SR
Serve Robotics Inc. /DE/ (SERV)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Revenue of $0.687M grew 209% YoY and 7% QoQ, landing slightly below S&P Global consensus ($0.691M, miss of ~$4K); GAAP diluted EPS was $(0.54) versus consensus $(0.32), a larger-than-expected loss due to deliberate scaling and R&D spend . Estimates from S&P Global*.
- Delivery volume rose 66% sequentially; fleet revenue grew 31% QoQ to $0.433M, and branding revenue surged 120% QoQ, partially offsetting expected software declines .
- Liquidity strong with $210M in cash and marketable securities at quarter-end and an additional $100M raised via registered direct offering in October; company remains debt-light and well-funded for 2,000 robot deployment by mid-December 2025 .
- DoorDash multi-year partnership expands platform reach alongside Uber; 1,000th robot milestone achieved, with 380 robots shipped in September, reinforcing scale narrative and utilization flywheel .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Delivery volume +66% QoQ; daily active robots increased to 312 and daily supply hours to 3,781, demonstrating scaling throughput and utilization momentum .
- Branding revenue +120% QoQ as fleet scale unlocked new monetization, providing a positive surprise versus prior caution on branding variability .
- Strategic partnerships: new multi-year DoorDash deal and continued traction with national QSRs (e.g., Jersey Mike’s), broadening order funnel; CEO: “Combined, Uber and DoorDash serve over 80% of the food delivery market in the United States” .
What Went Wrong
- GAAP net loss widened to $(33.0)M, driven by expansion into new cities, M&A integrations (Vayu, Phantom/Voysys), and elevated R&D, with adjusted EBITDA at $(24.95)M .
- EPS missed consensus (actual $(0.54) vs $(0.32)), reflecting near-term cost-to-scale as the company builds capacity ahead of 2026 . Estimates from S&P Global*.
- Gross margin remained deeply negative due to early-stage operations (gross loss $(4.38)M); cost of revenues ($5.07)M outpaced nascent revenue mix .
Financial Results
Core P&L vs Prior Periods and Estimates
Notes: Revenue and EPS missed consensus slightly; EBITDA missed by a wider margin as scaling costs pulled forward. Values with asterisk are from S&P Global*.
Segment Breakdown
KPIs
Balance Sheet Snapshot (Q3 2025)
- Cash and equivalents: $116.839M; cash + marketable securities referenced at $210M; total assets: $299.509M; total equity: $284.268M .
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “We are now a national leader in sidewalk robotics, advancing towards a 10x increase in revenue next year… foundation for a future with a million robots deployed globally.”
- CFO: “Branding revenue jump[ed] 120% sequentially… fleet revenue is becoming the predictable growth engine we’ve envisioned… models more refined, economics more efficient.”
- On DoorDash: “A single robot being able to alternate between deliveries from each platform… increases our utilization, which in turn lowers the cost per delivery.”
- On cost-down: “Gen3 robots are a third the cost of our Gen2… design modularity and supply chain maturity (e.g., Ouster lidar) cut per-unit costs.”
Q&A Highlights
- 2026 scale: Team will share specifics next year; growth with “precision and discipline” prioritizing utilization and efficiency before further fleet additions .
- Robot design simplification and cost reductions: Modular architecture, fewer custom assemblies, supply chain optimization, and scaled manufacturing lower unit costs .
- DoorDash integration: Multi-modal interoperability to improve utilization and lower cost per delivery; volumes expected to grow under new channel in coming months .
- Vayu integration impact: Early in process; expected to raise autonomous speed/runtime and improve unit economics as foundation models are deployed network-wide .
- City learnings: Chicago provided rapid ramp to mature SLAs; diverse urban conditions enrich models, making subsequent launches faster and more reliable .
Estimates Context
- Revenue: Actual $0.687M vs S&P Global consensus $0.691M — slight miss, consistent with expected short-term software variability . S&P Global*.
- EPS: Actual $(0.54) vs S&P Global $(0.32) — bold miss as opex ramps for national footprint, M&A integration, and R&D investments . S&P Global*.
- EBITDA: Actual $(24.95)M (adjusted) vs S&P Global consensus $(14.34)M — miss tied to accelerated scaling costs and capacity builds ahead of 2026 . S&P Global*.
- Forward consensus (S&P Global*) implies Q4 revenue ~$0.76M, then step-ups in 1H26 alongside utilization ramp.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Near-term P&L pressure is deliberate: the company is front-loading capacity and R&D to support 2026 scale; expect operating leverage to emerge as utilization improves (hours up, interventions down) .
- Scale catalysts: DoorDash partnership, 1,000+ robots deployed, Chicago launch, and upcoming Buckhead/Fort Lauderdale/Alexandria expansions drive volume funnel and geographic density .
- Monetization mix improving: fleet revenue is the foundation, with branding momentum and recurring software/data opportunities as high-margin accelerants into 2026 .
- Liquidity removes funding overhang: $210M cash/securities plus $100M equity raised post-quarter supports 2,000 robot milestone and working capital for expansions .
- Watch utilization and autonomy metrics: increased autonomous miles and speed, daily operating hours per robot, and reduction in interventions are leading indicators of margin inflection .
- Strategic narrative: multi-platform (Uber + DoorDash) interoperability is a key differentiator that should compress unit costs and improve route economics .
- Trading lens: near-term results may remain below EPS expectations, but execution on deployment and utilization likely drives estimate revisions and sentiment as 2026 guidance is formalized .
Footnote: Values marked with an asterisk are retrieved from S&P Global.