Uber Stock Name: What Is It and When Will Uber Go Public?

Uber stock name For investors looking for the Uber stock name, there unfortunately isn't an Uber stock symbol yet. So far, the company has not filed paperwork to go public.

However, the stock symbol "UBER" would be available if the ride-hailing app decided to go public. That would be the most likely choice, as it easily identifies the company.

Uber may also decide to keep its stock symbol short and go with "UB."

But there's a big reason investors should wait until Uber files official paperwork before trying to buy Uber stock...

You see, some retail investors who were too anxious for the Snapchat IPO made a major mistake instead of slowing down and waiting for all the information to come out. These investors wanting to invest early in the Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) IPO mistakenly bought shares of Snap Interactive Inc. (OTCMKTS: STVI).

Shares of STVI opened at $4.60 per share on Feb. 2, the day Snapchat filed for its IPO.

By Feb. 6, STVI shares skyrocketed to $10 per share.

Uber stock symbol

That's a 117% climb in just three days, all because of mistaken identity.

And there currently is a "UBR" stock symbol publicly traded: ProShares Ultra MSCI Brazil Capped (NYSE Arca: UBR).

So before the official Uber IPO date, investors wanting to buy Uber stock should not confuse the UBR ticker for the ride-hailing company Uber.

While we still don't have many details on the Uber IPO, here's what we know so far...

When Is the Uber IPO Date?

CEO Travis Kalanick has been vague when asked about taking Uber public.

According to Business Insider, Kalanick said in June 2016 that he wanted to delay an IPO as long as humanly possible. He gave a time frame for Uber going public between one and 10 years.

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But before Uber goes public, it will have to deal with a handful of controversies. The first is a tool known as Greyball used to deceive authorities. In cities where the ride-hailing app was illegal, Uber used Greyball to avoid picking up officials involved in Uber sting operations.

According to a New York Times report, sting operations have taken place for years. One sting attempt dated all the way back to 2014 in Portland.

The second controversy is charges of sexual harassment. Susan Fowler, an engineer who formerly worked for Uber, claimed the company threatened to fire her for bringing claims of sexual harassment to the human resources department.

Finally, Uber's most costly controversy right now is lawsuits. As of August 2016, there were 70 pending lawsuits against Uber.

On top of all that, the Uber IPO may be delayed inevitably until the company finds a replacement for former president Jeff Jones.

Kalanick hired Jones to improve the reputation of his company. But the former chief marketing officer for Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) quit on March 19 because of the recent controversies.

So it looks like it may be a while before we see an Uber IPO. In the meantime, Money Morning Director of Tech & Venture Capital Research Michael A. Robinson has a better way to profit from IPOs as we wait for Uber stock to go public.

Here's the investment to make instead of waiting on Uber...

Invest in This Before the Uber IPO Date

Robinson recommends the First Trust U.S. Equity Opportunities ETF Fund (NYSE Arca: FPX) for investors who want the upside of an IPO but want to limit their risk.

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"With it, you can grab the upside and excitement that IPOs offer - and sidestep all the volatility inherent in new issues. In other words, let the fund managers do all the heavy lifting while you sit back and watch the profits pile up," Robinson said.

FPX mirrors the broader market for IPOs and has 102 stocks in its holdings. That provides more diversification and limits the risk of owning just one new IPO.

For example, Snapchat represents 0.25% of FBX's holdings. But Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB), a more proven and profitable company, represents 3.71% of FBX's holdings.

If the Snapchat stock price falls, the losses can be offset by Facebook. So while the SNAP stock price is down 18.5% so far in 2017, the FB stock price is up 21.32%.

Interested in more of Robinson's recommendations?

We have a special opportunity today for Money Morning readers. But first, here's more information about our tech guru...

Who Is Michael Robinson?

Michael is one of our most prominent and respected investing "gurus" here at Money Map Press - and for good reason. He is one of the top financial analysts working today. Make no mistake: Michael's ideas are completely his own. He's a true original. He works solely for Money Map Press... and receives absolutely no compensation from companies he writes about.

His book "Overdrawn: The Bailout of American Savings" was a prescient look at the anatomy of the nation's S&L crisis, long before the word "bailout" became part of our daily lexicon. He's a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and reporter, lauded by the Columbia Journalism Review for his aggressive style.

Michael's 30-year track record as a leading tech analyst has garnered him rave reviews, too.

As editor of the financial newsletter American Wealth Underground, Michael amassed an amazing track record utilizing rigorous investing. The first analyst to uncover the rare earth mineral crisis, he amassed cumulative gains of 990% for his readers in just 16 months.

It's no wonder that prestigious publications vie for his analysis. He's written for Defense Media Network and Signal Magazine, as well as The New York TimesAmerican Enterprise, and The Wall Street Journal.

His research is world-class, too. The Oakland TribuneDetroit NewsThe San Francisco ExaminerThe Kansas City TimesWealth Magazine, and American Banker all publish his reporting. He has appeared on Larry King's syndicated radio show.

Robinson has an honors economics degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a minor in journalism.

Outside of tech, Robinson sees a huge opportunity in an emerging market: marijuana.

And as a service to Money Morning readers, we're now making available a 90-page cannabis investing guide called The Roadmap to Marijuana Millions.

This "bible of weed investing" reveals the world's top marijuana stocks every serious investor should consider right now.

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This offer is only available to the first 500 people who respond today. So please go here now to reserve your copy.

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