v3.25.1
Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]  
Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements

NOTE 4: FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

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.

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.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had approximately $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion of cash and cash equivalents, which consisted of available on demand bank deposits and money market funds, with maturities of 90 days or less at the date of purchase, in each case, with major global financial institutions. We had no outstanding investments classified as either short-term or long-term marketable securities as of March 31, 2025 or December 31, 2024, and there were no purchases or sales of any marketable securities during and for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024.

The following table shows our cash and cash equivalents that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are categorized using the fair value hierarchy, as well as their classification on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024:

 

 

March 31, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

Amortized Cost

 

 

Fair Value (1)

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

 

Amortized Cost

 

 

Fair Value (1)

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

 

 

(in millions)

 

Cash

 

$

836

 

 

$

836

 

 

$

836

 

 

$

742

 

 

$

742

 

 

$

742

 

Level 1:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Money market funds

 

 

318

 

 

 

318

 

 

 

318

 

 

 

322

 

 

 

322

 

 

 

322

 

Total

 

$

1,154

 

 

$

1,154

 

 

$

1,154

 

 

$

1,064

 

 

$

1,064

 

 

$

1,064

 

(1)
We did not have any unrealized gains and losses related to our cash equivalents.

We generally classify cash equivalents and marketable securities, if any, 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 use to measure the fair value of money market funds is derived from quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Fair values for Level 2 investments 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.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We generally use forward contracts to reduce the effects of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations on our cash flows for the Euro versus the U.S. Dollar. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, our forward contracts were not designated as hedges and generally had maturities of less than 90 days. Our outstanding or unsettled forward contracts are carried at fair value on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets as of both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. 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. We recognize any gain or loss resulting from the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts in other income (expense), net on our unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations, which was not material during each of the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024. We recorded a net loss of $1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025 related to our forward contracts, however this amount was not material for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

 

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

 

 

March 31, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

(in millions)

 

 Foreign currency exchange-forward contracts (1)(2)

 

$

31

 

 

$

11

 

(1)
Derivative contracts address foreign currency exchange fluctuations for the Euro versus the U.S. dollar. These outstanding derivatives are not designated as hedging instruments and have an original maturity period of 90 days or less.
(2)
The fair value of our outstanding derivatives as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, was not material. The notional amount of a forward contract is the contracted amount of foreign currency to be exchanged and is not recorded on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Counterparties to our outstanding forward contracts consist of major global 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. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. We did not enter into any cash flow, fair value or net investment hedges as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

Other Financial Assets and Liabilities

As of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, including accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and deferred merchant payables, were carried at cost on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets, which approximates their fair values because of the short-term nature of these items. Accounts receivable, including contract assets as described below, as well as certain other financial assets, are measured at amortized cost and are carried at cost less an allowance for expected credit losses on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets to present the net amount expected to be collected.

Accounts Receivable, net

The following table provides information about the opening and closing balances of accounts receivable, including contract assets, net of allowance for expected credit losses, from contracts with customers as of the dates presented:

 

 

March 31, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

(in millions)

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

229

 

 

 

187

 

Contract assets

 

 

34

 

 

 

20

 

  Total

 

$

263

 

 

$

207

 

Accounts receivable are recognized when the right to consideration becomes unconditional, and are recorded net of an allowance for expected credit losses. We record accounts receivable at the invoiced amount. Our customer invoices are generally due from customers 30 days from the time of invoicing. 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. 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 during the periods ended March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 related to business combinations, impairments, cumulative catch-ups or other material adjustments.

Fair Value of Long-Term Debt

The following table shows the aggregate principal and fair value amount of the 2026 Senior Notes and Term Loan B Facility as of the dates presented, primarily classified as long-term debt on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and are considered Level 2 fair value measurements. Refer to “Note 6: Debt” for additional information related to our 2026 Senior Notes and Term Loan B Facility.

 

 

March 31, 2025

 

 

December 31, 2024

 

 

 

Principal

 

 

Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs

 

 

Carrying Value

 

 

Fair Value (1)

 

 

Principal

 

 

Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs

 

 

Carrying Value

 

 

Fair Value (1)

 

 

 

(in millions)

 

2026 Senior Notes

 

$

345

 

 

$

(1

)

 

$

344

 

 

$

331

 

 

$

345

 

 

$

(2

)

 

$

343

 

 

$

323

 

Term Loan B Facility (2)

 

$

847

 

 

$

(15

)

 

$

832

 

 

$

836

 

 

$

499

 

 

$

(6

)

 

$

493

 

 

$

504

 

(1)
We estimate the fair value of the 2026 Senior Notes and Term Loan B Facility based on recently reported market transactions and/or prices for identical or similar financial instruments obtained from a third-party pricing source.
(2)
During the first quarter of 2025, the Company increased its existing Term Loan B Facility in the amount of $350 million. Refer to “Note 6: Debt” for further information.

The Company did not have any assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 unobservable inputs as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

Risks and Concentrations

Our business is subject to certain financial risks and concentrations, including concentration related to dependence on our relationships with our customers. For the year ended December 31, 2024, Booking Holdings Inc. (and its subsidiaries) accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated revenue, and together with Expedia Group, Inc. (and its subsidiaries), our two most significant travel partners, accounted for approximately 22% of our consolidated revenue, with nearly all of this revenue concentrated in our Brand Tripadvisor segment. Additionally, our business is dependent on relationships with third-party service providers that we rely on to fulfill service obligations to our customers where the Company is the merchant of record, such as our experience operators. However, for the year ended December 31, 2024, no one operator’s inventory resulted in more than 10% of our annual revenue on a consolidated basis or at a reportable segment level.

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to concentration of credit risk, generally consist, at any point in time, of cash and cash equivalents, corporate debt securities, forward contracts, capped calls, and accounts receivable. We maintain cash balances with financial institutions that are in excess of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits in the U.S. and similar government programs outside the U.S. Our cash and cash equivalents are generally composed of available on demand bank deposits or term deposits with several major global financial institutions, as well as money market funds, primarily denominated in U.S. dollars, and to a lesser extent Euros, British pounds, and Australian dollars. We may invest in highly-rated corporate debt securities, and our

investment policy limits the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer, industry group and currency. Our credit risk related to corporate debt securities is also mitigated by the relatively short maturity period required by our investment policy. Forward contracts and capped calls are transacted with major international financial institutions with high credit standings. Forward contracts, which, to date, have typically had maturities of less than 90 days, also mitigate risk. Our overall credit risk related to accounts receivable is mitigated by the relatively short collection period.

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis

Non-Marketable Investments

Equity Securities Accounted for under the Equity Method

The Company owns a 40% equity investment in Chelsea Investment Holding Company PTE Ltd, which is majority owned by Ctrip Investment Holding Ltd, a majority-owned subsidiary of Trip.com Group Limited. The Company accounts for this minority investment under the equity method, given it has the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the investee. The carrying value of this minority investment was $28 million as of both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, and is included in non-marketable investments on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. During both the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, our share of the investee’s net loss in other income (expenses), net within the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations was not material. The Company evaluates this investment for impairment when factors indicate that a decline in the value of its investment has occurred and the carrying amount of its investment may not be recoverable. An impairment loss, based on the excess of the carrying value over the estimated fair value of the investment based on Level 3 inputs, is recognized in earnings when an impairment is deemed to be other than temporary. During both the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, we did not record any impairment loss on this equity investment.

The Company maintains various commercial agreements with Chelsea Investment Holding Company PTE Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries. Transactions under these agreements are considered related-party transactions, and were not material during each of the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024.

Other Long-Term Assets

The Company holds collateralized notes (the “Notes Receivable”) issued by a privately held company with a total principal amount of $20 million, classified as held-to-maturity, as the Company has concluded it has the positive intent and ability to hold the Notes Receivable until maturity, with 50% due June 2028 and the remaining 50% due June 2030, or the date on which there is a change in control, whichever is earlier. As of both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the carrying value of the Notes Receivable was $9 million, net of accumulated allowance for credit losses, and is classified in other long-term assets, net on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets at amortized cost. On a quarterly basis, we perform a qualitative assessment considering impairment indicators to evaluate whether the Notes Receivable are impaired and monitor for changes to our allowance for credit losses.

Other non-financial assets, such as property and equipment, goodwill, intangible assets, and operating lease right-of-use assets are adjusted to fair value when an impairment charge is recognized or the underlying investment is sold. Such fair value measurements, if necessary, are based predominately on Level 3 inputs.