Uber's change in strategy is reportedly a necessary response to the "seismic shift" in investor sentiment.
Photo Credit: Reuters
Last week, Uber reported a $5.9 billion net loss in Q1 2022
Uber will scale back hiring and reduce expenditure on its marketing and incentive activities, CNBC reported on Monday, citing a letter from Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi.
The ride-hailing company becomes the latest to rein in costs to have a lean investment model, after Facebook-owner Meta said last week it would slow down the growth of its workforce.
Khosrowshahi said Uber's change in strategy was a necessary response to the "seismic shift" in investor sentiment, according to the CNBC report.
"The least efficient marketing and incentive spend will be pulled back. We will treat hiring as a privilege and be deliberate about when and where we add headcount," the report quoted Khosrowshahi as saying.
Uber said last week its driver base is at a post-pandemic high, and the company expects this to continue without significant incentive investments, a sharp contrast to rival Lyft which has said it needs to spend more for labor.
The company will now focus on achieving profitability on a free cash flow basis, rather than adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, according to the CNBC report.
The ride hailing giant expects to generate "meaningful positive cash flows" for the full year, according to its latest earnings report.
Khosrowshahi added in his letter that Uber's food delivery and freight businesses need to grow faster, the CNBC report added.
Uber did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.
© Thomson Reuters 2022
Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.
Microsoft Announces Latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build With Ask Copilot in Taskbar, Shared Audio Feature
Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Specifications Leaked in Full; Major Camera Upgrades Tipped