Bengaluru - Singapore’s Grab raised its annual revenue and profit forecasts on Aug 4, banking on promotions and expansion efforts to drive demand for its ride-hailing and delivery services.The upbeat projections and a new US$750 million (S$962 million) share buyback programme pushed shares of the Nasdaq-listed company up 3 per cent in extended trading. The stock is down more than 26 per cent in 2026.Grab, the biggest ride-hailing and delivery firm in South-east Asia, has rolled out features such as order bundling and a budget-friendly tier called “Saver”, targeting cost-conscious customers grappling with higher fuel prices following the Iran war.The company is also rapidly scaling its grocery delivery operations, one of its fast-growing segments, as well as its financial services business by building out its loan and insurance offerings for riders and merchants on its platform.Gross merchandise value (GMV), or the total dollar value of transactions, across Grab’s mobility and deliveries businesses climbed 21 per cent to US$6.5 billion in the second quarter, driven by growth in the number of active users.Grab, which serves 54 million users in over 900 cities, said it invested US$706 million in incentives for customers and drivers in the quarter, including more than US$7 million to support driver earnings amid the fuel crisis.The company now expects revenue between US$4.10 billion and US$4.15 billion for 2026, compared with its prior projection of US$4.04 billion to US$4.10 billion. Analysts were expecting annual revenue of US$4.12 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.It also raised its forecast for annual adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to between US$720 million and US$740 million, from US$700 million to US$720 million earlier.Revenue rose 22 per cent to US$997 million in the second quarter ended June, beating analysts’ estimate of US$990.8 million. REUTERS