Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies  
Commitments and Contingencies

(8) Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries are parties to legal proceedings and claims arising out of our operations. These matters may relate to claims involving patent and intellectual property rights (including alleged privacy, infringement of third-party intellectual property rights), tax matters (including value-added, excise, transient occupancy and accommodation taxes), regulatory compliance (including competition and consumer matters), defamation and other claims. Although it is reasonably possible that the Company may incur losses upon conclusion of such matters, an estimate of any loss or range of loss cannot be made. In the opinion of management, it is expected that amounts, if any, which may be required to satisfy such contingencies will not be material in relation to the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

As of June 30, 2024, Tripadvisor had an accrual in the amount of $10 million in accrued liabilities and other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheet for a potential regulatory matter within Tripadvisor’s alternative accommodation rentals offering. This amount was accrued during the three months ended March 31, 2024, and is recorded to selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation in the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and is based on Tripadvisor’s best estimate of probable loss; the ultimate resolution of this contingency may be greater or less than the liability recorded.

Income Tax Matters

Tripadvisor received Notices of Proposed Adjustments (“NOPA”) from the IRS with respect to income tax returns filed by Expedia when Tripadvisor was part of Expedia Group’s consolidated income tax return for the 2014 through 2016 tax years. The assessment was related to certain transfer pricing arrangements with foreign subsidiaries, for which Tripadvisor had requested competent authority assistance under the Mutual Agreement Procedure (“MAP”) for the 2014 through 2016 tax years. In January 2024, Tripadvisor received notification of a MAP resolution agreement for the 2014 through 2016 tax years, which it accepted in February 2024. During the six months ended June 30, 2024, Tripadvisor recorded additional income tax expense as a discrete item, inclusive of interest, of $45 million related to this settlement in the condensed consolidated statement of operations. Tripadvisor reviewed the impact of the acceptance of this settlement position against its existing transfer pricing income tax reserves for the subsequent open tax years during the first quarter of 2024, which resulted in an income tax benefit, inclusive of estimated interest, of $4 million. During the three months ended June 30, 2024, Tripadvisor made a tax payment to the IRS of $141 million, inclusive of estimated interest, to satisfy

this audit settlement. Tripadvisor anticipates a competent authority refund from a foreign jurisdiction and certain federal tax benefits, net of state tax payments due, associated with this IRS audit settlement which will be substantially settled in the next twelve months, resulting in an estimated net cash inflow of $25 million to $35 million, inclusive of related interest. This anticipated refund is reflected in current income taxes receivable, partially offset by a lesser amount of anticipated state tax payments in accrued liabilities and other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2024.

As of December 31, 2023, Tripadvisor had recorded $153 million of unrecognized tax benefits, inclusive of interest, which were primarily included in other liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. As a result of Tripadvisor’s acceptance of MAP with the IRS for the 2014 through 2016 tax years, and its impact on other ongoing IRS audits, as described above, Tripadvisor reduced this unrecognized tax benefits liability by $79 million during the three months ended March 31, 2024, by reclassifying this balance to accrued liabilities and other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet, representing a short-term payment obligation to the IRS, which was subsequently paid during the three months ended June 30, 2024, as noted above.

In addition, as disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, Tripadvisor received a NOPA from the IRS for the 2009 through 2011 tax years relating to certain transfer pricing arrangements with its foreign subsidiaries. In response, Tripadvisor also requested competent authority assistance under MAP for the 2009 through 2011 tax years. In January 2023, Tripadvisor received a final notice from the IRS regarding a MAP resolution agreement for the 2009 through 2011 tax years, which Tripadvisor accepted in February 2023. In the first quarter of 2023, Tripadvisor recorded additional income tax expense as a discrete item, inclusive of interest, of $31 million specifically related to this settlement on the condensed consolidated statement of operations. During the first quarter of 2023, Tripadvisor reviewed the impact of the acceptance of this settlement position against its existing transfer pricing income tax reserves for the subsequent tax years, which resulted in incremental income tax expense, inclusive of estimated interest, of $24 million. The net impact of these adjustments resulted in an incremental income tax expense of $55 million, which was recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2023. During the three months ended June 30, 2023, Tripadvisor made a U.S. federal tax payment of $113 million, inclusive of interest, to Expedia related to this IRS audit settlement, pursuant to the Tax Sharing Agreement with Expedia.