Particle.news

DoorDash Rallies on Strong Demand as Costly Tech Overhaul Hits Profit Outlook

Heavy spending on a single global platform now tempers profit despite accelerating demand.

Overview

  • Fourth-quarter results showed rapid growth with $3.96 billion in revenue, 903 million orders, and about $29.7 billion in gross order value, while earnings per share and revenue narrowly missed Wall Street estimates.
  • For the current quarter, DoorDash guided marketplace gross order value to $31.0 billion to $31.8 billion, above forecasts, but projected adjusted EBITDA of $675 million to $775 million, below analyst expectations.
  • CEO Tony Xu said unifying DoorDash, Wolt, and Deliveroo on one technology platform is a “massive and expensive undertaking,” as research and development spending rose 41% and sales and marketing climbed 31%.
  • Management flagged near-term profit pressure from a smaller Deliveroo contribution of under $25 million, severe U.S. winter storms, and higher costs in regulated markets.
  • Shares swung sharply after the release, then climbed with an about 11% premarket gain on Thursday as investors weighed strong demand indicators against a heavier investment cycle and intense competition from Instacart and Uber Eats.