Uber lost $ 968 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from $ 1.1 billion in the same period last year, despite revenue falling 16% due to travel restrictions linked to the pandemic.
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Its title nevertheless lost more than 2% in electronic exchanges on Wall Street after the close of the stock market on Wednesday, its results being lower than those expected by the market.
The world leader in the reservation of passenger cars with driver (VTC) has never made a profit.
Before the pandemic, he thought to reach the Grail of profitability in the last quarter of 2020. But in the spring he indicated that this objective would be delayed by several quarters, because of the health crisis.
During this crisis, Uber put the package on meal deliveries, very popular thanks to the lockdowns.
Its delivery branch thus generated revenue of $ 1.4 billion during the holiday season, a jump of 224% over one year.
In contrast, its turnover for its mobility branch - VTC races - plunged 52% to 1.5 billion.
"Uber ended 2020 with major negative impacts for VTC rides because of the resurgence of coronavirus cases, but also a solid and continuous growth of their business in the delivery"
, reacted Eric Haggstrom of the analyst firm eMarketer .
"2021 should be an exceptional year with the vaccination campaigns which will benefit their VTC segment"
, he added.
"A difficult comparison in 2021" for the delivery
In delivery, Uber has expanded well beyond Uber Eats in recent months, notably with the takeovers of Cornershop in Latin America and, last week, of Drizly, a leader in on-demand alcohol deliveries to the States. -United.
But
"the deliveries of meals to restaurants will undergo a difficult comparison in 2021 with last year"
, warned Eric Haggstrom.
“We remain confident in the possibility that our delivery branch will become profitable in 2021,”
nevertheless assured Uber boss Dara Khosrowshahi during a conference call with analysts.
Throughout 2020, Uber's losses amounted to $ 6.8 billion, a 20% improvement from the $ 8.5 billion lost in 2019.