Uber Technologies Inc., the US-based ride-hailing and delivery service, reported a 14% year-over-year increase in revenue for the first quarter, totaling $13.2 billion, though this fell short of analyst expectations of $13.62 billion. The company attributed this shortfall to severe winter storms in the US, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and rising gasoline prices. Despite this, Uber's gross bookings for Q1 reached $53.7 billion, surpassing the anticipated $52.84 billion. Looking ahead, Uber forecasts second-quarter gross bookings between $56.25 billion and $57.75 billion, which exceeds the average analyst estimate of $56.07 billion. This optimistic outlook is bolstered by strong demand for ride-hailing and delivery services, particularly in international markets like Australia and new expansions into Denmark. Additionally, Uber's membership program, Uber One, has surpassed 50 million users, accounting for approximately half of its gross bookings. The company's adjusted earnings per share for Q1 were 72 cents, beating estimates of 70 cents. Although ride-hailing revenue of $6.8 billion missed expectations, the delivery and freight segments exceeded forecasts, marking a return to growth for the latter for the first time in nearly two years.