Why Uber Stock Is Falling After Earnings
Uber stock is lower Wednesday as the ride-hailing firm's soft first-quarter outlook offsets its strong fourth-quarter results. Here's what you need to know.


Uber Technologies (UBER) stock fell out of the gate Wednesday after the ride-hailing company beat top- and bottom-line expectations for its fourth quarter but issued a weaker-than-expected gross bookings outlook for its first quarter.
In the three months ending December 31, Uber's revenue increased 20.4% year over year to $12 billion, driven by a 17.6% increase in gross bookings to $44.2 billion. Its earnings per share (EPS) rose nearly fourfold from the year-ago period to $3.21, largely due to a tax valuation release.
"Uber ended 2024 with our strongest quarter ever, as growth accelerated across MAPCs [Monthly Active Platform Consumers], trips, and Gross Bookings," said CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a statement. "Our performance has been powered by rapid innovation and execution across multiple priorities, including the massive opportunity presented by autonomous vehicles."
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Khosrowshahi added that Uber entered the new year with "clear momentum" and that the company "will continue to be relentless against our long-term strategy."
"Record demand in both Mobility and Delivery helped us grow Gross Bookings faster than the high end of our guidance, and we closed out 2024 exceeding our three-year outlook for Gross Bookings, Adjusted EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization], and free cash flow," said Uber Chief Financial Officer Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah in a statement.
Uber's fourth-quarter results beat analysts' expectations. Wall Street was anticipating revenue of $11.8 billion, gross bookings of $43.5 billion and earnings of 50 cents per share, according to CNBC.
However, sentiment turned negative toward Uber stock when it provided its outlook. For the first quarter, Uber said it expects to achieve gross bookings in the range of $42 billion to $43.5 billion, representing growth of 17% to 21% from the year-ago period. The midpoint of this range, $42.75 billion, came up short of the $43.5 billion in gross bookings Wall Street is calling for.
Is Uber stock a buy, sell or hold?
Uber Technologies has lagged the broad market over the past 12 months, down roughly 6% vs the S&P 500's 21% gain. Yet, Wall Street is keeping the faith on the industrial stock.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the average analyst target price for UBER stock is $88.63, representing implied upside of nearly 30% to current levels. Additionally, the consensus recommendation is a Buy.
Financial services firm Jefferies is one of those with a Buy rating on the large-cap stock along with an $87 price target.
Jefferies analyst John Colantuoni admits there is "skepticism that UBER can deliver on the three-year outlook." However, he notes that the company "is keeping Bookings growth elevated by increasingly leveraging non-core products [Uber Freight, Uber for Business, for example] that address more use cases to drive user adoption and multi-product attachment."
Related Content
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Joey Solitro is a freelance financial journalist at Kiplinger with more than a decade of experience. A longtime equity analyst, Joey has covered a range of industries for media outlets including The Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Market Realist, and TipRanks. Joey holds a bachelor's degree in business administration.
-
I’m Over 65 and Itemize: Can I Claim the New $6,000 ‘Senior Bonus’ Tax Deduction?
Tax Changes If you’re an older adult, a new bonus deduction could provide a valuable tax benefit.
-
Alphabet Stock Pops After Google Antitrust Ruling: What to Know
GOOGL stock is soaring Wednesday after a judge ruled that Alphabet does not have to divest its Chrome browser.
-
Alphabet Stock Pops After Google Antitrust Ruling: What to Know
GOOGL stock is soaring Wednesday after a judge ruled that Alphabet does not have to divest its Chrome browser.
-
7 Mistakes to Avoid When You First Start Investing
Investing brings the opportunity to build wealth, but there are plenty of mistakes that can be made. Here are seven common ones and how they can be avoided.
-
A Fidelity Fund Misses Out on Soaring Bank Stocks
The Fidelity International Growth Fund has outperformed over the long term, but its lagging exposure to bank stocks has weighed on more recent returns.
-
More Than Money: The Hidden Toll of Financial Abuse of Older Adults
Financial abuse from schemes involving tech support, government impostors, false sweepstakes, grandchild hoaxes and online shopping issues can cause thousands of dollars in losses.
-
I'm a Financial Planner: Here Are Three High-Impact Ways to Make a Difference With Your Dollars
The world often feels out of control, but here are three ways to use your money — through investments, charitable giving and political donations — to help create a more just and sustainable future.
-
Stocks Slide to Start September: Stock Market Today
Seasonal trends suggest tough times for the stock market as we round into the end of the third quarter.
-
If You'd Put $1,000 Into Sherwin-Williams Stock 20 Years Ago, Here's What You'd Have Today
Sherwin-Williams stock has clobbered the broader market by a wide margin for a long time.
-
Where is the Foreign Dividend Boom Headed?
It's been a golden six months for foreign dividend stocks, but can any be relied on for predictable income going forward? Here are some options.