Grab revenue rises, loss narrows on delivery, ride demand

Grab revenue rises, loss narrows on delivery, ride demand

It fights to gain profitability after years of heavy spending for market share.

SINGAPORE:
Grab said revenue rose 6% in the first quarter after the ride-hailing and delivery company won back consumers as the pandemic receded in Southeast Asia.

Revenue increased to US$228 million after the Singapore-based company added sales from Jaya Grocer, a platform it acquired in January.

That was more than the US$139.2 million analysts were expecting, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Grab’s net loss narrowed to US$435 million, as the company fights to gain profitability following years of heavy spending in pursuit of market share.

The company managed to grow paying users 10% to 30.9 million after Southeast Asian countries removed pandemic-era restrictions. Per-user spending climbed 19%, it said.

Unlike other Internet companies that are grappling with cooling post-Covid online activity, Grab’s car-hailing and delivery businesses benefit as life returned to normal.

The company had struggled since becoming a publicly listed company in the US through a merger with a blank-check company in December. Mounting losses, coupled with a broad tech selloff, have weighed on its shares, which have lost more than 70% since the startup went public.

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