Uber Stock Surges as Bill Ackman Unveils $2.3B Stake; Options Market Buzz

Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) shares experienced a notable surge on Friday, February 8, 2025, climbing $5.73 or 8.19% to $75.72, following the revelation by Bill Ackman, the head of Pershing Square Capital Management, that his firm had amassed a significant stake in the company. In a post on X, Ackman disclosed owning 30.3 million shares of Uber, highlighting his long-standing belief in the company's potential, which was initially sparked by actor Edward Norton who introduced him to the Uber app in its nascent stage. Despite Uber's past challenges with erratic management, Ackman praised current CEO Dara Khosrowshahi for his transformative leadership since joining in 2017, emphasizing that Uber has evolved into a highly profitable, cash-generative enterprise.

Ackman's investment comes at a time when Uber is navigating through mixed financial signals. Earlier in the week, Uber's shares had dipped 7.5% after the company provided less optimistic guidance and reported earnings that fell short of expectations. Despite this, Ackman's confidence in Uber's intrinsic value, which he views as significantly undervalued compared to its market price, seems to have bolstered investor sentiment. He described Uber as one of the best managed and highest quality businesses globally, a rare attribute for a company of Uber's size, suggesting that the current stock price represents a buying opportunity.

This year, Uber has seen a 25% increase in its stock value, recovering from a slight 2% decline in 2024. Ackman's involvement and his forthcoming detailed analysis of Uber could further influence investor perceptions, potentially driving more interest in the stock. His perspective underscores a broader narrative in the tech and transportation sectors, where operational excellence and strategic management can lead to significant shareholder value, even in the face of short-term market volatility.

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Uber Technologies. Our analysis of options history for Uber Technologies UBER revealed 42 unusual trades. Delving into the details, we found 61% of traders were bullish, while 30% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 5 were puts, with a value of $616,160, and 37 were calls, valued at $5,594,762.

Expected Price Movements
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $30.0 to $95.0 for Uber Technologies over the recent three months.

Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Uber Technologies's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Uber Technologies's significant trades, within a strike price range of $30.0 to $95.0, over the past month.

Uber Technologies Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Largest Options Trades Observed:
Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume
UBER CALL TRADE BEARISH 09/19/25 $7.35 $7.2 $7.25 $70.00 $2.8M 1.6K 5.5K
UBER CALL TRADE BULLISH 12/19/25 $20.0 $18.45 $19.75 $50.00 $505.6K 3.3K 2.0K
UBER PUT SWEEP BEARISH 06/20/25 $4.7 $4.45 $4.7 $60.00 $423.0K 12.2K 3
UBER CALL TRADE BULLISH 09/19/25 $7.15 $6.95 $7.1 $70.00 $390.5K 1.6K 557
UBER CALL TRADE BULLISH 12/19/25 $19.5 $19.35 $19.5 $50.00 $195.0K 3.3K 704

About Uber Technologies
Uber Technologies is a technology provider that matches riders with drivers, hungry people with restaurants and food couriers, and shippers with carriers. The firm's on-demand technology platform is currently utilized by traditional cars as well as autonomous vehicles, but could eventually be used for additional products and services, such as delivery via drones or electronic vehicle take-off and landing technology. Uber operates in more than 70 countries, with more than 161 million users who order rides or food at least once a month.

In light of the recent options history for Uber Technologies, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.

Present Market Standing of Uber Technologies
Trading volume stands at 9,368,437, with UBER's price up by 2.37%, positioned at $64.67.
RSI indicators show the stock to be is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
Earnings announcement expected in 33 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About Uber Technologies
4 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $93.25.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Goldman Sachs keeps a Buy rating on Uber Technologies with a target price of $96. * Reflecting concerns, an analyst from JMP Securities lowers its rating to Market Perform with a new price target of $95. * An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its action to Overweight with a price target of $90. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Wolfe Research keeps a Outperform rating on Uber Technologies with a target price of $92.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Uber Technologies with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.