Uber Stock Dips on Earnings Miss; CEO Sees Robotaxi Potential as Multitrillion-Dollar Opportunity

[Para 1: The Lead] Uber (UBER) stock declined in early trading sessions following a profit outlook miss. Despite CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's optimistic remarks on autonomous vehicle (AV) opportunities, investors reacted negatively. The company forecasted Q1 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) between $0.65 and $0.72, underperforming market estimates of $0.77. [Para 2-3: Supporting details & Context] Uber's adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was projected at $2.37 billion to $2.47 billion, below the midpoint of analyst forecasts. The company also announced Balaji Krishnamurthy as the new CFO, replacing Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, effective Feb. 16, 2026. Khosrowshahi highlighted the "multitrillion-dollar" potential of robotaxis, emphasizing the hybrid model combining robotaxis with human drivers as the best strategy for most markets. He critiqued Waymo's fixed-vehicle service, citing Uber's logistics network as a structural advantage. Uber's total gross bookings in Q4 grew 22% to $54.1 billion, with adjusted EBITDA up 35% to $2.5 billion.