Citizens Keeps Uber Target at $100 Amid Autonomous Growth Focus

Analysts at Citizens JMP Securities kept their price target for Uber Technologies Inc. at $100 on 26 May 2026, underscoring a focus on the company’s long-term autonomous vehicle growth prospects. The target represents a significant 39.2% premium to Uber's share price of $71.82 as of late morning trading today, 26 May 2026. The bank’s reaffirmation comes despite Uber stock falling 3.73% on the day, trading within a $71.32 to $74.96 range.

Context — [why this matters now]

Citizens JMP Securities has maintained its confidence while Uber’s stock faces near-term headwinds marked by competitive pressures and macroeconomic uncertainty. A price target of $100, first established by the firm months ago, signals a belief that the stock’s intrinsic value has not diminished despite price volatility. This view contrasts with historical analyst behavior where price targets are frequently adjusted in line with short-term market moves.

The last major analyst action on Uber came in late 2025 when several firms, including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, issued bullish reports on the mobility sector’s long-term profitability. Rate expectations have shifted, with the market now pricing in a potential delay to Federal Reserve easing, putting pressure on growth stocks reliant on future cash flows. The catalyst for Citizens’ current stance is its proprietary valuation model that heavily weights Uber’s investments and partnerships in autonomous driving technology.

This focus on autonomy coincides with a material shift in how markets value ride-hailing companies. In 2024 and early 2025, valuation models centered on near-term EBITDA margins and market share gains. The current analyst framework incorporates the potential for a structural reduction in the largest cost component for ride-hailing, driver payments. Recent legislative movements in California and Arizona, which have clarified liability frameworks for autonomous vehicle deployment, provide a more concrete timeline for this cost transition.

Data — [what the numbers show]

Uber’s share price of $71.82 as of 11:08 UTC today reflects a 3.73% decline for the session. The stock has traded within a daily range of $71.32 to $74.96. Citizens’ $100 price target implies a potential upside of $28.18 per share, or 39.2%, from current levels. This target stands in stark contrast to the stock’s recent performance and the broader market trend.

For comparison, the S&P 500 index has gained approximately 8.5% year-to-date through late May 2026, highlighting Uber’s underperformance relative to the broader equity benchmark. The gap between the current price and the analyst target is among the widest in the S&P 500 consumer discretionary sector. Uber’s market capitalization at the current price is approximately $148 billion, a figure that Citizens’ analysis suggests does not fully reflect the optionality of its autonomous vehicle portfolio.

Metric	Uber (UBER)	Peer Benchmark (SPY)
Current Price	$71.82	$525.50 (approx)
Today's Performance	-3.73%	+0.21% (approx)
YTD Performance (approx)	-5.1%	+8.5%
Analyst Target Premium	+39.2%	Varies

This data illustrates the disconnect between Uber’s short-term market sentiment and the long-term value proposition articulated by certain analysts. The stock’s decline today also contrasts with the performance of other mobility-adjacent stocks like Target, which was trading at $125.60, up 2.67% on the session.

Analysis — [what it means for markets / sectors / tickers]

The sustained $100 target signals to institutional investors that the long-term investment thesis for Uber remains intact despite quarterly volatility. This analyst call benefits companies in the autonomous vehicle supply chain, including sensor manufacturers like Luminar Technologies and compute providers like NVIDIA. It also provides indirect support for Uber’s key autonomy partners, such as Waymo and Aurora Innovation, by validating the commercial timeline for driverless ride-hailing.

The primary counter-argument is execution risk. Uber’s path to integrating autonomous vehicles at scale faces regulatory hurdles, technological challenges, and significant capital expenditure. Competitors like Lyft and Didi are pursuing similar strategies, and any delay in Uber’s timeline could cede a first-mover advantage. near-term profitability could be pressured if the company continues heavy R&D spending without immediate revenue contribution from autonomy.

Institutional positioning data from the prior week shows net inflows into Uber stock from long-term growth funds, even as hedge funds and high-frequency traders executed net sales. This divergence suggests a battle between short-term tactical trading and strategic, multi-year investment horizons. Flow is also moving into the thematic ETFs focused on autonomous technology and future mobility, indicating broader sector interest triggered by analyst convictions like this one.

Outlook — [what to watch next]

Investors will monitor Uber’s next quarterly earnings report, scheduled for late July 2026, for any updates on autonomous vehicle investment timelines and capital allocation. The key level for technical traders is the $70.00 psychological support, a breach of which could trigger further selling toward the 200-day moving average near $68.50. Conversely, a close above the day’s high of $74.96 could signal a near-term reversal.

Specific catalysts include the anticipated announcement of expanded commercial robotaxi operations by Waymo in a new major metropolitan area, expected by Q3 2026. any Federal Communications Commission or Department of Transportation rulings on spectrum allocation for vehicle-to-everything communication in Q4 2026 will be critical for infrastructure readiness. The next major analyst day hosted by Uber, likely in early 2027, will be a focal point for detailed financial projections related to its autonomy segment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a maintained price target mean for Uber stock?

A maintained price target, especially one significantly above the current market price, indicates the analyst firm sees no fundamental deterioration in its long-term valuation model. For Uber, it suggests Citizens JMP Securities believes recent stock weakness is driven by transient market factors, not a broken investment thesis. This can provide a reference point for value-oriented investors, though the stock price may not converge with the target for an extended period, if at all.

How does Uber's autonomous vehicle strategy compare to Tesla's?

Uber’s strategy is primarily focused on integrating third-party autonomous vehicle technology into its existing ride-hailing network through partnerships. In contrast, Tesla is pursuing a vertically integrated approach, developing its own full self-driving software and hardware for a consumer-owned fleet that can participate in a robotaxi network. The key difference is asset ownership: Uber aims to be a platform operator, while Tesla’s model involves both manufacturing and potential fleet operation.

What are the biggest risks to Uber's autonomous vehicle plans?