Activist Investor Starboard Value Takes 9% Stake in Tripadvisor, Shares Jump
Activist investment firm Starboard Value has acquired over a 9% stake in online travel company Tripadvisor, valued at approximately $160 million, sources said Wednesday. The news drove Tripadvisor’s stock price up 7% in after-hours trading.
Tripadvisor, known for its hotel and restaurant review and search tools, has seen its shares fall about 15% over the past year. Earlier this year, Tripadvisor’s board formed a special committee to explore strategic options, including a potential sale.
Starboard Value is known for pushing operational and strategic changes in its target companies but neither Tripadvisor nor Starboard immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the stake acquisition.
Starboard’s CEO Jeffrey Smith recently joined the board of consumer healthcare company Kenvue and has previously advocated for changes at Pfizer and Autodesk. The firm is expected to file a 13D regulatory disclosure soon, signaling intentions to influence Tripadvisor’s management and operations.