• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
TechUber Technologies

3 key takeaways from Uber’s latest pandemic-impacted quarter

By
Danielle Abril
Danielle Abril
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Danielle Abril
Danielle Abril
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 5, 2020, 7:04 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Uber’s latest earnings reinforce two things about its business during the pandemic: People are still hesitant to book rides, and they’re increasingly having their food and groceries delivered.

Uber Eats, Uber’s delivery business, is benefiting from a “massive structural shift in consumer behavior,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said during a conference call with investors on Thursday. “Consumers are quickly becoming accustomed to the magic of having anything delivered to their door in half an hour.”

Uber on Thursday reported $3.1 billion in third-quarter revenue, slightly below analyst forecasts of $3.2 billion. The company lost $1.09 billion, a stunning amount, but a slight improvement over the $1.16 billion it lost during the same period last year.

Uber had 78 million monthly active users at the end of the quarter, down 24% year-over-year. But that marked a 41% improvement from the previous quarter, showing signs that some people are returning to the service after sitting out during the early days of the pandemic.

Following the earnings report, Uber’s shares dropped more than 3% in after-hours trading. But during the investor call, they recovered slightly to $41.50 per share, or down 1% after gaining more than 2% in regular trading.

Here are three key takeaways from the earnings report.

Prop. 22 will expand beyond California

Khosrowshahi praised this week’s passage of Prop. 22, the California ballot initiative that his company supported, that lets it continue classifying its workers at independent contractors. The measure saves gig companies big costs that they would’ve had to spend on paying employees and the full benefits that come with them.

He also said the company intends to “loudly” advocate for new laws like Prop. 22 worldwide.

“We think over the long term [this model is] going to win,” Khosrowshahi said.

Uber expects new benefits, including a guaranteed minimum hourly wage and health benefits, to raise its costs about 5%, much of which it expects to pass on to its customers. Khosrowshahi said he doesn’t expect lower demand for rides because of rides becoming more expensive.

Food delivery continues to boom

The star of the third quarter, as it was in the previous quarter, was Uber Eats. The unit’s revenue jumped 125% year-over-year to $1.45 billion, marking the second sequential quarter during which sales more than doubled.

Khosrowshahi said the company has managed to increase its profits, excluding certain expenses, on each delivery by reducing discounts and by virtue of customers spending more on their orders. During the quarter, Uber Eats’ lost $183 million, excluding certain expenses, a 42% improvement over the same period last year.

Eats also recently started letting merchants buy ads nationwide on its app. Khosrowshahi expects the ads to help improve the unit’s otherwise lower profit margins from grocery and pharmacy delivery.

The delivery business will become profitable, minus certain expenses, next year, Khosrowshahi promised.

Ride-hailing still lags

Uber’s core ride-hailing business, under strain from the pandemic, is showing signs of recovery in some markets.

“The U.S. has been an overall drag on our global recovery,” Khosrowshahi said. “But we have some bright spots, even in the U.S..”

Revenue from rides fell 53% year-over-year to $1.37 billion, an improvement over last quarter’s 67% decline.

Khosrowshahi said that rides are increasing in some cities as people return to commuting. In New York City, for example, gross bookings, or the money Uber collects before paying drivers, increased about 63% in October compared to year-ago levels.

About the Author
By Danielle Abril
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Image of colored bar charts with one being pushed up.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI is minting billion-dollar companies faster than before
By Beatrice NolanJune 30, 2026
2 hours ago
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei pointing to his head.
AIAnthropic
At the heart of Anthropic’s clashes with the U.S. government, a decision not to play by the new rules of Trump’s Washington
By Jeremy KahnJune 30, 2026
5 hours ago
wb
CommentaryLeadership
I grew BDO from $600 million to $3.4 billion. Here’s the 3-part formula that made it possible
By Wayne BersonJune 30, 2026
6 hours ago
vinod
CommentaryData centers
Vinod Khosla: AI’s energy crisis has a fix — and it doesn’t need the grid
By Vinod KhoslaJune 30, 2026
6 hours ago
Jamie Dimon isn’t giving up the top job. That’s turned JPMorgan into a poaching ground for CEO talent
C-SuiteNext to Lead
Jamie Dimon isn’t giving up the top job. That’s turned JPMorgan into a poaching ground for CEO talent
By Ruth UmohJune 30, 2026
6 hours ago
Comcast’s split brings former CFO Michael Angelakis back as CEO
AICFO Daily
Comcast’s split brings former CFO Michael Angelakis back as CEO
By Sheryl EstradaJune 30, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
3 days ago
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
AI
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
By Catherina GioinoJune 29, 2026
21 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.