Digital advertising platforms and gig economy operators unveil September-quarter results this week, with Wall Street consensus pointing to an overall positive outlook across the sector.
Uber to shift up a gear on profits
Uber Technologies posts Tuesday with the Street modelling a top-line revenue of US$13.26 billion, marking an 18.5% year-over-year climb, though EPS guidance calls for a 44.2% compression to $0.69 as the company invests in platform expansion.
The mobility giant delivered adjusted EBITDA, GAAP operating income, and free cash flow peaks in Q2, with trip volumes and gross bookings accelerating 18%, while management guided Q3 gross bookings expansion in the high teens and EBITDA growth tracking low to mid-30s.
Consensus pegs total gross bookings at $48.97 billion versus $40.97 billion in the prior-year period, with monthly active platform consumers (MAPCs) clocking 184 million against 161 million.
During the Q2 earnings call, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi flagged Uber One membership scaling to 36 million subscribers, with members deploying three times the capital of non-members, while cross-platform users engaging both Mobility and Delivery verticals demonstrated 35% higher retention metrics.
The board has also authorised a $20 billion buyback program.
H.C. Wainwright lifted its Uber price target from $12.75 to $19.75, while Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh bumped his GM target to $76 from $67, citing diminished tariff headwinds.
Pinterest pins down ad surge
Pinterest issued Q3 guidance calling for top-line between $1.033 billion and $1.053 billion, implying 15% to 17% YoY expansion, with adjusted EBITDA bandwidth at $282 million to $302 million as AI-powered ad products gain traction.
The visual discovery platform logged 578 million MAUs in Q2, an 11% annual uptick, while pulling in $998 million in revenue, up 17%.
Talking to CNBC, TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge sees ad spend on Pinterest surging 63% YoY in Q3 2025.
"We expect EBITDA growth of 20% YoY, outpacing revenue growth, driven by modest [cost of revenue] and R&D leverage."
He maintained conviction in his mid-teens annual top-line growth thesis through 2H 2025 and 2026, underpinned by accelerating adoption of Pinterest's Performance+ campaign suite.
Snap to break revenue record
Snap provided Q3 2025 revenue guidance spanning $1.475 billion to $1.505 billion, roughly 9% sequential lift from Q2's $1.34 billion print, with DAUs forecasted at 476 million v 469 million in Q2 and 443 million in Q3 2024 as the platform scales user engagement.
Adjusted EBITDA bandwidth sits at $110-135 million for Q3 2025, compared to Q2's $41 million, though this marks a 25% YoY deterioration.
Management has already disclosed that Spotlight post views under 24 hours old doubled annually in Q3, while AR lenses and filters clocked 8 billion daily interactions in Q2, with SMB advertising constituting a meaningful slice of Snap's ad revenue mix.
Lyft elevates into the black
Lyft, dropping its print on Wednesday, guides for $1.698 billion in top-line revenue, up 11.5%, with EPS flipping positive to $0.07 versus a $0.03 per-share loss in the comparable period as operational improvements drive profitability.
The ride-hail operator posted gross bookings, adjusted EBITDA, and FCF records in Q2, with strategic partnerships driving 25% of ride volume, while the company pushes into European markets via its FREENOW acquisition and forges autonomous vehicle alliances with Baidu.
DoorDash delivers for Wall Street?
DoorDash guided Q3 GOV spanning $24.2-24.7 billion, with adjusted EBITDA ranging $680-780 million as the delivery platform scales across food and local commerce categories.
Goldman Sachs resumed coverage with a Buy rating, bumping core GOV models by 5% to 10% for 2025-2027, following Q2 actuals running roughly 5% north of prior forecasts.
The firm projects DoorDash posting a 2026-2028 revenue CAGR around 19%, with GAAP EBITDA margins inflecting to roughly 20% by 2028 from ~12% in 2025.
Goldman Sachs analysts observed that “most of their industry work and channel checks continue to point towards strong operational momentum in the delivery space, spanning both food delivery and an expanding mix of local commerce initiatives".
Airbnb checks in with new services
Airbnb guided Q3 top-line spanning $4.02-4.1 billion, signalling 8% to 10% annual expansion, with adjusted EBITDA forecasted above $2 billion as the company diversifies beyond traditional home rentals.
In Q2, the travel marketplace delivered $3.1 billion in revenue, up 13% annually.
The platform rolled out services, including curated experiences, which generated 660 million social media impressions and netted a 4.93-star average guest rating, while management authorised a $6 billion capital return program.
This article does not constitute financial or product advice. You should consider independent advice before making financial decisions.
