UBER

Uber Shifts Gears to Profitability: Time to Buy?

After leaving investors waiting for years, Uber is finally at the door, with profits in hand.

The mega app's pivot to profit and its approach to the S&P 500 have shifted the outlook for this one-of-a-kind tech stock. This shift in gears may open up a timely opportunity for an Uber play.

Uber's latest earnings call generated some impressive numbers. With total revenue up 11 percent from a year earlier, the platform generated $221 million in net income.

In the Black

In addition, the firm reported a free cash flow of $905 million and unrestricted liquidity assets totaling $5.2 billion.

In August, Uber revealed it generated positive cash flow for the first time ever. It brought in a hefty sum of $382 million, beating analysts' expectations by more than $100 million.

Buzz is building around Uber's admission to the S&P 500 – the most tracked index globally – as it nears officially reporting sufficient positive earnings to qualify to join the benchmark.

S&P Phenomenon

That is because, like so many tech companies, it has long prioritized expansion over profits and has reinvested its revenues in building its global ride-hailing and food-delivery empire.

If and when this happens, the so-called “S&P Phenomenon” could create significant price upswing. Many firms experience a short-lived price spike when they join the index driven by the sudden purchasing of their stock of the many funds that track the S&P.

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