On-demand car company Uber today filed in Delaware to authorize up to $1.8 billion of new Series E preferred stock. The document was first spotted by VCExperts, which says that Uber’s valuation could hit $40 billion if all of the authorized shares are issued.
This is the same valuation that Bloombergreported late last month, although that story only said that Uber was seeking to raise “at least $1 billion.” Prior to this new round, the San Francisco-based company had raised around $1.5 billion, including a $1.2 billion round just this past summer led by Fidelity Investments at a $17 billion pre-money valuation.
It is unclear if Uber has finalized the Series E raise, which is separate from a large convertible debt offering that Uber currently is selling to high-net-worth clients of Goldman Sachs (apparently without having to pay normal Wall Street fees). Word is that, if the Series E raise isn’t done, it’s extremely close.
Update: Uber just published a blog post saying that it has raised $1.2 billion in new funding, “with additional capacity remaining for strategic investments.” One source close to the situation says that the company is currently negotiating with investors for an additional close, which could bring the final figure much closer to the $1.8 billion mark.
A company spokeswoman declined to identify investors, although prior reports suggest that both T. Rowe Price and Fidelity are expected to be major participants.
Uber’s blog post also included the following comments from CEO Travis Kalanick, who still has never sold any personal stock in Uber, related to the company’s recent troubles:
This kind of growth has also come with significant growing pains. The events of the recent weeks have shown us that we also need to invest in internal growth and change. Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them are the first steps. We are collaborating across the company and seeking counsel from those who have gone through similar challenges to allow us to refine and change where needed.
Fortunately, taking swift action is where Uber shines, and we will be making changes in the months ahead. Done right, it will lead to a smarter and more humble company that sets new standards in data privacy, gives back more to the cities we serve and defines and refines our company culture effectively.
Below are the first few pages of Uber’s filing, courtesy of VCExperts:
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