XML 21 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.21.2
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Note 1 – Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business
Uber Technologies, Inc. (“Uber,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) was incorporated in Delaware in July 2010, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Uber is a technology platform that uses a massive network, leading technology, operational excellence and product expertise to power movement from point A to point B. Uber develops and operates proprietary technology applications supporting a variety of offerings on its platform (“platform(s)” or “Platform(s)”). Uber connects consumers (“Rider(s)”) with independent providers of ride services (“Mobility Driver(s)”) for ridesharing services, and connects Riders and other consumers (“Eaters”) with restaurants, grocers and other stores (collectively, “Merchants”) with delivery service providers (“Couriers”) for meal preparation, grocery and other delivery services. Riders and Eaters are collectively referred to as “end-user(s)” or “consumer(s).” Mobility Drivers and Couriers are collectively referred to as “Driver(s).” Uber also connects consumers with public transportation networks. Uber uses this same network, technology, operational excellence and product expertise to connect shippers with carriers in the freight industry. Uber is also developing technologies that will provide new solutions to solve everyday problems.
Our technology is used around the world, principally in the United States (“U.S.”) and Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (excluding China and Southeast Asia).
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.
In the opinion of management, these financial statements include all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair statement of the financial position, results of operations, comprehensive loss, cash flows and the change in equity for the periods presented.
There have been no changes to our significant accounting policies described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021 that have had a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes, except for an update reflecting the new accounting standard related to debt with conversion and other options.
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 (“COVID-19”) a pandemic. COVID-19 continues to impact market and economic conditions globally. The evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent of its impact across industries and geographies, including the duration of the spread of the outbreak and any resurgences of the outbreak or variants of the virus, continue to be uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Basis of Consolidation
Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Uber Technologies, Inc. and entities consolidated under the variable interest and voting models. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Refer to Note 14 – Variable Interest Entities for further information.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions, which affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are based on historical experience, where applicable, and other assumptions which management believes are reasonable under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates estimates, including, but not limited to: the incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”) applied in lease accounting; fair values of investments and other financial instruments (including the measurement of credit or impairment losses); useful lives of long-lived assets; fair value of acquired intangible assets and related impairment assessments; impairment of goodwill; stock-based compensation; income taxes and non-income tax reserves; certain deferred tax assets and tax liabilities; insurance reserves; and other contingent liabilities. These estimates are inherently subject to judgment and actual results could differ from those estimates. The level of uncertainties and volatility in the global financial markets and economies resulting from the pandemic as well as the uncertainties related to the impact of the pandemic on us and our investees' operations and financial performance means that these estimates may change in future periods, as new events occur and additional information is obtained.
Certain Significant Risks and Uncertainties - COVID-19
Various governments continue to implement, lift, and in some regions reinstate restrictions, including business activities and travel restrictions. These restrictions have had an adverse impact on our business and operations by reducing, in particular, the global demand for Mobility offerings, while accelerating the growth of our Delivery offerings. COVID-19 has produced uncertainty around the world and it is not possible to predict the COVID-19 pandemic’s cumulative and ultimate impact on our future business operations, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, and cash flows. The extent of the impact of the pandemic on our business and financial results will depend largely on future developments, including the duration of the spread of the outbreak and any resurgences of the outbreak or variants of the virus, both globally and within the United States, the administration, adoption and efficacy of vaccines in the United States and internationally, the impact on capital, foreign currencies exchange and financial markets, governmental or regulatory orders that impact our business and whether the impacts may result in permanent changes to our end-users’ behavior, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Collateral Held by Insurer
Collateral held by insurer represents funds held by James River Group companies (“James River”). These funds, previously held in a trust account, were withdrawn by James River during the fourth quarter of 2019 upon notice of cancellation of their insurance policies (primarily auto insurance policies) issued to one of our subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2020, the funds served as collateral for us and our subsidiary’s current and future claim settlement obligations under the indemnification agreements for these insurance policies as included in insurance reserves on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. Accordingly, the amount withdrawn is presented as collateral held by insurer on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020.
During the third quarter of 2021, in connection with a legacy auto insurance transfer as described below, James River returned funds, previously presented as collateral held by insurer, to the trust account where the funds were previously held. Accordingly, the funds were reclassified from collateral held by insurer to non-current restricted cash and cash equivalents on our condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2021.
Legacy Auto Insurance Transfer
On September 27, 2021, Aleka Insurance, Inc., our wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiary, entered into a Loss Portfolio Transfer Reinsurance Agreement (the “LPTA”) with James River effective July 1, 2021. Pursuant to the LPTA, our captive insurance subsidiary reinsured certain automobile liability insurance risks relating to activity on our platform between 2013 and 2019 in exchange for payment by James River to our captive insurance subsidiary of a premium in the amount of $345 million (“Premium”). Subsequent to the LPTA, we retain substantially all of the liabilities on these policies when taken together with previous risk transfer arrangements. In connection with the LPTA, claims currently administered by James River will be transferred to a third-party claims administrator for ongoing handling (the “Transferred Claims”) at our expense. The liabilities associated with the Transferred Claims were re-evaluated as of September 30, 2021, and adverse development was recognized on certain of those liabilities. During the third quarter of 2021, we recognized a $103 million charge in our condensed consolidated statements of operations consisting of the difference between the Premium and the assumed liabilities (including the cost of future claims administration), expenses associated with the LPTA, and the adverse development on the Transferred Claims.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-01, “Investments-Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815,” which clarifies the interaction of the accounting for equity investments under Topic 321 and investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting in Topic 323 and the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options accounted for under Topic 815. We adopted the new standard on January 1, 2021 on a prospective basis. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity,” which reduced the number of models used to account for convertible instruments, amends the accounting for certain contracts in an entity’s own equity that would have previously been accounted for as derivatives and modifies the diluted earnings per share calculations for convertible instruments. We early adopted the new standard on January 1, 2021 on a modified retrospective basis. Refer to Note 7 – Long-Term Debt and Revolving Credit Arrangements for the impact of adoption on our 2025 Convertible Notes and Note 11 – Net Income (Loss) Per Share for the impact on our earnings per share calculation.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting,” which provides optional expedients and exceptions to contract modifications and hedging relationships that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The standard is effective upon issuance through December 31, 2022 and may be applied at the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 or any date thereafter. We are currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on our consolidated financial statements.