Instacart (CART) Faces Market Share Risks from Uber's (UBER) Expanded Kroger Partnership
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 16 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CART?
Source: seekingalpha
- Market Share Risks: Wedbush Securities warns that Uber's (UBER) expanded partnership with Kroger (KR) poses a direct challenge to Instacart's (CART) position among intermediaries, potentially leading to a further erosion of its market share.
- Partnership Details: Uber Eats will enable users to access approximately 2,700 stores under Kroger's brands directly through its app, including Mariano's, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, and Harris Teeter, enhancing Uber's competitive edge in the online grocery sector.
- Analyst Insights: Analyst Scott Devitt notes that Instacart (CART) faces competitive pressure from other leading intermediaries and grocers, risking the loss of incremental market share, particularly as competitors like Amazon (AMZN) continue to capture more market share.
- Rating and Price Target: Wedbush maintains an Underperform rating on Instacart (CART) with a price target of $36, and the company's shares have declined by 11.5% in early 2026, reflecting market concerns about its future prospects.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy CART?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on CART
Wall Street analysts forecast CART stock price to rise
25 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
9 Hold
2 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 36.880
Low
36.00
Averages
50.83
High
66.00
Current: 36.880
Low
36.00
Averages
50.83
High
66.00
About CART
Maplebear Inc., doing business as Instacart, is a grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The Company partners with more than 1,800 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 100,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands - from category leaders to emerging brands - partner with the Company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. The Company, through its Instacart Health, provides tools to increase nutrition security and make healthy choices easier for consumers.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Surging Gas Prices Impact Gig Economy Workers in the U.S.
- Gas Price Surge: According to AAA, the average price of unleaded gas has surged by 22% over the past month to approximately $3.59 per gallon, marking the highest level since May 2024, which directly impacts gig economy workers reliant on their vehicles for income.
- Gig Economy Adaptation: Gig workers like Alvaro Bolainez and Adrian Mussio are adjusting their work strategies in response to rising gas prices, with Bolainez sharing tips on social media to help others navigate these changes, highlighting the urgency and adaptability within the industry.
- Call for Policy Changes: Bolainez, as vice president of Rideshare Drivers United, advocates for platforms to implement additional gas surcharges to alleviate the burden of soaring fuel costs, reflecting the pressing need for policy support within the gig economy.
- Increased Economic Instability: As gas prices continue to rise, many gig workers face heightened economic instability, particularly in a tight labor market where their income and job opportunities are severely affected, exacerbating the precariousness of this workforce segment.
See More
Surge in Gas Prices Impacts Gig Economy Workers
- Gas Price Surge: The average price of unleaded gasoline has jumped 22% over the past month to about $3.59 per gallon, marking the highest level since May 2024, which directly impacts gig economy workers reliant on their vehicles for income.
- Gig Economy Adaptation: Many gig workers, including Uber and DoorDash drivers, are adjusting their strategies to cope with high fuel prices, with some seeking additional income sources or reducing personal vehicle use to mitigate costs and ensure profitability.
- Call for Policy Changes: Gig workers are urging platform companies to implement additional gas surcharges to alleviate the burden of soaring fuel prices, similar to measures taken after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, highlighting the urgent need for policy support.
- Increased Economic Instability: As fuel prices continue to rise, the economic instability faced by gig workers intensifies, particularly in the current tight labor market where finding alternative employment opportunities is challenging, further exacerbating the vulnerability of this workforce.
See More
Fareway Partners with Instacart to Enhance E-Commerce Experience
- E-Commerce Platform Upgrade: Fareway enhances its e-commerce operations by adopting Instacart's Storefront Pro platform, now offering no-markup pickup options on Shop.Fareway.com and the Instacart app, significantly improving customer shopping convenience.
- Market Expansion: By joining the Instacart Marketplace, Fareway can reach customers across over 2,200 retail banners, which is expected to drive online sales growth and enhance customer loyalty, further solidifying its market position.
- Technological Integration Benefits: Instacart's enterprise platform provides AI-powered search and merchandising capabilities, allowing Fareway to improve product discovery while optimizing pickup and delivery processes through integrated fulfillment technology, thereby enhancing overall operational efficiency.
- Retail Media Potential: Fareway will also leverage Instacart's Carrot Ads retail media solution, joining over 310 retailers to drive incremental revenue growth, further enhancing its digital capabilities and market competitiveness.
See More
Incline Global Exits Entire Position in Maplebear
- Complete Exit: Incline Global Management LLC fully exited its position in Maplebear by selling 422,576 shares in Q4 2025, valued at $15.53 million, indicating a bearish outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Position Impact: Prior to this transaction, Maplebear represented 4.6% of Incline Global's 13F AUM, and the complete divestment significantly alters the fund's investment strategy and portfolio composition moving forward.
- Declining Market Performance: As of February 17, 2026, Maplebear's stock price stood at $36.72, reflecting a 27.1% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 39.9 percentage points, raising concerns about its growth potential.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Although Instacart reported $3.7 billion in revenue for 2025, an 11% year-over-year increase, the projected Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million falls short of last year's $244 million, intensifying market fears of slowing growth.
See More
Incline Global Exits Entire Position in Maplebear
- Complete Exit: Incline Global Management LLC sold 422,576 shares of Maplebear in Q4 2025 for an estimated $15.53 million, marking a complete exit from a position that previously represented 4.6% of its assets, indicating a bearish outlook on the company.
- Impact on AUM: This transaction accounted for 5.31% of Incline Global's 13F reportable assets under management, reflecting a lack of confidence in Maplebear's future performance, which could affect the overall stability of the fund's investment portfolio.
- Poor Market Performance: As of February 2026, Maplebear's stock price was $36.72, down 27.1% year-over-year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 39.9 percentage points, highlighting challenges in the competitive online grocery market.
- Instacart Outlook: Despite Instacart achieving $3.7 billion in revenue for 2025, an 11% year-over-year increase, the forecast for Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million raises concerns about slowing growth compared to a 23% increase in Q1 2025, intensifying market worries.
See More
BETA Technologies Reports Disappointing Q4 Results
- Earnings Miss: BETA Technologies reported a Q4 loss of $2.02 per share, significantly worse than the analyst consensus estimate of a loss of $0.84, indicating substantial challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Sales Beat: Despite the significant losses, the company achieved quarterly sales of $11.133 million, surpassing the analyst consensus of $7.859 million, suggesting some resilience in market demand that could lay the groundwork for future growth.
- Stock Reaction: In pre-market trading, BETA's shares fell 3.1% to $18.67, reflecting a negative investor response to the earnings report, which may lead to increased liquidity pressure in the short term.
- Market Sentiment: The overall market sentiment is bearish, with Dow futures down over 1%, indicating investor concerns about the economic outlook, which could further impact BETA Technologies and other related stocks.
See More
Surging Gas Prices Impact Gig Economy Workers in the U.S.
- Gas Price Surge: According to AAA, the average price of unleaded gas has surged by 22% over the past month to approximately $3.59 per gallon, marking the highest level since May 2024, which directly impacts gig economy workers reliant on their vehicles for income.
- Gig Economy Adaptation: Gig workers like Alvaro Bolainez and Adrian Mussio are adjusting their work strategies in response to rising gas prices, with Bolainez sharing tips on social media to help others navigate these changes, highlighting the urgency and adaptability within the industry.
- Call for Policy Changes: Bolainez, as vice president of Rideshare Drivers United, advocates for platforms to implement additional gas surcharges to alleviate the burden of soaring fuel costs, reflecting the pressing need for policy support within the gig economy.
- Increased Economic Instability: As gas prices continue to rise, many gig workers face heightened economic instability, particularly in a tight labor market where their income and job opportunities are severely affected, exacerbating the precariousness of this workforce segment.
See More
Surge in Gas Prices Impacts Gig Economy Workers
- Gas Price Surge: The average price of unleaded gasoline has jumped 22% over the past month to about $3.59 per gallon, marking the highest level since May 2024, which directly impacts gig economy workers reliant on their vehicles for income.
- Gig Economy Adaptation: Many gig workers, including Uber and DoorDash drivers, are adjusting their strategies to cope with high fuel prices, with some seeking additional income sources or reducing personal vehicle use to mitigate costs and ensure profitability.
- Call for Policy Changes: Gig workers are urging platform companies to implement additional gas surcharges to alleviate the burden of soaring fuel prices, similar to measures taken after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, highlighting the urgent need for policy support.
- Increased Economic Instability: As fuel prices continue to rise, the economic instability faced by gig workers intensifies, particularly in the current tight labor market where finding alternative employment opportunities is challenging, further exacerbating the vulnerability of this workforce.
See More
Fareway Partners with Instacart to Enhance E-Commerce Experience
- E-Commerce Platform Upgrade: Fareway enhances its e-commerce operations by adopting Instacart's Storefront Pro platform, now offering no-markup pickup options on Shop.Fareway.com and the Instacart app, significantly improving customer shopping convenience.
- Market Expansion: By joining the Instacart Marketplace, Fareway can reach customers across over 2,200 retail banners, which is expected to drive online sales growth and enhance customer loyalty, further solidifying its market position.
- Technological Integration Benefits: Instacart's enterprise platform provides AI-powered search and merchandising capabilities, allowing Fareway to improve product discovery while optimizing pickup and delivery processes through integrated fulfillment technology, thereby enhancing overall operational efficiency.
- Retail Media Potential: Fareway will also leverage Instacart's Carrot Ads retail media solution, joining over 310 retailers to drive incremental revenue growth, further enhancing its digital capabilities and market competitiveness.
See More
Incline Global Exits Entire Position in Maplebear
- Complete Exit: Incline Global Management LLC fully exited its position in Maplebear by selling 422,576 shares in Q4 2025, valued at $15.53 million, indicating a bearish outlook on the company's future prospects.
- Position Impact: Prior to this transaction, Maplebear represented 4.6% of Incline Global's 13F AUM, and the complete divestment significantly alters the fund's investment strategy and portfolio composition moving forward.
- Declining Market Performance: As of February 17, 2026, Maplebear's stock price stood at $36.72, reflecting a 27.1% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 39.9 percentage points, raising concerns about its growth potential.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Although Instacart reported $3.7 billion in revenue for 2025, an 11% year-over-year increase, the projected Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million falls short of last year's $244 million, intensifying market fears of slowing growth.
See More
Incline Global Exits Entire Position in Maplebear
- Complete Exit: Incline Global Management LLC sold 422,576 shares of Maplebear in Q4 2025 for an estimated $15.53 million, marking a complete exit from a position that previously represented 4.6% of its assets, indicating a bearish outlook on the company.
- Impact on AUM: This transaction accounted for 5.31% of Incline Global's 13F reportable assets under management, reflecting a lack of confidence in Maplebear's future performance, which could affect the overall stability of the fund's investment portfolio.
- Poor Market Performance: As of February 2026, Maplebear's stock price was $36.72, down 27.1% year-over-year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 39.9 percentage points, highlighting challenges in the competitive online grocery market.
- Instacart Outlook: Despite Instacart achieving $3.7 billion in revenue for 2025, an 11% year-over-year increase, the forecast for Q1 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million raises concerns about slowing growth compared to a 23% increase in Q1 2025, intensifying market worries.
See More
BETA Technologies Reports Disappointing Q4 Results
- Earnings Miss: BETA Technologies reported a Q4 loss of $2.02 per share, significantly worse than the analyst consensus estimate of a loss of $0.84, indicating substantial challenges in profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Sales Beat: Despite the significant losses, the company achieved quarterly sales of $11.133 million, surpassing the analyst consensus of $7.859 million, suggesting some resilience in market demand that could lay the groundwork for future growth.
- Stock Reaction: In pre-market trading, BETA's shares fell 3.1% to $18.67, reflecting a negative investor response to the earnings report, which may lead to increased liquidity pressure in the short term.
- Market Sentiment: The overall market sentiment is bearish, with Dow futures down over 1%, indicating investor concerns about the economic outlook, which could further impact BETA Technologies and other related stocks.
See More
