(2)  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments, including money market funds and marketable debt securities, with maturities of three months or less at the time of acquisition.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are recognized when the right to consideration becomes unconditional and are recorded net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Such allowance aggregated $21 million and $16 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Our customer invoices are generally due 30 days from the time of invoicing. For accounts outstanding longer than the contractual payment terms, the Company determines an allowance by considering a number of factors, including the length of time trade accounts receivable are past due, previous loss history, a specific customer’s ability to pay its obligations to us, and the condition of the general economy and industry as a whole.

Investments

All marketable debt and equity securities held by the Company are carried at fair value, generally based on quoted market prices. Fair values are determined for each individual security in the investment portfolio. Unrealized gains and losses, net of taxes, arising from changes in fair value are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a component of equity.

The classification of investments is determined at the time of purchase and reevaluated at each balance sheet date. We invest in highly-rated securities, and our investment policy limits the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer, industry group and currency. The policy requires investments to be investment grade, with the primary objective of minimizing the potential risk of principal loss and providing liquidity of investments sufficient to meet our operating and capital spending requirements and debt repayments.

Marketable debt securities are classified as either short-term or long-term based on each instrument’s underlying contractual maturity date and as to whether and when we intend to sell a particular security prior to its maturity date. Marketable debt securities with maturities greater than 90 days at the date of purchase and 12 months or less remaining at the balance sheet date will be classified as short-term and marketable debt securities with maturities greater than 12 months from the balance sheet date will generally be classified as long-term. We classify our marketable equity securities, limited to money market funds and mutual funds, as either a cash equivalent, short-term or long-term based on the nature of each security and its availability for use in current operations.

Realized gains and losses on the sale of securities are determined by specific identification of each security’s cost basis. We may sell certain of our marketable securities prior to their stated maturities for strategic reasons including, but not limited to, anticipation of credit deterioration and liquidity and duration management. The weighted average maturity of our total invested cash shall not exceed 18 months, and no security shall have a final maturity date greater than three years.

Derivative Instruments

All of the Company’s derivatives, whether designated in hedging relationships or not, are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. If the derivative is designated as a fair value hedge, the changes in the fair value of the derivative and of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk are recognized in earnings. If the derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge, the effective portions of changes in the fair value of the derivative are recorded in other comprehensive earnings and are recognized in the statement of operations when the hedged item affects earnings. Ineffective portions of changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges are recognized in earnings. If the derivative is not designated as a hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are recognized in earnings. None of the Company’s derivatives are currently designated as hedges.

The fair value of certain of the Company’s derivative instruments are estimated using the Black-Scholes-Merton model. The Black-Scholes-Merton model incorporates a number of variables in determining such fair values, including expected volatility of the underlying security and an appropriate discount rate. The Company obtains volatility rates from pricing services based on the expected volatility of the underlying security over the remaining term of the derivative instrument. A discount rate is obtained at the inception of the derivative instrument and updated each reporting period, based on the Company’s estimate of the discount rate at which it could currently settle the derivative instrument. The Company considered its own credit risk as well as the credit risk of its counterparties in estimating the discount rate. Management judgment is required in estimating the Black-Scholes-Merton model variables.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consists of the following (amounts in millions):

 

Property and equipment is recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which is three to five years for computer equipment and furniture, office equipment and other. Leasehold improvements are depreciated using the straight-line method, over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the improvement or the remaining term of the lease. TripAdvisor’s building, which is considered an asset for accounting purposes, is depreciated over its estimated useful life of 40 years. See note 12 for additional information related to TripAdvisor’s building.

Leases

The Company, through its consolidated companies, leases facilities in several countries around the world and certain equipment under non-cancelable lease agreements. The terms of some of the lease agreements provide for rental payments on a graduated basis. Rent expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease period and accrued as rent expense incurred but not paid. Any lease incentives are recognized as reductions of rental expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. The lease term begins on the date we become legally obligated for the rent payments or when we take possession of the office space, whichever is earlier.

We establish assets and liabilities for the estimated construction costs incurred under lease arrangements where we are considered the owner for accounting purposes only, or build-to-suit leases, to the extent we are involved in the construction of structural improvements or take construction risk prior to commencement of a lease. Upon occupancy of facilities under build-to-suit leases, we assess whether these arrangements qualify for sales recognition under the sale-leaseback accounting guidance. If we continue to be the deemed owner, the facilities are accounted for as financing leases.

 

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets with estimable useful lives are amortized over their respective estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values, and reviewed for impairment upon certain triggering events. Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives (collectively, "indefinite lived intangible assets") are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment at least annually. Our annual impairment assessment of our indefinite-lived intangible assets is performed during the fourth quarter of each year.

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued new accounting guidance to simplify the measurement of goodwill impairment.  Under the new guidance, an entity no longer performs a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. Instead, a goodwill impairment is measured using the difference between the carrying value and the fair value of the reporting unit. The Company early adopted this guidance during the fourth quarter of 2017.

The accounting guidance permits entities to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The accounting guidance also allows entities the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to the quantitative impairment test. The entity may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period.

In evaluating goodwill on a qualitative basis, the Company reviews the business performance of each reporting unit and evaluates other relevant factors as identified in the relevant accounting guidance to determine whether it was more likely than not that an indicated impairment exists for any of our reporting units. The Company considers whether there are any negative macroeconomic conditions, industry specific conditions, market changes, increased competition, increased costs in doing business, management challenges, the legal environments and how these factors might impact company specific performance in future periods. As part of the analysis, the Company also considers fair value determinations for certain reporting units that have been made at various points throughout the current year and prior year for other purposes. If, based on the qualitative analysis, it is more likely than not that an impairment exists, the Company performs the quantitative impairment test.

The quantitative goodwill impairment test compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. Developing estimates of fair value requires significant judgments, including making assumptions about appropriate discount rates, perpetual growth rates, relevant comparable market multiples, public trading prices and the amount and timing of expected future cash flows. The cash flows employed in TripCo's valuation analyses, where applicable, are based on management's best estimates considering current marketplace factors and risks as well as assumptions of growth rates in future years. There can be no assurance that actual results will approximate these forecasts.

The accounting guidance also permits entities to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset, other than goodwill, is impaired. The accounting guidance also allows entities the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any indefinite-lived intangible asset in any period and proceed directly to the quantitative impairment test. The entity may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. If the qualitative assessment supports that it is more likely than not that the carrying value of the Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets, other than goodwill, exceeds its fair value, then a quantitative assessment is performed. If the carrying value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. See note 6 for discussion of goodwill and trademark impairments.

Websites and Internal Use Software Development Costs

Certain costs incurred during the application development stage related to the development of websites and internal use software are capitalized and included in other intangible assets subject to amortization. Capitalized costs include internal and external costs, if direct and incremental, and deemed by management to be significant. Costs related to the planning and post-implementation phases of software and website development are expensed as these costs are incurred. Maintenance and enhancement costs (including those costs in the post-implementation stages) are typically expensed as incurred, unless such costs relate to substantial upgrades and enhancements to the website or software resulting in added functionality, in which case the costs are capitalized.

 

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

The Company periodically reviews the carrying amounts of its property and equipment and its intangible assets (other than goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles) to determine whether current events or circumstances indicate that such carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of the asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated by such asset group, including its ultimate disposition, an impairment adjustment is recognized. Such adjustment is measured by the amount that the carrying value of such asset groups exceeds their fair value. The Company generally measures fair value by considering sale prices for similar assets or by discounting estimated future cash flows using an appropriate discount rate. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of asset groups. Accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates. Asset groups to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their financial statement carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell.

 

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling interest relates to the equity ownership interest in TripAdvisor that the Company does not own. The Company reports noncontrolling interests of consolidated companies within equity in the consolidated balance sheets and the amount of net income attributable to the parent and to the noncontrolling interest is presented in the consolidated statements of operations. Also, changes in ownership interests in consolidated companies in which the Company maintains a controlling interest are recorded in equity.

 

Foreign Currency Translation and Transaction Gains and Losses

The functional currency of the Company is the United States (“U.S.”) dollar. The functional currency of the Company’s foreign operations generally is the applicable local currency for each foreign subsidiary. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated at the spot rate in effect at the applicable reporting date, and the consolidated statements of operations are translated at the average exchange rates in effect during the applicable period. The resulting unrealized cumulative translation adjustment, net of applicable income taxes, is recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) in equity.

Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are recorded based on exchange rates at the time such transactions arise. Subsequent changes in exchange rates result in transaction gains and losses which are reflected in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive earnings (loss) as unrealized (based on the applicable period-end exchange rate) or realized upon settlement of the transactions.

Accordingly, we have recorded foreign currency exchange losses of $6 million, gains of $1 million and losses of $4 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, in other, net on our consolidated statements of operations. These amounts include gains and losses, realized and unrealized, on foreign currency forward exchange contracts.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on revenue from contracts with customers, or ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), which replaced numerous requirements in GAAP, and provides companies with a single model for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of the new standard is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance also requires additional disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In addition, the FASB has also issued several amendments to the standard, which clarifies certain aspects of the guidance, including principal versus agent considerations and identifying performance obligations.

In the first quarter of 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606 under the modified retrospective method for all contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under the new revenue guidance, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with the previous accounting policies under the historical revenue guidance, or ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.  

 

As a result of the adoption of ASC 606, certain revenue streams, such as hotel instant booking revenue, recorded under the consumption model, which was previously recorded upon completion of the traveler stay, is now recognized upon booking. The amount of the recognized transaction price for the commission is recorded as revenue, net of the impact of estimated cancellations. TripAdvisor also recorded an adjustment to capitalize certain costs to obtain contracts for existing arrangements as of the implementation date. TripAdvisor expects the adoption of this new revenue standard will not have a material impact, either on an annual or quarterly basis, to its consolidated financial statements on an ongoing basis. Its systems and internal controls were not significantly impacted as a result of the accounting changes and TripAdvisor has made the necessary changes to its accounting policies and internal processes to support the new revenue recognition standard, including the related disclosures. 

 

TripAdvisor recognized the cumulative effect of initial application of ASC 606 as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. TripAdvisor recorded a net increase in opening retained earnings of $4 million as of January 1, 2018 due to the cumulative impact of adoption of the new revenue guidance, resulting in a $1 million increase in TripCo’s opening retained earnings and $3 million increase in TripCo’s noncontrolling interest in equity of subsidiaries as of January 1, 2018. All other accounts were not materially impacted.

 

Revenue Recognition under ASC 606

 

TripAdvisor generates all of its revenue from contracts with customers. It recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control of the promised services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to receive in exchange for those services. When TripAdvisor acts as an agent in the transaction under ASC 606, it recognizes revenue for only its commission on the arrangement. TripAdvisor determines revenue recognition through the following steps:

 

 

At contract inception, TripAdvisor assesses the services promised in its contracts with customers and identifies 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, TripAdvisor considers all of the services promised in the contract regardless of whether they are explicitly stated or are implied by customary business practices. TripAdvisor has provided qualitative information about its performance obligations for its principal revenue streams discussed below. There was no significant revenue recognized in the year ended December 31, 2018 related to performance obligations satisfied in prior periods. TripAdvisor has applied a practical expedient and does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations that have an original expected duration of less than one year, and TripAdvisor does not have any material unsatisfied performance obligations over one year. The value related to TripAdvisor’s 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.  The timing of services, invoicing and payments are discussed in more detail below and do not include a significant financing component. TripAdvisor’s customer invoices are generally due 30 days from the time of invoicing.

 

TripAdvisor recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if it expects the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. Although the substantial majority of its contract costs have an amortization period of less than one year, TripAdvisor has determined contract costs arising from certain sales incentives have an amortization period in excess of one year given the high likelihood of contract renewal. Sales incentives are not paid upon renewal of these contracts and therefore are not commensurate with the initial sales incentive costs. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were approximately $2 million as of December 31, 2018. These contract costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated customer life, which is based on historical customer retention rates. Amortization expense recorded to selling, general and administrative expense during year ended December 31, 2018 was not material. TripAdvisor assesses such assets for impairment when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

 

The recognition of revenue may require the application of judgment related to the determination of the performance obligations, the timing of when the performance obligations are satisfied and other areas. The determination of TripAdvisor’s performance obligations does not require significant judgment given that it generally does not provide multiple services to a customer in a transaction, and the point in which control is transferred to the customer is readily determinable. In instances where TripAdvisor recognizes revenue over time, it generally has either a subscription service that is recognized over time on a straight-line basis using the time-elapsed output method, or based on other output measures that provide a faithful depiction of the transfer of TripAdvisor’s services. When an estimate for cancellations is included in the transaction price, the estimate is based on historical cancellation rates. There have been no significant adjustments to TripAdvisor’s cancellation estimates and the cancellation estimates are not material. Taxes assessed by a government authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue–producing transaction, that are collected by TripAdvisor from a customer, are reported on a net basis, or in other words, excluded from revenue on its consolidated financial statements, which is consistent with prior periods. The application of TripAdvisor’s revenue recognition policies and a description of the principal activities from which it generates revenue, are presented below. 

 

Hotels

TripAdvisor-branded Click-based Advertising and Transaction Revenue. TripAdvisor’s largest source of Hotel revenue is generated from click-based advertising on TripAdvisor-branded websites, which is primarily comprised of contextually-relevant booking links to its travel partners’ sites. TripAdvisor’s 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 travel partners pay are determined in a dynamic, competitive auction process, also known as TripAdvisor’s metasearch auction. TripAdvisor records click-based advertising revenue as the click occurs and traveler leads are sent to the travel partner websites as the performance obligation is fulfilled at that time. Click-based revenue is generally billed to travel partners on a monthly basis consistent with the timing of the service.

Transaction revenue is generated from TripAdvisor’s 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 TripAdvisor’s website. TripAdvisor earns a commission from its travel partners for each consumer that completes a hotel reservation on TripAdvisor’s website; based on a pre-determined commission rate. TripAdvisor’s hotel instant booking revenue includes (i) arrangements where commissions are billable on all instant booking hotel reservations; and (ii) arrangements where the commission is billable only upon the completion of the traveler’s stay resulting from the reservation. The travel partner provides the service to the traveler and TripAdvisor acts as an agent under ASC 606. TripAdvisor’s performance obligation in both arrangements is complete at the time of the booking and the commission earned is recognized upon booking, as TripAdvisor has no post-booking service obligations. The amount of revenue recognized for commissions which 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.

TripAdvisor-branded Display-based Advertising and Subscription Revenue. Travel partners can promote their brands in a contextually-relevant manner through a variety of display-based advertising placements on TripAdvisor websites. TripAdvisor’s display-based advertising clients are predominantly direct suppliers of hotels, airlines and cruises, as well as destination marketing organizations. TripAdvisor also sells 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 basis. The performance obligation in TripAdvisor’s display based advertising business is to display a number of advertising impressions on TripAdvisor’s websites and TripAdvisor recognizes revenue for impressions as they are delivered. Services are generally billed monthly. TripAdvisor has applied the practical expedient to measure progress toward completion, as it has the right to invoice the customer in an amount that directly corresponds with the value to the customer of TripAdvisor’s performance to date, which is measured based on impressions delivered.

In addition, TripAdvisor offers subscription-based advertising to hoteliers, owners of B&Bs and other specialty lodging properties. TripAdvisor’s performance obligation is generally to enable subscribers to advertise their businesses on TripAdvisor’s website, as well as manage and promote their website URL, email address, phone number, special offers and other information related to their business. Subscription 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 advertising services are generally billed in advance of service.  When prepayments are received, TripAdvisor recognizes deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied.

Other Hotel Revenue. TripAdvisor’s other hotel revenue primarily includes revenue from non-TripAdvisor-branded websites, such as www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, and www.onetime.com and www.smartertravel.com, 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.

Non-Hotel

TripAdvisor provides information and services for consumers to research, book and experience activities and attractions in popular travel destinations both through Viator, its dedicated Experiences business, and on its TripAdvisor website and applications. TripAdvisor also powers travel activities and experiences booking capabilities to consumers for affiliate partners, including some of the world’s top airlines, hotel chains and online and offline travel agencies. TripAdvisor works with local tour or travel activities/experiences operators (“the supplier”) to provide consumers with access to book tours, activities and experiences (“the activity”) in popular destinations worldwide. TripAdvisor generates commissions for each booking transaction facilitated through its online reservation system. TripAdvisor provides 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. TripAdvisor does not control the activity before the supplier provides the activity to its consumers and therefore acts as agent for nearly all of these transactions under ASC 606. TripAdvisor generally collects payment from the consumer at the time of booking that includes both TripAdvisor’s commission revenue and the amount due to the supplier. TripAdvisor’s commission revenue is recorded as deferred revenue until revenue is recognized, and the amount due to the supplier is recorded to deferred merchant payables on the consolidated balance sheet, until payment is made to the supplier after the completion of the activity. To a lesser extent, TripAdvisor earns commissions from third-party merchant partners, who display and promote TripAdvisor’s supplier activities on their websites to generate bookings. In these transactions, where TripAdvisor is not the merchant of record, TripAdvisor generally invoices and receives commissions directly from the third-party merchant partners. TripAdvisor’s performance obligation is to allow the third-party merchant partners to display and promote its supplier activities on their website and TripAdvisor earns a commission when consumers book and complete an activity. TripAdvisor does not control the service and act as an agent for these transactions under ASC 606. TripAdvisor’s performance obligation is complete and revenue is recognized at the time of the booking, as TripAdvisor has no post-booking obligations. TripAdvisor recognizes 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.

TripAdvisor also provides information and services for consumers to research and book restaurants in popular travel destinations through its dedicated restaurant reservations business, TheFork, and on TripAdvisor’s website and applications. TheFork is an online restaurant booking platform operating on a number of websites (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com and www.iens.nl), with a network of restaurant partners located primarily across Europe and Australia. TripAdvisor’s bookable restaurants are available on www.thefork.com and on TripAdvisor-branded websites and mobile apps. TripAdvisor primarily generates 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 restaurant customers. Revenue is billed monthly when the transaction fees are payable, which is at the time the diner is seated. To a lesser extent, TripAdvisor also generates 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, TripAdvisor recognizes deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied.

 

TripAdvisor’s Rentals businesses generate revenue primarily by offering individual property owners and managers the ability to list their properties on TripAdvisor’s websites and mobile apps thereby connecting homeowners 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 TripAdvisor-branded websites and mobile apps. TripAdvisor earns commissions associated with rental transactions through its free-to-list model from both the traveler and the property owner or manager. TripAdvisor provides 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. TripAdvisor acts as an agent under ASC 606, in the transactions, as TripAdvisor does not control any properties before the property owner provides the accommodation to the traveler and does not have inventory risk. TripAdvisor generally collects payment from the traveler at the time of booking that includes TripAdvisor’s commissions, which is recorded as deferred revenue until revenue is recognized, and the amount due to the property owner, which is recorded in deferred merchant payables on the consolidated balance sheet, 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. TripAdvisor recognizes deferred revenue for the amount of prepayment in excess of revenue recognized until the performance obligation is satisfied. 

 

Practical Expedients and Exemptions

 

TripAdvisor expenses costs to obtain a contract as incurred, such as sales incentives, when the amortization period would have been one year or less.

TripAdvisor does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less and (ii) contracts for which it recognizes revenue at the amount to which it has the right to invoice for services performed.

Impact of Adoption of ASC 606

 

The impact of the new guidance was not meaningful as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 for the consolidated statement of operations, consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statement of cash flows, respectively.

 

Disaggregation of Revenue

 

TripAdvisor disaggregates revenue from contracts with customers into major products/revenue sources. TripAdvisor has 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. A reconciliation of disaggregated revenue to total hotel and non-hotel revenue is also included below. 

 

 

 

Contract Balances

 

The following table provides information about the opening and closing balances of accounts receivables 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 TripAdvisor has 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 TripAdvisor presents as deferred revenue on its consolidated balance sheets. As of January 1, 2018, TripAdvisor had $59 million recorded as deferred revenue on its consolidated balance sheet, of which $57 million was recognized in revenue and $2 million was refunded due to cancellations by travelers during the year ended December 31, 2018. The difference between the opening and closing balances of TripAdvisor’s deferred revenue primarily results from the timing differences between when TripAdvisor receives customer payments and the time in which TripAdvisor satisfies its performance obligations. The difference between the opening and closing balances of TripAdvisor’s contract assets primarily results from the timing difference between when TripAdvisor satisfies its 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 year ended December 31, 2018 related to business combinations, impairments, cumulative catch-ups or other material adjustments.

Operating Expense

Operating expenses consist primarily of certain technology and content expenses, including personnel and overhead expenses which include salaries, benefits and bonuses for salaried employees and contractors engaged in the design, development, testing content support and maintenance of TripAdvisor’s websites and mobile apps. Operating expense also includes to a lesser extent costs of services which are expenses that are closely correlated or directly related to service revenue generated, including 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 transactions. Other costs include licensing, maintenance expense, computer supplies, telecom costs, content translation costs and consulting costs.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of personnel and related overhead costs, including personnel engaged in leadership, finance, legal and human resource functions as well as professional service fees and other fees including audit, legal, tax and accounting, and other costs including bad debt expense and non-income taxes, such as sales, use and other non-income related taxes.

Selling and Marketing

Selling and marketing expenses primarily consist of direct costs, including traffic generation costs from search engine marketing, or SEM, and other online traffic acquisition costs, syndication costs and affiliate program commissions, social media costs, brand advertising, television and other offline advertising, promotions and public relations. In addition, our indirect sales and marketing expense consists of personnel and overhead expenses, including salaries, commissions, benefits, and bonuses for sales, sales support, customer support and marketing employees.

TripAdvisor incurs advertising expense consisting of traffic generation costs from SEM and other online traffic costs, affiliate program commissions, display advertising, social media, other online and offline (primarily television) advertising expense, and promotions and public relations to promote its brands. Costs associated with communicating the advertisements are expensed in the period in which the advertisement takes place. Production costs associated with advertisements are expensed in the period in which the advertisement first takes place.

Stock-Based Compensation

As more fully described in note 9, TripCo grants to its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries restricted stock and options (collectively, “Awards”) to purchase shares of TripCo common stock. TripCo measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and restricted stock) based on the grant-date fair value of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). TripCo measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date. Certain outstanding awards that were previously granted by Qurate Retail were assumed by TripCo upon the completion of the TripCo Spin-Off. Additionally, TripAdvisor is a consolidated company and has issued stock-based compensation to its employees related to its common stock. The consolidated statements of operations include stock-based compensation related to TripCo Awards and TripAdvisor equity.

Included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations are the following amounts of stock-based compensation for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 (amounts in millions):

 

During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, TripAdvisor capitalized $13 million, $13 million and $12 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense as internal-use software and website development costs. 

In May 2017, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that clarifies when changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award must be accounted for as modifications. Under the new guidance, an entity will not apply modification accounting to a share-based payment award if the award’s fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value, if those measurement methods are used), the award’s vesting conditions, and the award’s classification as an equity or liability instrument are the same immediately before and after the change. The guidance also states that an entity is not required to estimate the value of the award immediately before and after the change if the change does not affect any of the inputs to the model used to value the award. The Company adopted this guidance prospectively in the first quarter of 2018. The Company believes the new guidance will likely result in fewer changes to the terms of an award being accounted for as modifications.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying value amounts and income tax bases of assets and liabilities and the expected benefits of utilizing net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated using enacted income tax rates in effect for each taxing jurisdiction in which the Company operates for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Net deferred tax assets are then reduced by a valuation allowance if the Company believes it more likely than not that such net deferred tax assets will not be realized. We consider all relevant factors when assessing the likelihood of future realization of our deferred tax assets, including our recent earnings experience by jurisdiction, expectations of future taxable income, and the carryforward periods available to us for tax reporting purposes, as well as assessing available tax planning strategies. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of an enacted change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Due to inherent complexities arising from the nature of our businesses, future changes in income tax law, tax sharing agreements or variances between our actual and anticipated operating results, we make certain judgments and estimates. Therefore, actual income taxes could materially vary from these estimates.

When the tax law requires interest to be paid on an underpayment of income taxes, the Company recognizes interest expense from the first period the interest would begin accruing according to the relevant tax law. Such interest expense is included in income tax (expense) benefit in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Any accrual of penalties related to underpayment of income taxes on uncertain tax positions is included in income tax (expense) benefit in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

We recognize in our consolidated financial statements the impact of a tax position, if that position is more likely than not to be sustained upon an examination, based on the technical merits of the position.

In October 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on income tax accounting associated with intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. This accounting update, which is part of the FASB's simplification initiative, is intended to reduce diversity in practice and the complexity of tax accounting, particularly for those transfers involving intellectual property. This new guidance requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted this new guidance in the first quarter of 2018 on a modified retrospective basis. Accordingly, the Company recognized the cumulative effect of initial application of this new guidance as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings, which was not material to its consolidated financial statements.

Deferred Merchant Payables

In TripAdvisor’s Rentals free-to-list model and its Experiences businesses, TripAdvisor receives cash from travelers at the time of booking and it records these amounts, net of commissions, on its consolidated balance sheets as deferred merchant payables. TripAdvisor pays the suppliers, or the vacation rental owners and tour providers, respectively, after the travelers’ use. Therefore, it receives cash from the traveler prior to paying the suppliers and this operating cycle represents a working capital source or use of cash to TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor’s deferred merchant payables balance was $164 million and $156 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Certain Risks and Concentrations

The TripAdvisor business is subject to certain risks and concentrations, including concentrations related to dependence on relationships with its customers. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, TripAdvisor’s two most significant travel partners, Expedia (and its subsidiaries) and Booking Holdings Inc. (and its subsidiaries), each accounted for more than 10% of TripAdvisor’s consolidated revenue and combined accounted for approximately 37%,  43% and 46%, respectively, of its total revenue.

 

Contingent Liabilities

Periodically, the Company reviews 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. The Company provides disclosure in the notes to the consolidated financial statements for loss contingencies that do not meet both these conditions if there is a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred that would be material to the consolidated financial statements. Significant judgment is required to determine the probability that a liability has been incurred and whether such liability is reasonably estimable. Accruals are based on the best information available at the time which can be highly subjective. The final outcome of these matters could vary significantly from the amounts included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income (loss), cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments, and unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities, net of tax.

 

Earnings (Loss) per Common Share (EPS)

Basic earnings (loss) per common share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing net earnings (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect on a per share basis of potential common shares as if they had been converted at the beginning of the periods presented. Excluded from EPS for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 are 2 million, 2 million and 2 million potential common shares, respectively, because their inclusion would be antidilutive.

Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company considers (i) recoverability and recognition of goodwill, intangible and long-lived assets and (ii) accounting for income taxes to be its most significant estimates.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to accounting for leases. The new standard amends the existing standards for lease accounting and includes the requirement for lessee recognition of right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with a term longer than 12 months, which will be initially measured at the present value of the future lease payments over the lease term. Under the new guidance, leases will be classified as either finance or operating leases, with classification affecting the pattern and presentation of expenses and cash flows on the consolidated financial statements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance on the accounting for leases which provides companies with an additional transition method, which allows companies to recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as of the date of adoption. Under this transition method, previously presented years’ financial positions and financial results would not be adjusted. The Company will adopt the new standard on January 1, 2019 and use the effective date as the date of initial application based on the modified retrospective approach, without adjusting the comparative periods presented. Consequentially, the Company will not update its consolidated financial statements or provide any disclosures required under the new standard for dates and periods prior to January 1, 2019.

 

The new guidance provides a number of optional practical expedients and exemptions available upon adoption and for ongoing accounting. The Company plans to elect the following practical expedients: 1) the “practical expedients package of three”, which allows us at transition to continue to maintain prior accounting conclusions under the existing guidance for leases as of the adoption date, such as whether any expired or existing contracts contain leases,  the classification of leases, and the accounting treatment for initial direct costs; thereby not being required to reassess these positions upon adoption of the new standard; 2) the “short-term lease recognition exemption”, which allows us to forego recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet 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 we are 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.

 

In anticipation of adoption, TripAdvisor has updated its accounting policies to reflect the new accounting rules within the new guidance and has completed the implementation of its lease accounting software to support the accounting process, financial reporting and the new financial disclosure requirements. TripAdvisor expects to implement certain new internal controls surrounding its lease accounting process upon the adoption of the new guidance.

 

The Company currently expects the primary effects of adoption of this new guidance to be as follows:

 

 

 

The Company does not anticipate the income tax impact to be material to its consolidated financial statements from the adoption of this guidance. It also does not expect the adoption of this new guidance will have a material impact, either on an annual or quarterly basis, to the consolidated statement of operations and consolidated statement of cash flows on a go-forward basis. The Company expects to expand financial disclosure concerning leasing activity, including qualitative and quantitative disclosures.