Lyft to Report Q3 Earnings: How to Approach the Stock Now?

Lyft LYFT is scheduled to report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 5, after market close.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the to-be-reported quarter’s earnings and revenues is pegged at 30 cents per share and $1.7 billion, respectively.

The earnings estimate for the to-be-reported quarter has remained stable over the past 60 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues indicates an 11.6% uptick from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The same for quarterly earnings indicates a 3.5% increase from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

For 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for LYFT’s revenues is pegged at $6.51 billion, implying an expansion of 12.6% year over year. The consensus mark for 2025 EPS is pegged at $1.18, implying an uptick of 24.2% on a year-over-year basis.

The company’s earnings surpassed estimates in two of the last four quarters (missed on the other two occasions), the average beat being 15.8%.

Lyft Price and EPS Surprise

Lyft price-eps-surprise | Lyft Quote

Q3 Earnings Whispers for LYFT Stock

Our proven model conclusively predicts an earnings beat for LYFT this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. This is exactly the case here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

LYFT has an Earnings ESP of +5.50% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Factors Shaping LYFT’s Q3 Results

We expect Lyft's performance in the to-be-reported quarter to have been boosted by an uptick in total revenues. Its top-line growth is likely to have been driven by an increase in active riders as the ride-share market rebounds from the pandemic lows. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for active riders is currently pegged at 28 million for the third quarter of 2025, which implies a 14.8% increase from year-ago actuals.

The uptick in gross bookings, too, might have aided results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for gross bookings is currently pegged at $4.7 billion, implying a 17.5% uptick from third-quarter 2024 actuals. Low costs, owing to LYFT’s cost-cutting efforts, are likely to have aided bottom-line performance. The still high inflation might have, however, hurt results in the to-be-reported quarter.

LYFT’s Price Performance & Valuation

Lyft’s shares have gained 45.3% over the past six months, while the Zacks Internet-Services industry is up 40.4%. Its main competitor, Uber UBER, has gained in single digits in the same timeframe. Another industry player, DoorDash DASH, too, has lagged Lyft over the past six months, declining in excess of 1%.

6- Month Price Performance Comparison

From a valuation perspective, Lyft is trading at a discounted level compared with its industry. Going by its price/sales ratio, the company is trading at a forward sales multiple of 1.14, below industrial levels, as well as Uber and DoorDash. Lyft has a Value Score of B. Uber and DoorDash have a Value Score of D and F, respectively.

LYFT’s P/S F12M vs. Industry, UBER & DASH

How to Play Lyft Pre-Q3 Earnings

Lyft is experiencing growth in gross bookings, driven by an expanding active rider base, entry into new markets and the popularity of its customer-friendly “Price Lock” feature.

LYFT’s move to focus on less densely populated markets, such as Indianapolis, is paying off. With the return-to-office trend gaining momentum, weekday demand for ride-hailing services is on the rise. Lyft is also targeting the rapidly growing robotaxi market through strategic partnerships. The company’s impressive price performance and cheap valuation add to its appeal.

With so many positives driving the stock, LYFT presents a compelling investment opportunity now and investing ahead of its upcoming results seems like a good idea.  

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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