Starboard Pushes for Board Shakeup at TripAdvisor
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
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Should l Buy TRIP?
Source: stocktwits
- Stake Increase: Starboard currently holds over a 9% stake in TripAdvisor and plans to nominate a majority of board members, aiming to drive governance changes to improve company performance, particularly against a backdrop of a 34% stock price decline.
- Stock Fluctuation: TripAdvisor shares rose over 5% in after-hours trading on Monday, attempting to end a three-day decline; however, the stock has fallen 34% year-to-date, indicating market concerns about the company's future growth.
- Strategic Shift: CEO Matt Goldberg stated that TripAdvisor will focus investments on the rapidly growing experiences market rather than relying on traditional search and media businesses, aiming to enhance revenue growth and improve user experience.
- Analyst Downgrade: Goldman Sachs analyst Ben Miller cut TripAdvisor's price target from $92 to $80, reflecting cautious expectations for the company's future performance, especially after facing ongoing hotel demand pressures and investment challenges.
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Analyst Views on TRIP
Wall Street analysts forecast TRIP stock price to rise
10 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
6 Hold
3 Sell
Hold
Current: 10.320
Low
12.50
Averages
16.17
High
20.00
Current: 10.320
Low
12.50
Averages
16.17
High
20.00
About TRIP
Tripadvisor, Inc. is an online travel company. The Company leverages its brands, technology, and capabilities to connect its global audience with partners through content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The Company operates through three segments: Brand Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. Its Brand Tripadvisor segment is engaged in providing an online global platform for travelers to discover, generate, and share authentic user-generated content (UGC) in the form of ratings and reviews for destinations, points-of-interest (POIs), experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and cruises. The Viator segment offers travelers a comprehensive online marketplace that provides access to over 400,000 experiences and more than 65,000 experience operators. TheFork segment offers an online marketplace that enables diners to discover and book online reservations at approximately 55,000 restaurants in 11 countries.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- World's Best Beach: Isla Pasion in Mexico is crowned the best beach globally for 2026, celebrated for its unique private island experience and crystal-clear waters, attracting numerous snorkeling and marine life enthusiasts, thereby enhancing the region's tourism appeal.
- Top U.S. Beach: La Jolla Cove in California claims the title of the best beach in the U.S., recognized for its rich marine biodiversity and year-round accessibility, making it an ideal spot for visitors to observe sea lions and migrating gray whales, significantly boosting local tourism.
- Unique Beach Category: Tripadvisor introduces a new 'One of a Kind' beach category, with South Africa's Boulders Beach highlighted for its endangered African penguins, showcasing a shift in tourism towards ecological preservation and unique experiences.
- Selection Methodology: The 2026 Best Beaches awards are based on traveler reviews from November 2024 to December 2025, reflecting genuine feedback on beach quality and experiences, further solidifying Tripadvisor's authority as a travel guidance platform.
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- Shareholder Action Plan: Activist investor Starboard Value is preparing to nominate a majority slate on Tripadvisor's eight-person board, with its stake now exceeding 9%, indicating a strong focus on corporate governance aimed at driving strategic transformation.
- Board Restructuring Intent: CEO Jeff Smith of Starboard plans to issue a formal letter to Tripadvisor's board on Tuesday morning, signaling a commitment to restructuring the board, which could influence the company's future decision-making direction.
- Market Reaction Expectations: This board restructuring plan may prompt a reevaluation of Tripadvisor's future strategy in the market, especially as the company faces declining performance and intensified competition, leading to heightened investor scrutiny on its governance structure.
- Strategic Transformation Pressure: As Tripadvisor shifts towards an experience-first business model, it faces challenges in revenue structure adjustment, with marketplace revenue expected to account for two-thirds of total revenue by 2026; Starboard's involvement could accelerate this transformation process.
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- Stake Increase: Starboard currently holds over a 9% stake in TripAdvisor and plans to nominate a majority of board members, aiming to drive governance changes to improve company performance, particularly against a backdrop of a 34% stock price decline.
- Stock Fluctuation: TripAdvisor shares rose over 5% in after-hours trading on Monday, attempting to end a three-day decline; however, the stock has fallen 34% year-to-date, indicating market concerns about the company's future growth.
- Strategic Shift: CEO Matt Goldberg stated that TripAdvisor will focus investments on the rapidly growing experiences market rather than relying on traditional search and media businesses, aiming to enhance revenue growth and improve user experience.
- Analyst Downgrade: Goldman Sachs analyst Ben Miller cut TripAdvisor's price target from $92 to $80, reflecting cautious expectations for the company's future performance, especially after facing ongoing hotel demand pressures and investment challenges.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Tripadvisor achieved a record revenue of $1.9 billion in 2025, with Experiences growing by 10% and TheFork by 22%, despite an 8% decline in Hotels & Other, demonstrating the company's resilience and adaptability during its transformation.
- Strategic Focus Shift: Management announced plans to explore strategic alternatives for TheFork to unlock additional shareholder value and enhance capital return capacity, indicating an active adjustment of the business portfolio to align with market changes.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: The company expects Experiences to represent two-thirds of total revenue in 2026, with revenue growth projected in the low teens, reflecting Tripadvisor's confidence and strategic positioning for future market opportunities.
- Cash Flow and Buybacks: Tripadvisor reported a free cash flow of $163 million for 2025 and repurchased 3.3 million shares for $50 million in Q4, showcasing strong financial health and commitment to shareholders.
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- Disappointing Earnings: TripAdvisor's Q4 2025 earnings report revealed flat revenue year-over-year at $411 million, with net income under GAAP plunging 12% to $5 million, leading to a nearly 15% drop in stock price during trading.
- Analyst Miss: The company's revenue fell short of analyst expectations of $412.3 million, and adjusted earnings per share were only $0.04, significantly below the anticipated $0.17, indicating a notable decline in profitability.
- Weak Experiences Growth: Although TripAdvisor saw an increase in its experiences offerings, the decline in legacy business revenue offset this growth, and higher spending on the experiences segment further impacted overall profitability.
- Lack of Market Confidence: Investors remain unconvinced that the experiences segment can drive growth, especially in a competitive travel market, leading to a bleak outlook for the stock's future performance.
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- Earnings Miss: Tripadvisor reported fourth-quarter revenue of $411 million, flat year-over-year and slightly below the consensus estimate of $412.7 million, leading to a more than 19% plunge in stock price, highlighting competitive pressures in the market.
- Declining Profitability: Adjusted earnings came in at $0.04 per share, significantly missing the expected $0.13, while the company posted a net loss of $38 million, indicating a sharp deterioration in profitability that undermines investor confidence.
- Strategic Shift: Management is exploring strategic alternatives for TheFork, aiming to focus on the faster-growing experiences segment, which is expected to unlock greater shareholder value, reflecting the company's restructuring efforts to navigate market challenges.
- Cost-Cutting Initiatives: Tripadvisor initiated cost-saving actions tied to a restructuring of its operating model, expecting at least $85 million in annualized gross savings, with most benefits realized by 2026, demonstrating the company's commitment to optimizing resource allocation.
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