Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of travel information website TripAdvisor (TRIP +0.59%) soared 20% today after the company's quarterly results flew past Wall Street expectations.
So what: The stock has slumped recently on concerns that management's shift away from search engine marketing to new social media tools was hurting growth, but a strong third quarter -- income jumped 9% on 18% revenue growth -- naturally eases some of those worries. In fact, total traffic to its websites grew by about a third during the quarter while its European bookings also appeared to be improving, giving investors plenty of positive signs that the business is finally stabilizing.
Now what: Based on the company's solid year-to-date performance, management continues to expect 2012 revenue growth in the high teens and adjusted EBITDA growth in the high single digits. "As we drive continued traffic and content growth on a global scale," CEO Steve Kaufer said in a statement, "we are making wonderful strides to enhance the TripAdvisor experience for both our traveler community and our advertising partners alike." With the stock still off about 25% from its 52-week high even after today's spike, there might even be some room left to buy into that progress.
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