Uber files confidentially for IPO

[SAN FRANCISCO] Uber Technologies filed documents confidentially this week with regulators for an initial public offering (IPO), said a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because it was private.

The offering could be the largest IPO next year and one of the five biggest of all time. Bankers have told Uber that the San Francisco-based company could be worth US$120 billion on the public markets, people familiar with the matter have previously said.

Uber's rival Lyft said Thursday that it had submitted its prospectus for an IPO to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Uber's filing was reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal.

The two companies are racing toward IPOs as equities markets are in turmoil. Uber chief executive officer Dara Khosrowshahi has financial incentives to take the company public next year at a lofty valuation. Uber's investors have long pushed it toward an IPO, which would free them and employees to sell their shares.

Uber revenue growth slowed in the third quarter to 38 per cent. It lost US$1.1 billion on revenue of US$2.95 billion.

While Uber hasn't selected a lead banker for share sale, Morgan Stanley played a key role in helping the company write its IPO prospectus, a person familiar with the matter has said.

Alibaba Group Holdings US$25 billion US listing in 2014 is the largest ever IPO. SoftBank Group's 2.65 trillion yen (S$3.22 billion) listing of its telecom unit, which is already fully subscribed, will become the second biggest when it officially prices on Monday.

Depending on Uber's valuation, its listing could be in that league. As long as its offering exceeds US$17.4 billion, Uber will rank among the top five IPOs.

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