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DoorDash, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: letter to shareholders. Guidance figures: 9 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Orders, GOV and revenue rose year over year: Total Orders, Marketplace GOV and revenue grew 32%, 39% and 38% year over year in the fourth quarter, with Deliveroo included from October 2, 2025. Source
  • Excluding Deliveroo, growth was lower: Excluding Deliveroo, Total Orders grew 20%, Marketplace GOV 25% and revenue 26% year over year in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose, margin fell: Adjusted EBITDA reached $780 million, up 38% year over year, while its share of Marketplace GOV was 2.6%, below the year-earlier and third-quarter levels. Source
  • Dasher costs to rise in Q1: Management expects Dasher cost per order to rise quarter over quarter in Q1 2026, reflecting seasonality, added capacity, longer deliveries, and regulated-market cost increases. Source
  • Free cash flow fell year over year: Fourth-quarter Free Cash Flow was $254 million, down from $420 million a year earlier, with operating cash flow of $421 million against $518 million. Source
  • Single global platform for three marketplaces: Management describes a new global technology platform that will move DoorDash, Wolt and Deliveroo onto one stack, letting engineers work on the same projects. Source
  • Deliveroo run for long-term focus: Management says it plans to run Deliveroo with a long-term focus and deep attention to detail, while expecting cost efficiencies over time from a larger global business. Source

“In 2025, we accelerated growth in our U.S. restaurant category, expanded consumer affordability through record DashPass signups, increased consumer retention and order frequency in our grocery and retail categories by improving selection and quality,”

DoorDash, Inc., letter to shareholders

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Marketplace GOV SourceQ1 2026$31.0 billion - $31.8 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ1 2026$675 million - $775 millionNew
Deliveroo Adjusted EBITDA contribution SourceQ1 2026less than $25 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of Marketplace GOV, excluding Deliveroo Sourcefull year 2026increase slightly compared to 2025New
Deliveroo Adjusted EBITDA contribution Sourcefull year 2026approximately $200 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of Marketplace GOV SourceQ2 2026up from Q1 2026, slightly below Q2 2025 levelNew
Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of Marketplace GOV; Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ3 2026; 2H 2026 vs 1H 2026Q3 margin up from Q2; 2H Adjusted EBITDA significantly higher than 1HNew
Stock-based compensation expense Sourcefull year 2026$1.3 billion to $1.4 billionNew
Depreciation and amortization expense Sourcefull year 2026$1.1 billion to $1.2 billionNew
U.S. restaurant unit economics Source2026increase from 2025, at a slower pace than the three-year averageNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Guidance ranges for Q1 2026 Marketplace GOV and Adjusted EBITDA were given; the prior release gave ranges only for Q4 2025. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 stock-based compensation and depreciation and amortization ranges were given; the prior release covered 2025. Source
  • New guidance: Quarterly Adjusted EBITDA margin direction for Q2 and Q3 2026, and a second-half step-up, were stated for the first time. Source
  • New guidance: Management gave first 2026 direction for U.S. restaurant and U.S. grocery and retail unit economics. Source
  • Guidance kept: Deliveroo's expected 2026 Adjusted EBITDA contribution of about $200 million was repeated from the prior release. Source
  • New: A new non-GAAP measure, revenue excluding Deliveroo, was introduced for comparing the legacy business. Source
  • New: Management says it has begun organizing its team for consistent execution across global operations. Source

Fourth quarter results and growth

  • Orders, GOV and revenue rose year over year: Total Orders, Marketplace GOV and revenue grew 32%, 39% and 38% year over year in the fourth quarter, with Deliveroo included from October 2, 2025. Source
  • Excluding Deliveroo, growth was lower: Excluding Deliveroo, Total Orders grew 20%, Marketplace GOV 25% and revenue 26% year over year in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Full-year GOV growth was 27%: For 2025, Marketplace GOV grew 27%, or 23% excluding Deliveroo. The company also reported nearly $75 billion in sales for local merchants and over $20 billion in earnings for Dashers. Source
  • Net income rose from a year earlier: GAAP net income attributable to common stockholders was $213 million in the fourth quarter, up from $141 million a year earlier and down from $244 million in the third quarter. Source

Segments, categories and regions

  • U.S. restaurant GOV growth near high: U.S. restaurant Marketplace GOV growth reached its second-highest level in fifteen quarters in Q4, with double-digit growth in new consumers. Source
  • Grocery and retail unit economics improved: U.S. grocery and retail unit economics rose on both a year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter basis. Over 30% of U.S. MAUs engaged with these categories in December. Source
  • International GOV growth accelerated ex-Deliveroo: Excluding Deliveroo, international Marketplace GOV growth accelerated from Q3. Unit economics also rose on both bases despite significant ongoing investment. Source
  • Deliveroo order growth accelerated: Y/Y growth in Deliveroo Total Orders accelerated in Q4, and its Adjusted EBITDA contribution slightly exceeded the stated expectation. Source

“Our expectation is that operating on a single platform will improve our operating efficiency and pace of innovation.”

DoorDash, Inc., letter to shareholders

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted EBITDA rose, margin fell: Adjusted EBITDA reached $780 million, up 38% year over year, while its share of Marketplace GOV was 2.6%, below the year-earlier and third-quarter levels. Source
  • Cost of revenue ratio eased: Cost of revenue, excluding depreciation and amortization, was 6.5% of Marketplace GOV in the fourth quarter, compared with 6.8% a year earlier and 6.7% in the third quarter. Source
  • Dasher costs to rise in Q1: Management expects Dasher cost per order to rise quarter over quarter in Q1 2026, reflecting seasonality, added capacity, longer deliveries, and regulated-market cost increases. Source
  • Sales, marketing and G&A ratios rose: Sales and marketing rose on advertising and personnel costs, reaching 2.4% of Marketplace GOV. General and administrative rose to 1.6% on transaction-related costs and personnel expenses. Source
  • R&D held steady as a share of GOV: Research and development was 1.4% of Marketplace GOV, consistent with the prior year and third quarter, reflecting personnel and software costs. Source

Demand and consumer engagement

  • More consumers and higher engagement: Total Orders growth came from more consumers and higher average consumer engagement, as well as the Deliveroo acquisition. Source
  • Currency added about one point: Management estimates that changes in currency rates added about 1% to year-over-year Marketplace GOV growth in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Record new grocery and retail consumers: The company attracted more new consumers to U.S. grocery and retail in Q4 than in any previous quarter, and initial engagement among newer cohorts rose year over year. Source

“We are already working closely together to solve problems for merchants, consumers, and Dashers and we're seeing promising initial outputs.”

DoorDash, Inc., letter to shareholders

Cash, capital and buybacks

  • Free cash flow fell year over year: Fourth-quarter Free Cash Flow was $254 million, down from $420 million a year earlier, with operating cash flow of $421 million against $518 million. Source
  • Four items weighed on cash flow: Management cited higher funds held at payment processors, receivables from grocery, advertising and gift card growth, upfront technology and insurance payments, and Deliveroo deal costs. Source
  • No buybacks under 2025 authorization: As of February 17, 2026, no shares had been repurchased under the $5.0 billion February 2025 authorization, and the company may or may not repurchase any portion of it. Source
  • 2025 financing included convertible notes: The 2025 cash flow statement shows $2,720 million of net proceeds from convertible notes, alongside $4,151 million of net cash used for acquisitions. Source

Strategy and investment priorities

  • Single global platform for three marketplaces: Management describes a new global technology platform that will move DoorDash, Wolt and Deliveroo onto one stack, letting engineers work on the same projects. Source
  • Deliveroo run for long-term focus: Management says it plans to run Deliveroo with a long-term focus and deep attention to detail, while expecting cost efficiencies over time from a larger global business. Source
  • Merchant tools and ads expanded: New venues signed at SevenRooms more than doubled year over year in December, and advertising partners nearly doubled through Symbiosis from June to December. Source

People and organization

  • Deliveroo staff joined on October 2: Management welcomed Deliveroo coworkers on October 2 and says the two teams are already working closely together on merchant, consumer and Dasher problems. Source
  • Team being organized for global execution: The company has begun organizing its team for consistent and efficient execution across global operations, and says this will remain a priority. Source

Legal and regulatory costs

  • Legal costs excluded from adjusted measures: Adjusted G&A and Adjusted EBITDA exclude certain legal, tax and regulatory costs, which management says are not indicative of core operating performance. Source
  • Worker classification costs seen as stable: Management says worker classification expenses are not expected to be material over the long term, citing legislative and regulatory certainty such as Proposition 22. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • 2026 product and technology priorities: Management says it aims in 2026 to improve selection and quality, expand membership value, grow merchant value through the Commerce Platform, and keep investing in autonomous and AI technologies. Source
  • Cost efficiencies from larger global business: Management expects cost efficiencies over time from operating a larger global business, though it names investment in people and products as the priority at Deliveroo. Source
  • Team alignment remains a priority: Management says aligning technologies, structure, team and controls with its long-term ambition will remain a priority as the organization is reshaped. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Orders, Q4 2025 Source903 million
Marketplace GOV, Q4 2025 Source$29.7 billion
Monthly active users, end of 2025 Sourceover 56 million
DashPass, Wolt+ and Deliveroo Plus members, end of 2025 Sourceover 35 million

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management estimates an approximately $20 million direct impact in Q1 2026 from two U.S. severe storms. Source
  • Financial: Free Cash Flow was reduced by higher funds held at payment processors and receivables tied to grocery, advertising and gift card growth. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Deliveroo's Q4 2025 Adjusted EBITDA contribution slightly exceeded the stated expectation of $45 million. Source
  • On track: Management says it is on track with its plan to rebuild and relaunch significant portions of its products on the new global platform. Source
  • Not stated: Management repeats its earlier expectation that Deliveroo will contribute about $200 million to Adjusted EBITDA in 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.