Uber now has 74% of the US rideshare market, up from 62% in 2020, according to market research firm YipitData, while Lyft's market share slipped to 26% from 38% during that same period.
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Uber dominates U.S. market shareBy April 2022, Uber sales exceeded their pre-pandemic levels and remained elevated throughout most months of 2022 and into 2023. Meanwhile, sales at Lyft are yet to reach their pre-pandemic levels as of September 2023.
In terms of revenue, Uber is about 10 times the size of Lyft. Granted, more revenue means Uber is spending more on variable costs like driver compensation and administrative support. More revenue, however, also means Uber can spend more on research and development, which in turn maintains its technological edge.
Uber dominates U.S. market shareMeanwhile, sales at Lyft are yet to reach their pre-pandemic levels as of August 2023. It is worth noting that during its FY23 Q2 earnings call, Uber reported its first-ever operating profit and highlighted Uber Rides as the business line with the highest year-over-year revenue growth.
Reputation Isn't EverythingIt does look like these factors have registered in the minds of US consumers — Uber had a much lower company reputation score than Lyft. By some distance it was the lowest in the apps category, and one of the lower scores across all sectors.
Given Lyft's liquidity position and cash burn rate, I do not believe it will survive through 2024. Lyft may eventually find an activist or strategic buyer, but it may lack sufficient strategic value in today's economy.
While Uber diversified its business beyond ride-hailing by delivering meals and grocery items, Lyft never did. That arguably hurt the company earlier in the pandemic when fewer customers were traveling but more were ordering items online.
The company reported an adjusted Ebitda loss of $248 million during the final three months of 2022. Lyft attributed the loss to a regulatory disclosure change that requires companies to count insurance reserves, cash set aside to pay for claims and other insurance expenses, in financial measures.
Ride-hailing companies have struggled with supply and demand since Covid-19 took drivers off the road. Uber had to rely on incentives to bring drivers back, which ate into financials. That seemed to be stabilizing in recent months, but the war in Ukraine has caused significant hikes in fuel prices.
Lyft is more about a friendly experience. Drivers can be tipped in the app, have better insurance through the app, and are told to make it more about the experience of taking a lyft. Things like snacks and conversation are borderline requirements. Uber is easier and cheaper but less engaging.
Finally, a profitIn Q2 2023, Uber's revenue totaled $9.23 billion, up 14% from $8.1 billion a year earlier. As we mentioned above, Uber finally turned an operating profit, reporting $326 million in Q2 compared to an operating loss of $713 million a year earlier.
The Lyft app launched in 2012 (Uber, originally called UberCab, in 2009), but Lyft started life as a side project for Zimrides, a carpooling service founded in 2007 that leveraged Facebook and students for long-distance ride-sharing back when Uber was just a limousine-shaped gleam in the eye of Canadian co-founder ...
LYFT Average Assets are comparatively stable at the moment as compared to the past year. LYFT reported Average Assets of 4.67 Billion in 2022. Enterprise Value is likely to gain to about 4.8 B in 2023, whereas Earnings Before Interest Taxes and Depreciation Amortization EBITDA are likely to drop (1.5 B) in 2023.
The company has been working on autonomous vehicles, which is a significant expense. Additionally, Uber has been expanding its operations worldwide, which requires a lot of investment. The company has also been involved in several legal battles, which have resulted in significant expenses.
Lyft lost $187.6 million, or 50 cents per share, during the first quarter, slightly less than its loss a year ago but significantly more than the 10 cents per share anticipated by analysts surveyed by FactSet Research.
Safety concerns: Safety is a major concern for Uber, both in terms of rider safety and driver safety. The company has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect riders and drivers, and has made a number of changes to its policies and procedures in response to these concerns.
Uber Technologies Tangible Asset Value is relatively stable at the moment as compared to the past year. Uber Technologies reported last year Tangible Asset Value of 21.97 Billion. As of 08/31/2023, Working Capital is likely to grow to about 406.4 M, while Revenue Per Employee is likely to drop slightly above 771.5 K.
Uber Driver ShortageThe COVID-19 pandemic and even carjackings have led many drivers to leave the gig economy and drive for Uber, which has led to a driver shortage for Uber, which means you might have trouble getting a ride through the Uber app.
Uber's third-quarter commentary that it's reached an inflection point for expanding profitability over the coming quarters and rising investor expectations have driven a 34% share price rebound since the start of 2023, trimming the stock's decline over the past year to 4.2% (see chart below).
Uber, Lyft and Doordash have set up a lobbying group against workers' right to unionize. Lyft has donated 14 million dollars to buy a ballot initiative to deny Lyft's drivers the rights of employees. Uber and Lyft Drivers Say Apps Are Short-Changing Wages While Raising Fares.