that comply with the purposes for which Data is collected and with confidentiality and security provisions as set forth by applicable laws and regulations, with specific reference to D.lgs. 196/2003.

The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be held only as long as is required by law or as necessary to implement, administer and manage the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. The Eligible Individual understands that pursuant to art.7 of D.lgs 196/2003, the Eligible Individual has the right, including but not limited to, access, delete, update, request the rectification of the Eligible Individual’s Data and cease, for legitimate reasons, Data processing. Furthermore, the Eligible Individual is aware that the Eligible Individual’s Data will not be used for direct marketing purposes. In addition, Data provided can be reviewed and questions or complaints can be addressed by contacting the Eligible Individuals local human representative.

Grant Terms Acknowledgment. By accepting the RSUs, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that the Eligible Individual has received a copy of the Plan and the Award Agreement, including this Appendix, in their entirety and fully understands and accepts all the provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement. The Eligible Individual further acknowledges having read and specifically approves the following sections of the Award Agreement: Vesting, Issuance of Stock, Termination of Employment, Tax Withholding, Nature of Grant, Governing

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Law and Venue and Imposition of Other Requirements, and the Data Privacy section in this Appendix.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. If the Eligible Individual holds investments abroad or foreign financial assets (e.g., cash, Shares, RSUs) that may generate income taxable in Italy, The Eligible Individual is required to report them on his or her annual tax returns (UNICO Form, RW Schedule) or on a special form if no tax return is due, irrespective of their value. The same reporting duties apply to the Eligible Individual if the Eligible Individual is a beneficial owner of the investments, even if the Eligible Individual does not directly hold investments abroad or foreign assets.

Foreign Asset Tax.  The value of the financial assets held outside of Italy by individuals resident of Italy is subject to a foreign asset tax. The taxable amount will be the fair market value of the financial assets (e.g., Shares) assessed at the end of the calendar year.

Japan

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. The Eligible Individual will be required to report details of any assets held outside of Japan as of December 31 (including Shares acquired under the Plan), to the extent such assets have a total net fair market value exceeding ¥50 million. Such report will be due by March 15 each year. The Eligible Individual should consult with his or her personal tax advisor as to whether the reporting obligation applies to the Eligible Individual and whether the Eligible Individual will be required to report details of his or her outstanding RSUs, as well as Shares, in the report.

Korea

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Notice.  Eligible Individual must declare all of his or her foreign financial accounts (i.e., non-Korean bank accounts, brokerage accounts, etc.) to the Korean tax authorities and file a report with respect to such accounts if the value of such accounts exceeds KRW 1 billion (or an equivalent amount in foreign currency) on any month-end date during the year.

Mexico

Labor Law Policy and Acknowledgment.  By accepting the RSUs, Eligible Individual expressly recognizes that TripAdvisor, Inc., with registered offices at 400 1^st Avenue, Needham, MA 02494 U.S.A., is solely responsible for the administration of the Plan and that Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan and acquisition of Shares do not constitute an employment relationship between Eligible Individual and the Company since Eligible Individual is participating in the Plan on a wholly commercial basis and Eligible Individual’s sole Employer is [TripAdvisor Mexico entity or employer] (“TripAdvisor -Mexico”). Based on the foregoing, Eligible Individual expressly recognizes that the Plan and the benefits that Eligible Individual may derive from his or her participation in the Plan do not establish any rights between Eligible Individual and TripAdvisor-Mexico, and do not form part of the employment conditions and/or benefits provided by TripAdvisor-Mexico and any modification of the Plan or its termination

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shall not constitute a change or impairment of the terms and conditions of Eligible Individual’s employment.

Eligible Individual further understands that his or her participation in the Plan is a result of a unilateral and discretionary decision of the Company; therefore, the Company reserves the absolute right to amend and/or discontinue Eligible Individual’s participation at any time without any liability to Eligible Individual.

Finally, Eligible Individual hereby declares that he or she does not reserve any action or right to bring any claim against the Company for any compensation or damages regarding any provision of the Plan or the benefits derived under the Plan, and Eligible Individual therefore grants a full and broad release to the Company, its Affiliates, branches, representation offices, its shareholders, officers, agents or legal representatives with respect to any claim that may arise.

Plan Document Acknowledgment.  By accepting the RSUs, Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of the Plan, has reviewed the Plan and the Agreement in their entirety and fully understands and accepts all provisions of the Plan and the Agreement. In addition, by accepting the RSUs, Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has read and specifically and expressly approves the terms and conditions of the Agreement (“Nature of Award”), in which the following is clearly described and established: (i) participation in the Plan does not constitute an acquired right; (ii) the Plan and participation in the Plan is offered by the Company on a wholly discretionary basis; (iii) participation in the Plan is voluntary; and (iv) neither the Company, the Employer nor any Affiliate is responsible for any decrease in the value of the Shares underlying the RSUs.

Netherlands

There are no country-specific provisions.

Portugal

Language Consent.  The Eligible Individual hereby express declares that he or she has full knowledge of the English language and has read, understood and fully accepted and agreed with the terms and conditions established in the Plan and the Agreement.

Consentimento linguístico.  Pela presente, O indivíduo elegível por este meio expressa declara que ele ou ela tem pleno conhecimento da língua inglesa e tem lido, compreendido e plenamente aceito e acordado com os termos e condições estabelecidos no plano e no acordo.

Exchange Control Notification.  If the Eligible Individual holds Shares issued upon settlement of the RSUs, the acquisition of Shares would be reported to the Banco de Portugal for statistical purposes.  If the Shares are deposited with a commercial bank or financial intermediary in Portugal, such bank or financial intermediary will submit the report on Eligible Individual’s behalf.  If the Shares are not deposited with a commercial bank or financial intermediary in Portugal, the Eligible Individual is responsible for submitting the report to the Banco de Portugal.

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Singapore

Securities Law Notice. The grant of this Award is made in reliance on section 273(1)(f) of the Securities and Futures Act (Cap. 289) (“SFA”) for which it is exempt from the prospectus and registration requirements under the SFA.

Director Notification Obligation. If Eligible Individual is a director, associate director or shadow director (i.e., a non-director who has sufficient control so that the directors act in accordance with the directions and instructions of this individual) of the Company’s local entity in Singapore, he or she is subject to notification requirements under the Singapore Companies Act. Some of these notification requirements will be triggered by Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan. Specifically, Eligible Individual is required to notify the local Singapore company when he or she acquires or disposes an interest in the Company, including when Eligible Individual receives Shares upon vesting of this Award and when Eligible Individual sells these Shares. The notification must be in writing and must be made within two days of acquiring or disposing of any interest in the Company (or within two days of initially becoming a director, associate director or shadow director of the Company’s local entity in Singapore). If Eligible Individual is unclear as to whether he or she is a director, associate director or shadow director of the Company’s local entity in Singapore or the form of the notification, he or she should consult with his or her personal legal advisor.

Spain

Nature of Grant. This provision supplements the “Nature of Award” section of the Award Agreement:

In accepting the RSUs, the Eligible Individual consents to participation in the Plan and acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of the Plan.

Further, the Eligible Individual understands that the Company has unilaterally, gratuitously and in its sole discretion decided to grant RSUs under the Plan to individuals who may be employees of the Company or its Affiliates throughout the world. The decision is a limited decision that is entered into upon the express assumption and condition that any Award will not economically or otherwise bind the Company or any of its Affiliates on an ongoing basis. Consequently, the Eligible Individual understands that the Award is granted on the assumption and condition that the RSUs or the Shares acquired upon settlement shall not become a part of any employment contract (either with the Company or any of its Affiliates) and shall not be considered a mandatory benefit, salary for any purposes (including severance compensation) or any other right whatsoever. In addition, the Eligible Individual understands that this Award would not be made to the Eligible Individual but for the assumptions and conditions referred to above; thus, the Eligible Individual acknowledges and freely accepts that should any or all of the assumptions be mistaken or should any of the conditions not be met for any reason, then any Award shall be null and void.

The Eligible Individual also understands and agrees that, as a condition of the grant and vesting of the RSUs, the termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment for any reason (including the reasons listed below), the RSUs will cease vesting immediately, effective on the

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date of the Eligible Individual’s termination of employment. This will be the case, for example, even in the event of a termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by reason of, but not limited to, resignation, retirement, disciplinary dismissal adjudged to be with cause, disciplinary dismissal adjudged or recognized to be without cause, individual or collective dismissal on objective grounds, whether adjudged or recognized to be with or without cause, material modification of the terms of employment under Article 41 of the Workers’ Statute, relocation under Article 40 of the Workers’ Statute, Article 50 of the Workers’ Statute, unilateral withdrawal by the Employer and under Article 10.3 of the Royal Decree 1382/1985. The Eligible Individual acknowledges that he or she has read and specifically accepts the conditions referred to in the “Termination of Employment” and “Nature of Award” sections of the Award Agreement.  “Cause” shall be as defined in the Agreement, regardless of whether the termination is considered a fair termination (i.e. despido procedente”) under Spanish legislation.

Securities Law Information. The grant of the RSUs and the Shares issued pursuant to the vesting of the RSUs are considered a private placement outside of the scope of Spanish laws on public offerings and issuances of securities.

Exchange Control Information. To participate in the Plan, the Eligible Individual must comply with exchange control regulations in Spain. The acquisition of Shares upon vesting of the RSUs and the sale of Shares must be declared on Form D-6, for statistical purposes, to the Dirección General de Comercio e Inversiones (the “DGCI”) of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. Generally, the D-6 form must be filed each January while the shares are owned or to report the sale of Shares.

Whenever receiving foreign currency payments derived from the ownership of Stock (i.e., cash dividends or sale proceeds) exceeding €50,000, the Eligible Individual must inform the financial institution receiving the payment of the basis upon which such payment is made. the Eligible Individual will need to provide the institution with the following information: (i) the Eligible Individual’s name, address, and fiscal identification number; (ii) the name and corporate domicile of the Company; (iii) the amount of the payment; (iv) the currency used; (v) the country of origin; (vi) the reasons for the payment; and (vii) any further information that may be required.

Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Information. To the extent that the Eligible Individual holds rights or assets (e.g., Shares or cash held in a bank or brokerage account) outside of Spain with a value in excess of €50,000 per type of right or asset (e.g., Shares, cash, etc.) as of December 31 each year, the Eligible Individual will be required to report information on such rights and assets on his or her tax return for such year. After such rights and assets are initially reported, the reporting obligation will only apply for subsequent years if the value of any previously-reported rights or assets increases by more than €20,000. The reporting must be completed by March 31 following the end of the relevant year. It is the Eligible Individual’s responsibility to comply with these reporting obligations, and the Eligible Individual should consult with his or her personal tax and legal advisors in this regard.

In addition, the Eligible Individual is required to electronically declare to the Bank of Spain any securities accounts (including brokerage accounts held abroad), as well as the

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securities (including Shares acquired under the Plan) held in such accounts if the value of the transactions for all such accounts during the prior tax year or the balances in such accounts as of December 31 of the prior tax year exceeds €1,000,000.

Sweden

There are no country-specific provisions.

Switzerland

Securities Law Information. The Award is considered a private offering in Switzerland and is therefore not subject to registration.  Neither this document nor any other materials relating to the RSUs (a)  constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article 652a of the Swiss Code of Obligations, (b) may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland, or (c) has been or will be filed with, approved or supervised by any Swiss regulatory authority (in particular, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)).

United Arab Emirates

Securities Law Notice.  The Plan is only being offered to qualified employees and is in the nature of providing equity incentives to employees of the Company’s Subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates. The Plan and the Agreement are intended for distribution only to such employees and must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. Eligible Individual should conduct his or her own due diligence on the RSUs offered pursuant to this Agreement. If Eligible Individual does not understand the contents of the Plan and/or the Agreement, he or she should consult an authorized financial adviser. The Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority and the Dubai Financial Services Authority have no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with the Plan. Further, the Ministry of the Economy and the Dubai Department of Economic Development have not approved the Plan or the Agreement nor taken steps to verify the information set out therein, and have no responsibility for such documents.

United Kingdom

Settlement of Stock Awards. Notwithstanding any discretion or anything to the contrary in the Plan, the grant of the Award does not provide any right for Eligible Individual to receive a cash payment and the Awards will be settled in Shares only.

Tax and National Insurance Contributions Acknowledgment. The following provision supplements Section 8 of the Agreement:

Eligible Individual agrees that if Eligible Individual does not pay or the Employer or the Company does not withhold from Eligible Individual the full amount of Tax-Related Items that Eligible Individual owes in connection with the vesting of the Stock Award and/or the acquisition of Shares pursuant to the vesting of the Stock Award, or the release or assignment of the Stock Award for consideration, or the receipt of any other benefit in connection with the

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Award (the “Taxable Event”) within ninety (90) days after the Taxable Event, or such other period specified in Section 222(1)(c) of the U.K. Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, then the amount that should have been withheld shall constitute a loan owed by Eligible Individual to the Employer, effective ninety (90) days after the Taxable Event. Eligible Individual agrees that the loan will bear interest at the official rate of HM Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) and will be immediately due and repayable by Eligible Individual, and the Company and/or the Employer may recover it at any time thereafter by withholding the funds from salary, bonus or any other funds due to Eligible Individual by the Employer, by withholding in Shares issued upon vesting of the Award or from the cash proceeds from the sale of such Shares or by demanding cash or a cheque from Eligible Individual. Eligible Individual also authorizes the Company to withhold the transfer of any Shares unless and until the loan is repaid in full.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Eligible Individual is an officer or executive director (as within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), the terms of the immediately foregoing provision will not apply. In the event that Eligible Individual is an officer or executive director and Tax-Related Items are not collected from or paid by Eligible Individual within ninety (90) days of the Taxable Event, the amount of any uncollected Tax-Related Items may constitute a benefit to Eligible Individual on which additional income tax and National Insurance contributions may be payable. Eligible Individual will be responsible for reporting any income tax and National Insurance contributions due on this additional benefit directly to HMRC under the self-assessment regime.

 

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Exhibit 10.5

TRIPADVISOR, INC. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(French)

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the Grant Date (as defined herein), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a U.S. Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of restricted stock units qualified for favorable income tax and social security treatment in France as set out in Article 135 of the Macron Law (“Qualified RSUs”) to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company (in either case, the “Plan”) or the French Schedule attached hereto.

1.Award and Vesting of Qualified RSUs

(a)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Details, the Company hereby grants Qualified RSUs to the Eligible Individual.  Reference is made to the “Grant Details” that can be found on the equity plan website of the current professional selected by the Company to administer the Plan (the “Plan Administrator”), currently located at www.netbenefits.fidelity.com (or any successor equity administration system selected by the Company to manage the Plan from time to time).  The Grant Details, which set forth the number of Qualified RSUs granted to the Eligible Individual by the Company, the Grant Date and the vesting schedule of the Qualified RSUs (among other information), are hereby incorporated by reference into, and shall be read as part and parcel of, this Agreement.  

(b)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Grant Details and the Plan, the Qualified RSUs shall vest and no longer subject to any restriction (such period during which restrictions apply  referred to as the “RSU Restriction Period”) on the dates detailed in the Grant Details.

2.Settlement of Qualified RSUs

As soon as practicable after any Qualified RSUs have vested and are no longer subject to any restrictions (but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter), the Company will arrange for the transfer or issue to, or to the order of, the Eligible Individual, of the number of Shares in respect of which the Qualified RSUs have Vested.  The Shares issued or transferred shall be recorded in the name of the Eligible Individual in an account controlled by the Company or Broker, or in such other manner as the Company or the empowered corporate body may otherwise determine, to ensure compliance with applicable restrictions provided under French law.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall be entitled to hold the Shares issuable upon settlement of Qualified RSUs that have vested until the Company or Plan Administrator has received from the Eligible Individual a duly executed Form W-9 or Form W-8, as applicable, as well as such other documents as may be legally required.

 

 

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3.Termination of Employment

(a)In the event a Termination of Employment of the Eligible Individual occurs during the RSU Restriction Period for any reason (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), except as otherwise provided in the Plan or any written employment agreement between the Company and the Eligible Individual (an “Employment Arrangement”), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs under the Plan, if any, will terminate effective as of the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law (e.g., active employment would not include a period of “garden leave” or similar period pursuant to local law); furthermore, in the event of a Termination of Employment (whether or not in breach of local labor laws), the Eligible Individual’s right to receive the RSUs after such Termination of Employment, if any, will be measured to the date of the Termination of Employment and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under local law, unless otherwise provided in the Plan or an Employment Arrangement.  The Eligible Individual shall not be entitled by way of compensation for loss of office or otherwise howsoever to any sum or other benefit to compensate the Eligible Individual for the loss of any rights under this Agreement or the Plan.

(c)For purpose of this Agreement, employment with the Company shall include employment with the Company’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates.  The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any interruption or Termination of Employment, whether there existed Cause or whether there occurred a Change in Control.  

4.Recoupment

Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

(1)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

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(2)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(3)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 4 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

5.French Qualified RSUs

(a)The following additional terms and conditions are also applicable to Awards of Qualified RSUs granted pursuant to this Agreement and the French Schedule attached hereto.

(b)For purposes of this Agreement, Eligible Individuals are officers or employees of the Company or a company in which the Company owns directly or indirectly at least 10% of the equity or voting rights, who are located in France.  Eligible Individuals are selected by their employer and approved by the Company or the empowered corporate body.  No Qualified RSU Unit can be granted to an Eligible Individual who:

Any Eligible Individual who, on the Grant Date of a Qualified RSU, and to the extent required under French law, is employed under the terms and conditions of an employment contract (“contrat de travail”) by a French entity or who is a corporate officer of a French entity, shall be eligible to receive, at the discretion of the Company or the empowered corporate body, Qualified RSUs under the Plan as adjusted to meet the requirements of the French Code de commerce.

(c)Vesting will take place on the dates outlined in the Grant Details and will be subject to the Plan, the Agreement, this Appendix and the Eligible Individual’s continuous employment.  The awards will Vest over a four year period, Vesting 25% each year.  Notwithstanding any other rule of the Plan, the Agreement or the Schedule:

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(d)In relation to the first 25% of the Award which Vests after one year, there will be a Holding Period, so that a minimum two-year period is observed between the Grant Date and the end of the compulsory Holding Period.  The Holding Period shall therefore mean the period of at least one year following Vesting during which the Shares cannot be sold or transferred by Eligible Individuals.  This Holding Period applies even if the Eligible Individual is no longer an employee or corporate officer of the Company.  Shares transferred to Eligible Individuals holding the duties of chairman of the board, general manager, deputy general manager, member of the directory board, or manager (respectively président du conseil d’administration, directeur général, directeur général délégué, membre du directoire or gérant) of the Company or any Affiliate or Subsidiary shall not be sold or transferred before termination of the Eligible Individuals’ executive duties.  Alternatively, the Company or the empowered corporate body may decide that a fraction of the Shares transferred to Eligible Individuals holding the duties of chairman of the board, general manager, deputy general manager, member of the directory board, or manager (respectively président du conseil d’administration, directeur général, directeur général délégué, membre du directoire or gérant) of the Company Affiliate or Subsidiary will be in a registered form and will not be available for sale or transfer before termination of the Eligible Individuals’ executive duties.  

(e)The award price of a Qualified RSU cannot exceed 5% of the nominal value of the Share.

6.Non-Transferability of the Qualified RSUs

During the RSU Restriction Period and until the Qualified RSUs are settled as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the Qualified RSUs shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise, except in the event of death or disability (as defined under the second or third category of Article L.341-4 of the French Code de la sécurité sociale).  

Shares also cannot be sold or transferred during the Closed Period.

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7.Rights as a Stockholder

An Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any dividends (or other distributions) and shall have no right to vote in respect of the Shares subject to Awards of Qualified RSUs under the French Schedule until the Shares have vested. After Vesting and during the Holding Period, the Eligible Individual shall be entitled to the dividends, distributions or other rights attached to his Vested Shares as they arise.

8.Adjustment in the Event of Change in Stock; Change in Control

On the occurrence of one of the events specified under Article L.225-181 of the French Code de commerce, the Company or the empowered corporate body may make such adjustments as it considers appropriate to restore the value of the Qualified RSUs.  An adjustment made under this rule shall only be permissible to the extent that it is intended to, and that its sole effect is to, restore the value of the Qualified RSUs and it is made in compliance with the rules set out in the French Code de commerce.

9.Taxes, Fees and Withholding

(a)The Company agrees to pay any and all original issue taxes and stock transfer taxes that may be imposed on the issuance of shares received by an Eligible Individual in connection with the Qualified RSUs, together with any and all other fees and expenses necessarily incurred by the Company in connection therewith.

(b)Regardless of any action taken by the Company, its Affiliate or Subsidiary with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related withholding (“Tax-Related Items”), the Eligible Individual acknowledges that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by him or her is and remains the Eligible Individual’s responsibility and that the Company and/or its Affiliate or Subsidiary (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Award, including the grant and vesting of the Qualified RSUs, the receipt of cash or any dividends or dividend equivalents; and (ii) do not commit to structure the terms of the Award or any aspect of the Qualified RSUs to reduce or eliminate the Eligible Individual’s liability for Tax-Related Items.

(c)In the event that the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate is required to withhold any Tax-Related Items as a result of the Award, vesting or exercise of the Qualified RSUs, or the receipt of cash or any dividends or dividend equivalents, the Eligible Individual shall pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate to satisfy all withholding and payment on account of obligations of the Company, Subsidiary and/or Affiliate. The obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall be conditioned on compliance by the Eligible Individual with this Section 9.  In this regard, the Eligible Individual authorizes the Company and/or its Subsidiary or Affiliate to withhold all applicable Tax-Related Items legally payable by the Eligible Individual from his or her wages or other cash compensation paid to the Eligible Individual by the Company and/or its Subsidiary or Affiliate.  The Company may, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such provisions as it may specify from time to time, withhold in Shares the amount of Shares necessary to satisfy the minimum withholding amount or arrange

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for the sale of such number of Shares as is necessary to pay any Tax-Related Items.  In connection herewith, the Eligible Individual (i) authorizes, empowers and directs the Company and the Plan Administrator (or such brokerage firm as is contracted to manage the Company’s employee equity award program, the ‘Broker’) to sell, at the market price and on the Exercise Date or as soon thereafter as is practicable, the number of Shares sufficient to pay the Tax-Related Items, and (ii) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Broker and the Company from and against all losses, liabilities, damages, claims and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs, arising out of carrying out such actions.  Finally, the Eligible Individual will pay to the Company any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company may be required to withhold as a result of the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan or the Eligible Individual’s Award that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described.  The Company may refuse to deliver the Shares issuable upon the vesting of the Award if the Eligible Individual fails to comply with his or her obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items as described in this Section.

(d)In particular, the Eligible Individual understands and acknowledges that all income to which the Eligible Individual is entitled under this Agreement is pre-tax and the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates has the right to withhold and pay on behalf of the Eligible Individual any individual income tax in connection with such income in accordance with applicable law.  In the event the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is not required under applicable law to serve as the withholding agent to withhold and pay on behalf of the Eligible Individual such individual income tax, the Eligible Individual shall have sole responsibility to make such payment, in which case the Eligible Individual shall provide, as requested by the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates from time to time, relevant tax receipts to certify full and prompt payment.  The Eligible Individual agrees to indemnify the Company and/or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates for any liability which may arise as a result of his or her failure to pay any and all taxes associated with any income derived pursuant to the Awards.

10.Other Restrictions

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11.Nature of Award

In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company , it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been made repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Affiliate or Subsidiary and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate, and such Award is outside the scope of the Eligible Individual’s employment contract, if any;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service Awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company; and  

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(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.  

12.No Advice Regarding Grant.  

The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

13.Notices

Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing).  .

14.Effect of Agreement; Severability

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.   The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.  

15.Laws Applicable to Construction; Consent to Jurisdiction

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Qualified RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

(b)Any and all disputes arising under, as a result of  or out of this Agreement, including without limitation any issues involving the construction, enforcement or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan or the Plan Prospectus shall be determined and resolved by the Committee or its authorized delegate. Such determination or resolution by the Committee or its authorized delegate will be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes.

16.Conflicts; Interpretation and Correction of Errors

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(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Qualified RSUs have vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Eligible Individual, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)It is intended that the Qualified RSUs shall qualify for the special tax and social security treatment applicable to free shares granted under sections L. 225-197-1 to L.225-197-6 of the French Code de commerce (which came into force after the implementation of the Macron Law on August 7, 2015) and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by the French tax and social security laws. The terms of the Award shall be interpreted accordingly and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by French tax and social security laws, as well as the relevant administrative guidelines and subject to the fulfilment of any legal, tax and reporting obligations, if applicable.

(d)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

17.Data Privacy

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

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(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

18.Amendment

The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of the Award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.

19.Currency Risk

The Eligible Individual agrees and acknowledges that that Eligible Individual shall bear any and all risks associated with the exchange or fluctuation of currency associated with the Award, including without limitation the settlement of the Award and/or sale of the Shares (the “Currency Risk”).  Eligible Individual waives and releases the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and the Plan Administrator from any potential claims arising out of the Currency Risk.    Eligible Individual acknowledges and agrees that Eligible Individual shall with any and all exchange control requirements applicable to the Award and the sale of the Shares and any resulting funds including, without limitation, reporting or repatriation requirements.  

20.Electronic Delivery

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future Awards that may be awarded under the Plan by

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electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details and Schedule.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details and Schedule.  

21.Schedule

Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, the Qualified RSUs shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the French Schedule to the Agreement.  The Schedule constitutes a part of this Agreement.  

22.Choice of Language

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.  If necessary, an Eligible Individual may request translated versions in their mother tongue.  

23.No Public Offer

The grant of RSUs is not intended to be a public offering of securities in the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Company has not submitted any registration statement, prospectus or other filings with the local securities authorities (unless otherwise required under local law), and the grant of RSUs is not subject to the supervision of the local securities authorities.

24.Imposition of Other Requirements

The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, on the Award of RSUs and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require the Eligible Individual to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

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ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TRIPADVISOR, INC.

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(FRANCE)

FRENCH SCHEDULE

Terms and Conditions

This French Schedule includes special terms and conditions applicable to Eligible Individuals residing in France.  These terms and conditions are in addition to, or if so indicated, in place of, the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement and the Appendix.  

The purpose of this French Schedule is to make certain variations to the terms of the Agreement and the Appendix, in order to satisfy French securities laws, exchange control, corporate law and tax requirements (especially the provisions of L. 225-197-1 et seq. of the French Code de commerce) to qualify Awards of Restricted Stock Units for favourable income tax and social security treatment in France as set out in Article 135 of the Macron Law (loi n° 2015-990 du 6 août 2015 pour la croissance, l'activité et l'égalité des chances économiques) (“Qualified Restricted Stock Units”).  

The rules of the Agreement and the Appendix shall apply, subject to the modifications contained in this French Schedule, whenever the Company or the empowered corporate body decides to grant Qualified Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Employees under this French Schedule.  This French Schedule shall only apply to Qualified Restricted Stock Units granted as conditional rights to acquire Shares.

If for any reason an Award does not satisfy the requirements of the French tax authorities for favourable income tax and social security treatment (to qualify as a Qualified Restricted Stock Unit), then the Company or the empowered corporate body can take such actions, including changing the Vesting Period and/or the Holding Period (both as defined below) as it considers reasonably necessary to achieve such treatment.

This French Schedule will be approved by the Committee (as the empowered foreign corporate body) on April 24, 2019, as required by the French tax authorities.

Definitions

Unless provided otherwise or unless the context requires otherwise, capitalized terms used but not defined in this French Schedule shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan, the Agreement and/or the Appendix.  

The terms of a “Restricted Stock Unit” under this French Schedule shall be on similar terms to the equivalent “Restricted Stock Unit” under the Agreement, except to the extent that this French Schedule provides to the contrary.

For the purposes of this French Schedule only, the following additional definitions shall

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be used:

(a) “Closed Period” will have the meaning defined in Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Code de commerce, being:

(c)“Holding Period” means the period (applicable under Article L. 225-197-1 of the French Code de commerce) following the relevant Vesting date of an Award during which the Vested Shares shall either be held by the Eligible Individual or by the Broker subject only to a restriction on sale, transfer or other disposal of such Vested Shares, provided that if the Vested Shares are to be held by the Eligible Individual he shall be required to enter into an agreement (a “Holding Agreement”) with the Company, whereby he agrees not to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Shares prior to the end of the Holding Period.

(d)“Broker” means such person or persons designated by the Company or the empowered corporate body to hold Vested Shares as nominee on behalf of an Eligible Individual during the Holding Period.

(e)“Vesting” in relation to Qualified Restricted Stock Units, means an Eligible Individual becoming entitled to have the Shares transferred to him subject to the Plan, and the terms “Vest” and “Vested” shall be construed accordingly.

(f)“Vesting Period” means the period from the Grant Date to the date of Vesting of an Award, such period lasting at least one year.  

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Notifications

This Schedule also includes country-specific information of which Eligible Individual should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the securities, exchange control and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of March 2019. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that Eligible Individual does not rely on the information noted herein as the only source of information relating to the consequences of Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time that Eligible Individual vests in Share Awards or sells Shares acquired under the Plan.

In addition, the information is general in nature and may not apply to Eligible Individual’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure Eligible Individual of any particular result. Accordingly, Eligible Individual is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in his or her country may apply to his or her situation. Finally, please note that if Eligible Individual is a citizen or resident of a country other than the country in which he or she is currently working, or transfers employment after grant, the information contained in this Schedule may not be applicable to Eligible Individual.

European Union (“EU”)/ European Economic Area (“EEA”) Data Privacy

The following replaces Section 16 of the Agreement:

In order to offer participation in the Plan, it is necessary for the Company to collect and process certain information about Eligible Individual. Further detail about this is set out below.

Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan is voluntary. Eligible Individual may withdraw from the Plan at any time. Withdrawal from the Plan will not affect Eligible Individual’s salary as an employee or his or her employment; Eligible Individual would merely forfeit the opportunities and benefits associated with the Plan.

If Eligible Individual withdraws from the Plan, the Company will cease to use Eligible Individual’s information for the purpose of the Plan (subject to the data retention requirements set out below).

Data Collection and Usage. The Company collects personal information about Eligible Individual for purposes of administration of the Plan, including: name, home address, telephone number and email address, date of birth, social insurance number, passport or other identification number, salary, citizenship, nationality, job title, any equity, shares of stock or directorships held in the Company and its Affiliates, details of all RSUs or any other entitlement to equity granted, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in Eligible Individual’s favor, which the Company receives from Eligible Individual or the Employer (“Eligible Individual Data”).

The Company will process and use Eligible Individual Data for the purposes of allocating stock and implementing, administering and managing the Plan. The Company’s legal basis for the processing of Eligible Individual’s Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

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Stock Plan Administration Service Providers. The Company currently uses Fidelity and its affiliated companies (“Fidelity”) as its service provider for the Plan. The Company shares your Eligible Individual Data with Fidelity for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Plan. Fidelity is based in the United States. In the future, the Company may select a different service provider and share Eligible Individual Data with another company that serves in a similar manner. The Company’s service provider(s) will open an account for Eligible Individual to receive and trade stock. Eligible Individual may be asked to agree to separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider(s), which is a condition to his or her participation in the Plan.

International Data Transfers. The Company and its service provider(s), including Fidelity, are based in the United States, which means that it will be necessary for Eligible Individual Data to be transferred to, and processed in, the US. Eligible Individual should note that his or her country may have enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States and which may offer different levels of protection. The legal basis for the transfer of Eligible Individual Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Data Retention. The Company will use Eligible Individual Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage his or her participation in the Plan or as may be required by the Company in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws (which will generally be no more than 7 years after the Eligible Individual ceases participating in the Plan).

Data Subject Rights. Eligible Individual has a number of rights under data privacy laws in his or her country. Depending on where Eligible Individual is based, his or her rights may include: (a) the right of access to the Eligible Individual’s personal data held by the Company, (b) the right of rectification of incorrect data, (c) the right to erasure of data, (d) the right to restriction of processing, and (e) the right to data portability.

If you have any questions about any aspect of the Plan or these terms, please contact privacy@tripadvisor.com.

Taxation of Award. This Award is intended to be French tax-qualified and is subject to the special terms and conditions set forth in the French Schedule to this Schedule.”

Exchange Control Information. Eligible Individual may hold Shares acquired under the Plan outside of France provided he or she declares all foreign accounts, whether open, current, or closed, in his or her income tax return. Furthermore, Eligible Individual must declare to the customs and excise authorities any cash or bearer securities he or she imports or exports without the use of a financial institution when the value of the cash or securities is equal to or exceeds €10,000 (for 2011).

 

 

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Exhibit 10.6

TRIPADVISOR, INC. PERFORMANCE RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(TSR - Based)

 

THIS PERFORMANCE RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the grant date specified on the Grant Details referenced below (the “Grant Date”), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a Delaware corporation  (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of performance restricted stock units (“PSUs”) to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company, (in either case, the “Plan”).

 

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As soon as practicable after any PSUs have vested and are no longer subject to the Performance Period (but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter), such PSUs shall be settled.  Subject to Section 9 (pertaining to the withholding of taxes), for each PSU settled pursuant to this Section 2, the Company shall issue one Share and cause to be delivered to the Eligible Individual one or more unlegended, freely-transferable stock certificates in respect of such Shares issued upon settlement of the vested PSUs.  

During the Performance Period and until as the PSUs are settled as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the PSUs shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise.  

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, during the Performance Period the Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder with respect to the PSUs.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company declares and pays dividends on the Common Stock during the Performance Period, the Eligible Individual will be credited with additional amounts for each PSU equal to the dividend that would have been paid with respect to such PSU if it had been an actual share of Common Stock, which amount shall remain subject to restrictions (and as determined by the Committee may be reinvested in PSU or may be held in kind as restricted property) and shall vest concurrently with the vesting of the PSU upon which such dividend equivalent amounts were paid.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends and distributions other than regular cash dividends, if any, may result in an adjustment pursuant to Section 5 below, rather than under this Section 4.

(a)In the event of (i) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, share combination or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share Change”), or (ii) a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, separation, spinoff, reorganization, stock rights offering, liquidation, Disaffiliation, payment of cash dividends other than an ordinary dividend or similar event affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the Board may in its discretion make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to the number of PSUs and the number and kind of shares of Common Stock underlying the PSUs.

 

(b)In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation (i) the cancellation of PSUs in exchange for payments of cash, property or a

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combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such PSUs, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion, (ii) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the shares of Common Stock underlying the PSUs and (iii) in connection with any Disaffiliation, arranging for the assumption of the PSUs, or the replacement of the PSUs with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Company and securities of entities other than the Company), by the affected Subsidiary or Affiliate or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary or Affiliate following such Disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to any PSUs that remain based upon securities of the Company).

 

(c)In the event of a Change in Control before the end of the Performance Period, upon consummation of the closing of the Change in Control, then:

 

 

 

 

(d)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Participants.

 

(e)In the event of a Termination of Employment during the two-year period following a Change in Control, the provisions of Section 10(b) of the Plan shall apply; provided, that the Committee in its discretion may provide for earlier accelerated vesting.

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(a)In the event of a Termination of Employment without Cause or resignation for Good Reason, before the end of the Performance Period, in each case, not in connection with a Change in Control, then:

 

 

 

 

(b)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Participants.

(i)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

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(ii)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(iii)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 7 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

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In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

(b)the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been granted repeatedly in the past;

(c)all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute regular compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary, or Affiliate;

(g)the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company; and

(i)in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s Employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws; provided, however, such termination is consistent with the terms of Award and the Employment Agreement) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.

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The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.  

Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing) promptly after such change becomes effective.

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.  The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the PSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.  

(b)Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Eligible Individual and Company acknowledge and agree that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of any employment arrangement and the Plan, whichever term is more beneficial to the Eligible Individual between the Plan and the employment arrangement shall prevail.   In no event shall Eligible Individual be entitled to the same type of benefits under both the Plan and any employment arrangement for the same event or qualifying termination.  

(c)The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any Termination of Employment and/or whether there existed Cause.  

(d)Any and all disputes arising under, as a result of or out of this Agreement, including without limitation any issues involving the construction, enforcement or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan or the Plan Prospectus, shall be determined and resolved by the Committee or its authorized delegate. Such determination or resolution by the Committee or its authorized delegate will be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes.

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(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any PSUs have vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Eligible Individual, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement. The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about the Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing,

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administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

(a)This Agreement, including Appendix A, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the PSU award, and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, and communications between the parties, whether oral or written, relating to the same subject matter. 

(b)The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of the PSU award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.  

(c)This Award and payments made pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan are intended to qualify for an exemption from, or comply with, the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code. If the Company makes a good faith determination that any compensation provided under this Agreement is likely to be subject to the additional tax imposed by Section 409A of the Code, the Company may, to the extent it deems necessary or advisable, modify this Agreement, without the Eligible Individual’s consent, to reduce the risk that such additional tax will apply, in a manner designed to preserve the material economic benefits intended to be provided to the Eligible Individual under this Agreement (other than any diminution of such benefit that may be attributable to the time value of money resulting from a delay in the timing of payments hereunder for a period of approximately six months or such longer period as may be required).  

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan

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translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.

The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Award and participation in the Plan or future Awards that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Eligible Individual’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means.  The Eligible Individual hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  

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SCHEDULE I

DETAILS OF RELATIVE RETURN FACTOR

AND

ILLUSTRATIONS OF RESULTING NUMBER OF EARNED PSUS

 

TSR Calculation:

 

* Average closing stock price adjusted to reflect reinvested dividends.

 

Performance Metric Details:

The following shall apply:

100% + ((Company TSR – Index TSR) X 2) = Payout Factor

 

 

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Illustration 1:

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $43.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $7,237.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:         $6,477.77

 

Computations

 

Company TSR:  ((43.00 / 37.57) – 1)             14.5%

Index TSR: ((7,237.00 / 6,477.77) -1)                                                            11.7%

Payout Factor:  100% + ((14.5% - 11.7%) X 2)           105.6%

Earned PSUs:  Target PSUs (1,000) multiplied by payout factor:   1,056

 

Illustration 2:

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $60.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,932.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:         $6,477.77

 

Computations

 

Company TSR:  ((60.00 / 37.57) - 1) 59.7%

Index TSR: ((6,932.00 / 6,477.77) -1)    7.0%

Payout Factor:  100% + ((59.7% - 7%) X 2)           205.4%

Earned PSUs:  Target PSUs (1,000) multiplied by payout factor

(subject to 200% max):   2,000

 

 

 

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Illustration 3:

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $37.57

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $35.00

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,477.77

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:         $6,932.00

 

Computations

 

Company TSR:  ((37.57 / 35.00) - 1)   7.3%

Index TSR: ((6,477.77 / 6,932.00) -1) (6.6%)

Payout Factor: 100% + ((7.3% – (6.6%)) X 2)           127.8%

Earned PSUs:     1,278

 

Illustration 4:

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $35.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,932.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:         $6,477.77

 

Computations

 

Company TSR:  ((35.00 / 37.57) – 1) (6.8%)

Index TSR: ((6,932.00 / 6,477.77) -1)    7.0%

Payout Factor: 100% + (((6.8%) – 7%) X 2) 72.4%

Earned PSUs:        724

 

 

 

 

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Exhibit 10.7

TRIPADVISOR, INC. PERFORMANCE RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(TSR - Based)

THIS PERFORMANCE RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the Grant Date (as defined herein), between TripAdvisor, Inc., a U.S. Delaware corporation  (the “Company”), and the employee, director or consultant of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates designated on the Grant Details (as defined below) (the “Eligible Individual”), describes the terms of an award of performance restricted stock units qualified for favorable income tax and social security treatment in France as set out in Article 135 of the Macron Law (“Qualified PSUs”) to the Eligible Individual by the Company (the “Award”).  

All capitalized terms used herein, to the extent not defined, shall have the meanings set forth in the Company’s 2018 Stock and Annual Incentive Plan or any subsequent plan adopted by the Company,  (in either case,  the “Plan”) or the French Schedule attached hereto.

(a)Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Plan and the Grant Details, the Company hereby grants Qualified PSUs to the Eligible Individual in the target amount set forth in the Grant Details (“Target PSUs”), assuming target performance, and up to a maximum of 200% of the Target PSUs, with the actual number of Qualified PSUs earned to be based on actual performance as more specifically described below.  Reference is made to the “Grant Details” that can be found on the equity plan website of the current professional selected by the Company to administer the Plan (the “Plan Administrator”), currently located at www.netbenefits.fidelity.com (or any successor equity administration system selected by the Company to manage the Plan from time to time).   The Grant Details, which sets forth the target number of Qualified PSUs granted to the Eligible Individual by the Company, the Grant Date and the vesting schedule of the Qualified PSUs (among other information), are hereby incorporated by reference into, and shall be read as part and parcel of, this Agreement.  

 

 

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As soon as practicable after any Qualified PSUs have vested and are no longer subject to any restrictions (but in no event later than sixty (60) days thereafter), the Company will arrange for the transfer or issue to the order of the Eligible Individual, of the number of Shares in respect of which the Qualified PSUs have vested.  The Shares issued or transferred will be recorded in the name of the Eligible Individual in an account controlled by the Company or Broker, or in such other manner as the Company or the empowered corporate body may otherwise determine to ensure compliance with applicable restrictions provided under French law.

(a)The following additional terms and conditions are also applicable to Awards of Qualified PSUs granted pursuant to this Agreement and the French Schedule attached hereto.

(b)For purposes of this Agreement, Eligible Individuals are officers or employees of the Company or a company in which the Company owns directly or indirectly at least 10% of the equity or voting rights, who are located in France.  Eligible Individuals are selected by their employer and approved by the Company or the empowered corporate body.  No Qualified PSU Unit can be granted to an Eligible Individual who:

Any Eligible Individual who, on the Grant Date of a Qualified PSU, and to the extent required under French law, is employed under the terms and conditions of an employment contract (“contrat de travail”) by a French entity or who is a corporate officer of a French entity, shall be eligible to receive, at the discretion of the Company or the empowered corporate body, Qualified PSUs under the Plan as adjusted to meet the requirements of the French Code de commerce.

(c)Vesting will take place on the dates outlined in the Grant Details and will be subject to the Plan, the Agreement, this Appendix and the Eligible Individual’s continuous employment.  The awards will Vest over a four year period, Vesting 25% each year.  Notwithstanding any other rule of the Plan, the Agreement or the Schedules:

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(d)With respect to any portion of the Award which Vests after one year, there will be a Holding Period, so that a minimum two-year period is observed between the Grant Date and the end of the compulsory Holding Period.  During the Holding Period Shares cannot be sold or transferred by Eligible Individuals.  This Holding Period applies even if the Eligible Individual is no longer an employee or corporate officer of the Company.  Shares transferred to Eligible Individuals holding the duties of chairman of the board, general manager, deputy general manager, member of the directory board, or manager (respectively président du conseil d’administration, directeur général, directeur général délégué, membre du directoire or gérant) of the Company or any Affiliate or Subsidiary shall not be sold or transferred before termination of the Eligible Individuals’ executive duties.  Alternatively, the Company or the empowered corporate body may decide that a fraction of the Shares transferred to Eligible Individuals holding the duties of chairman of the board, general manager, deputy general manager, member of the directory board, or manager (respectively président du conseil d’administration, directeur général, directeur général délégué, membre du directoire or gérant) of the Company Affiliate or Subsidiary will be in a registered form and will not be available for sale or transfer before termination of the Eligible Individuals’ executive duties.  

(e)The award price of a Qualified PSU cannot exceed 5% of the nominal value of the Share.

During the Performance Period and until the Qualified PSUs are settled as provided herein or on the website of the Plan Administrator, the Qualified PSUs shall not be transferable by the Eligible Individual by means of sale, assignment, exchange, encumbrance, pledge, hedge or otherwise, except in the event of death or disability (as defined under the second or third category of Article L.341-4 of the French Code de la sécurité sociale).  

Shares also cannot be sold or transferred during the Closed Period.

An Eligible Individual shall not be entitled to any dividends (or other distributions) and shall have no right to vote in respect of the Shares subject to Awards of Qualified PSUs under the French Schedule until the Shares have vested. After Vesting and during the

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Holding Period, the Eligible Individual shall be entitled to the dividends, distributions or other rights attached to his Vested Shares as they arise.

On the occurrence of one of the events specified under Article L.225-181 of the French Code de commerce, the Company or the empowered corporate body may make such adjustments as it considers appropriate to restore the value of the Qualified PSUs.  An adjustment made under this rule shall only be permissible to the extent that it is intended to, and that its sole effect is to, restore the value of the Qualified PSUs and it is made in compliance with the rules set out in the French Code de commerce.

(a)In the event of a Termination of Employment without Cause or resignation for Good Reason, before the end of the Performance Period, in each case, not in connection with a Change in Control, then:

 

 

 

 

(b)The determination of the Committee regarding any such adjustment will be final and conclusive and need not be the same for all Participants.

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(b)Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, shall be subject to any recoupment, “clawback” or similar provisions of applicable law. In addition, the Company may require the Eligible Individual to deliver or otherwise repay to the Company the Award and any Shares or other amount or property that may be issued, delivered or paid in respect of the Award, as well as any consideration that may be received in respect of a sale or other disposition of any such Shares or property, if the Company reasonably determines that one or more of the following has occurred:

(i)during the period of the Eligible Individual’s employment or service with the Company (the “Employment Period”), the Eligible Individual has committed a felony (under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant foreign jurisdiction);

(ii)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in a breach of confidentiality, or an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates;

(iii)during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter, the Eligible Individual has committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, or materially breached any agreement to which the Eligible Individual is a party with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

For purposes of the foregoing, the Eligible Individual expressly and explicitly authorizes the Company to issue instructions, on the Eligible Individual’s behalf, to any brokerage firm and/or third party administrator engaged by the Company to hold the Eligible Individual’s Shares and other amounts acquired under the Plan to re-convey, transfer or otherwise return such Shares and/or other amounts to the Company. This Section 8 is not the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.

 

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In accepting the Award, the Eligible Individual acknowledges that:

(a)      the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, unless otherwise provided in the Plan and this Agreement;

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(b)       the Award is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards, or benefits in lieu of Awards, even if Awards have been granted repeatedly in the past;

(c)       all decisions with respect to future Awards, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

(d)      the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan will not create a right to further employment with the Company, its Affiliated or Subsidiary and shall not interfere with the ability of the Company to terminate the Eligible Individual’s employment relationship at any time with or without Cause;

(e)        the Eligible Individual is voluntarily participating in the Plan;

(f)       the Award is an extraordinary item that does not constitute regular compensation of any kind for services of any kind rendered to the Company, Subsidiary, or Affiliate;

(g)    the Award is not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purposes, including, but not limited to, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, end of service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement benefits or similar payments and in no event should be considered as compensation for, or relating in any way to, past services for the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate;

(h)    in the event that the Eligible Individual is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, the Award will not be interpreted to form an employment contract or relationship with the Company; and

(i)      in consideration of the Award, no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from termination of the Award or diminution in value of the Award resulting from Termination of the Eligible Individual’s Employment by the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate (for any reason whatsoever and whether or not in breach of local labor laws; provided, however, such termination is consistent with the terms of Award and the Employment Agreement) and the Eligible Individual irrevocably releases the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate from any such claim that may arise; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have arisen, then, by signing this Agreement, the Eligible Individual will be deemed irrevocably to have waived his or her entitlement to pursue such claim.

The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, or his or her acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares.  The Eligible Individual is hereby advised to consult with his or her own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, receipt of the Award and/or disposition of the Award before taking any action related to the Plan or the Award.

 

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Any notices, communications or changes to this Agreement shall be communicated (either directly by the Company or indirectly through any of its Subsidiaries, Affiliates or the Plan Administrator) to the Eligible Individual electronically via email (or otherwise in writing).

14.       Effect of Agreement; Severability

Except as otherwise provided hereunder, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor or successors of the Company.  The invalidity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

15.       Laws Applicable to Construction; Consent to Jurisdiction

(a)The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws, as applied to contracts executed in and performed wholly within the State of Delaware.  In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Qualified PSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, which are hereby incorporated by reference.  

(b)Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Eligible Individual and Company acknowledge and agree that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of any employment arrangement and the Plan, whichever term is more beneficial to the Eligible Individual between the Plan and the employment arrangement shall prevail.   In no event shall Eligible Individual be entitled to the same type of benefits under both the Plan and any employment arrangement for the same event or qualifying termination.  

(c)The Committee shall have the exclusive discretion to determine whether there has been any Termination of Employment and/or whether there existed Cause.  

(d)Any and all disputes arising under, as a result of or out of this Agreement, including without limitation any issues involving the construction, enforcement or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan or the Plan Prospectus, shall be determined and resolved by the Committee or its authorized delegate. Such determination or resolution by the Committee or its authorized delegate will be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes.

16.       Conflicts; Interpretation and Correction of Errors

(a)In the event of any (i) conflict between the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, or (ii) ambiguity in the Grant Details, this Agreement, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, the Plan shall control.

(b)The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan, this Agreement, the Grant Details, any information posted on the system of the Plan Administrator and/or the books and records of the Company, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and

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application of the Plan and the Award as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Qualified PSUs have vested).  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon the Eligible Individual, the Company and all other interested parties.  The Committee shall not be personally responsible for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Agreement.  The Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, determine when any conditions have been fulfilled.  

(c)It is intended that the Qualified PSUs shall qualify for the special tax and social security treatment applicable to free shares granted under sections L. 225-197-1 to L.225-197-6 of the French Code de commerce (which came into force after the implementation of the Macron Law on August 7, 2015) and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by the French tax and social security laws. The terms of the Award shall be interpreted accordingly and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by French tax and social security laws, as well as the relevant administrative guidelines and subject to the fulfilment of any legal, tax and reporting obligations, if applicable.

(d)In the event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately reflect an Award properly granted to the Eligible Individual pursuant to the Plan, the Company, acting through the executive compensation and benefits team, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.

17.       Data Privacy

(a)The Eligible Individual understands that the Company, Subsidiary, Affiliate and/or Plan Administrator may hold certain personal information about the Eligible Individual, including, but not limited to, the Eligible Individual’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all options or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Eligible Individual’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan (“Data”).   The Eligible Individual hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of his or her Data as described in this document by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Subsidiaries  or Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.

(b)The Eligible Individual understands that Data will be transferred to the Plan Administrator, or such other stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan.  The Eligible Individual understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients’ country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Eligible Individual authorizes the Company, its Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Plan Administrator and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing,

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administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan.  

(c)The Eligible Individual understands that he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing the Eligible Individual’s local human resources representative.  The Eligible Individual understands, however, that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect the Eligible Individual’s ability to participate in the Plan.  For more information on the consequences of the Eligible Individual’s refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, the Eligible Individual understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.

18.       Amendment

(a)This Agreement, including Appendix A, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Qualified PSU award, and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings, and communications between the parties, whether oral or written, relating to the same subject matter. 

(b)The Company may modify, amend or waive the terms of the Qualified PSU award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such modification, amendment or waiver shall impair the rights of the Eligible Individual without his or her consent, except as required by applicable law, NASDAQ or stock exchange rules, tax rules or accounting rules.  The waiver by either party of compliance with any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by such party of a provision of this Agreement.  

19.       Currency Exchange Risk

The Eligible Individual agrees and acknowledges that that Eligible Individual shall bear any and all risks associated with the exchange or fluctuation of currency associated with the Award, including without limitation the settlement of the Award and/or sale of the Shares (the “Currency Risk”).  Eligible Individual waives and releases the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates and the Plan Administrator from any potential claims arising out of the Currency Risk.    Eligible Individual acknowledges and agrees that Eligible Individual shall with any and all exchange control requirements applicable to the Award and the sale of the Shares and any resulting funds including, without limitation, reporting or repatriation requirements.  

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20.       Electronic Delivery

By electronically accepting this Agreement and participating in the Plan, the Eligible Individual agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, including the Grant Details and Schedules.  If Eligible Individual has not electronically accepted this Agreement on the Plan Administrator’s website within six months of the Grant Date, then this Award shall automatically by deemed accepted and Eligible Individual shall be bound by the terms and conditions in the Plan, this Agreement, including the Grant Details.  

21.       Schedules

Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, the Qualified PSUs shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the Schedules to the Agreement.  The Schedules constitute a part of this Agreement.  

22.       Choice of Language

The Eligible Individual has received this Agreement and any other related communications and consents to having received these documents solely in English.  If, however, the Eligible Individual receives this or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the translated version is different than the English version in any way, the English version will control.  If necessary, an Eligible Individual may request translated versions in their mother tongue.

23.       No Public Offer

The grant of RSUs is not intended to be a public offering of securities in the Eligible Individual’s country.  The Company has not submitted any registration statement, prospectus or other filings with the local securities authorities (unless otherwise required under local law), and the grant of RSUs is not subject to the supervision of the local securities authorities.

24.       Imposition of Other Requirements

The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on the Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan, on the Award of RSUs and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable to comply with local law or facilitate the administration of the Plan, and to require the Eligible Individual to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

 

 

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SCHEDULE I

DETAILS OF RELATIVE RETURN FACTOR

AND

ILLUSTRATIONS OF RESULTING NUMBER OF EARNED PSUS

 

TSR Calculation:

 

* Average closing stock price adjusted to reflect reinvested dividends.

 

Performance Metric Details:

The following shall apply:

100% + ((Company TSR – Index TSR) X 2) = Payout Factor

 

 

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Illustration 1:

 

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $43.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $7,237.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:                     $6,477.77

 

Computations

Company TSR:  ((43.00 / 37.57) – 1)14.5%

Index TSR ((7,237.00/6,477.77) -1) 11.7%

Payout Factor:  100% + ((14.5% - 11.7%) X 2)                          105.6%

Earned PSUs:  Target PSUs (1,000) multiplied by payout factor:   1,056

 

Illustration 2:

 

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $60.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,932.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:                                                         $6,477.77

 

Computations

Company TSR:  ((60.00 / 37.57) - 1) 59.7%

Index TSR: ((6,932.00 / 6,477.77) -1)    7.0%

Payout Factor:  100% + ((59.7% - 7%) X 2)                       205.4%

Earned PSUs:  Target PSUs (1,000) multiplied by payout factor

(subject to 200% max):   2,000

 

Illustration 3:

 

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $37.57

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

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of the Performance Period: $35.00

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,477.77

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:                                 $6,932.00

 

Computations

Company TSR:  ((37.57 / 35.00) - 1)   7.3%

Index TSR: ((6,477.77 / 6,932.00) -1) (6.6%)

Payout Factor: 100% + ((7.3% – (6.6%)) X 2)           127.8%

Earned PSUs:     1,278

 

 

Illustration 4:

 

Assumptions

Company:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period: $35.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period: $37.57

 

Index:

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days of Performance Period:       $6,932.00

Average closing stock price for last 30 trading days prior to the commencement

of the Performance Period:                                 $6,477.77

 

Computations

Company TSR:  ((35.00 / 37.57) – 1) (6.8%)

Index TSR: ((6,932.00 / 6,477.77) -1)    7.0%

Payout Factor: 100% + (((6.8%) - 7.0%) X 2)             72.4%

Earned PSUs:        724

 

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ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE TRIPADVISOR, INC.

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

(TSR-Based)

(FRANCE)

 

FRENCH SCHEDULE

Terms and Conditions

This French Schedule includes special terms and conditions applicable to Eligible Individuals residing in France.  These terms and conditions are in addition to, or if so indicated, in place of, the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement and the Appendix.  

The purpose of this French Schedule is to make certain variations to the terms of the Agreement and the Appendix, in order to satisfy French securities laws, exchange control, corporate law and tax requirements (especially the provisions of L. 225-197-1 et seq. of the French Code de commerce) to qualify Awards of Restricted Stock Units for favourable income tax and social security treatment in France as set out in Article 135 of the Macron Law (loi n° 2015-990 du 6 août 2015 pour la croissance, l'activité et l'égalité des chances économiques) (“Qualified Restricted Stock Units”).  

The rules of the Agreement and the Appendix shall apply, subject to the modifications contained in this French Schedule, whenever the Company or the empowered corporate body decides to grant Qualified Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Employees under this French Schedule.  This French Schedule shall only apply to Qualified Restricted Stock Units granted as conditional rights to acquire Shares.

If for any reason an Award does not satisfy the requirements of the French tax authorities for favourable income tax and social security treatment (to qualify as a Qualified Restricted Stock Unit), then the Company or the empowered corporate body can take such actions, including changing the Vesting Period and/or the Holding Period (both as defined below) as it considers reasonably necessary to achieve such treatment.

This French Schedule will be approved by the Committee (as the empowered foreign corporate body) on April 24, 2019, as required by the French tax authorities.

Definitions

Unless provided otherwise or unless the context requires otherwise, capitalized terms used but not defined in this French Schedule shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan, the Agreement and/or the Appendix.  

The terms of a “Restricted Stock Unit” under this French Schedule shall be on similar

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terms to the equivalent “Restricted Stock Unit” under the Agreement, except to the extent that this French Schedule provides to the contrary.

For the purposes of this French Schedule only, the following additional definitions shall be used:

(a) “Closed Period” will have the meaning defined in Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Code de commerce, being:

(c)“Holding Period” means the period (applicable under Article L. 225-197-1 of the French Code de commerce) following the relevant Vesting date of an Award during which the Vested Shares shall either be held by the Eligible Individual or by the Broker subject only to a restriction on sale, transfer or other disposal of such Vested Shares, provided that if the Vested Shares are to be held by the Eligible Individual he shall be required to enter into an agreement (a “Holding Agreement”) with the Company, whereby he agrees not to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of the Shares prior to the end of the Holding Period.

(d)“Broker” means such person or persons designated by the Company or the empowered corporate body to hold Vested Shares as nominee on behalf of an Eligible Individual during the Holding Period.

(e)“Vesting” in relation to Qualified Restricted Stock Units, means an Eligible Individual becoming entitled to have the Shares transferred to him subject to the Plan, and the terms “Vest” and “Vested” shall be construed accordingly.

(f)“Vesting Period” means the period from the Grant Date to the date of Vesting of an Award, such period lasting at least one year.  

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Notifications

This Schedule also includes country-specific information of which Eligible Individual should be aware with respect to his or her participation in the Plan. The information is based on the securities, exchange control and other laws in effect in the respective countries as of March 2019. Such laws are often complex and change frequently. As a result, the Company strongly recommends that Eligible Individual does not rely on the information noted herein as the only source of information relating to the consequences of Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan because the information may be out of date at the time that Eligible Individual vests in Share Awards or sells Shares acquired under the Plan.

In addition, the information is general in nature and may not apply to Eligible Individual’s particular situation, and the Company is not in a position to assure Eligible Individual of any particular result. Accordingly, Eligible Individual is advised to seek appropriate professional advice as to how the relevant laws in his or her country may apply to his or her situation. Finally, please note that if Eligible Individual is a citizen or resident of a country other than the country in which he or she is currently working, or transfers employment after grant, the information contained in this Schedule may not be applicable to Eligible Individual.

European Union (“EU”)/ European Economic Area (“EEA”) Data Privacy

The following replaces Section 17 of the Agreement:

In order to offer participation in the Plan, it is necessary for the Company to collect and process certain information about Eligible Individual. Further detail about this is set out below.

Eligible Individual’s participation in the Plan is voluntary. Eligible Individual may withdraw from the Plan at any time. Withdrawal from the Plan will not affect Eligible Individual’s salary as an employee or his or her employment; Eligible Individual would merely forfeit the opportunities and benefits associated with the Plan.

If Eligible Individual withdraws from the Plan, the Company will cease to use Eligible Individual’s information for the purpose of the Plan (subject to the data retention requirements set out below).

Data Collection and Usage. The Company collects personal information about Eligible Individual for purposes of administration of the Plan, including: name, home address, telephone number and email address, date of birth, social insurance number, passport or other identification number, salary, citizenship, nationality, job title, any equity, shares of stock or directorships held in the Company and its Affiliates, details of all PSUs or any other entitlement to equity granted, canceled, vested, unvested or outstanding in Eligible Individual’s favor, which the Company receives from Eligible Individual or the Employer (“Eligible Individual Data”).

 

The Company will process and use Eligible Individual Data for the purposes of allocating stock and implementing, administering and managing the Plan. The Company’s legal basis for

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the processing of Eligible Individual’s Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Stock Plan Administration Service Providers. The Company currently uses Fidelity and its affiliated companies (“Fidelity”) as its service provider for the Plan. The Company shares your Eligible Individual Data with Fidelity for the purposes of implementing, administering and managing the Plan. Fidelity is based in the United States. In the future, the Company may select a different service provider and share Eligible Individual Data with another company that serves in a similar manner. The Company’s service provider(s) will open an account for Eligible Individual to receive and trade stock. Eligible Individual may be asked to agree to separate terms and data processing practices with the service provider(s), which is a condition to his or her participation in the Plan.

International Data Transfers. The Company and its service provider(s), including Fidelity, are based in the United States, which means that it will be necessary for Eligible Individual Data to be transferred to, and processed in, the US. Eligible Individual should note that his or her country may have enacted data privacy laws that are different from the United States and which may offer different levels of protection. The legal basis for the transfer of Eligible Individual Data is based on contractual necessity for the performance of the Plan.

Data Retention. The Company will use Eligible Individual Data only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage his or her participation in the Plan or as may be required by the Company in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including under tax and securities laws (which will generally be no more than 7 years after the Eligible Individual ceases participating in the Plan).

Data Subject Rights. Eligible Individual has a number of rights under data privacy laws in his or her country. Depending on where Eligible Individual is based, his or her rights may include: (a) the right of access to the Eligible Individual’s personal data held by the Company, (b) the right of rectification of incorrect data, (c) the right to erasure of data, (d) the right to restriction of processing, and (e) the right to data portability.

If you have any questions about any aspect of the Plan or these terms, please contact privacy@tripadvisor.com.

Taxation of Award. This Award is intended to be French tax-qualified and is subject to the special terms and conditions set forth in the French Schedule to this Schedule.”

Exchange Control Information. Eligible Individual may hold Shares acquired under the Plan outside of France provided he or she declares all foreign accounts, whether open, current, or closed, in his or her income tax return. Furthermore, Eligible Individual must declare to the customs and excise authorities any cash or bearer securities he or she imports or exports without the use of a financial institution when the value of the cash or securities is equal to or exceeds €10,000 (for 2011).

 

19

Exhibit 31.1

Certification

I, Stephen Kaufer, Chief Executive Officer of TripAdvisor, Inc., certify that:

 

 

Exhibit 31.2

Certification

I, Ernst Teunissen, Chief Financial Officer of TripAdvisor, Inc. certify that:

 

 

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TripAdvisor, Inc. (the “Company”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Stephen Kaufer, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

 

 

Exhibit 32.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TripAdvisor, Inc. (the “Company”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Ernst Teunissen, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that: