CART Stock Forecast & Price Target

Maplebear, operating under the Instacart brand, has established a robust marketplace with approximately 600,000 shoppers and 1,800 retail partners, enabling it to serve about 98% of households in the United States and Canada. Recent positive metrics from partners like Kroger, which reported a 16% growth in its eCommerce business due to increased household and order frequency, suggest strong underlying demand for digital grocery delivery services. Furthermore, the potential for higher gross transaction volume (GTV) growth positions Instacart to capitalize on expanding advertising revenues, enhancing operating leverage and providing a strong growth outlook for the business.

The negative outlook on Maplebear's stock is primarily influenced by a significant 7% year-over-year decline in gross profit per order, contrasting with improvements seen in competitors like DASH and UBER. Additionally, there is a concerning trend in web traffic, which decreased approximately 14% year-over-year in 3Q25, alongside the company facing negative year-over-year growth comparisons from the previous year. Furthermore, a reduction in anticipated advertising revenue for the latter half of 2025 has been made to align growth with gross transaction volume, indicating potential challenges in maintaining revenue growth momentum.