Instacart Stock Drops as Amazon Expands Grocery Delivery
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2d ago
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Increased Competitive Pressure: Amazon's expansion of fast grocery delivery to over 5,000 U.S. cities intensifies market competition for Instacart, leading to a 7.22% drop in its stock price to $37.43 on Tuesday, reflecting investor concerns about future growth prospects.
- Analyst Rating Adjustment: Stifel analyst Mark Kelley reiterated a Buy rating on Instacart but lowered the price target from $49 to $46, indicating that while the company has potential, changes in the market environment may impact its short-term performance.
- Retail Tech Partnership Expansion: Instacart's omnichannel partnership with Allegiance Retail Services aims to enhance digital capabilities for independent grocers, launching the Storefront Pro platform and Carrot Ads, which are expected to drive revenue growth both online and in-store.
- Unified Loyalty Strategy: Instacart's integration with Allegiance's loyalty platform AppCard is designed to provide customers with consistent, personalized savings, enhancing customer experience and loyalty, thereby further solidifying its market position.
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Analyst Views on CART
Wall Street analysts forecast CART stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for CART is 51.62 USD with a low forecast of 40.00 USD and a high forecast of 66.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
22 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
8 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 37.820
Low
40.00
Averages
51.62
High
66.00
Current: 37.820
Low
40.00
Averages
51.62
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.
Instacart Faces Opportunity Amid Amazon Competition
- Market Opportunity: Instacart's total addressable market (TAM) of $1.7 trillion presents a significant investment opportunity despite competition from Amazon, especially ahead of its upcoming Q4 earnings release.
- Earnings Expectations: Instacart is projected to earn an adjusted profit of $0.95 per share on $969.95 million in sales for Q4, reflecting a robust year-over-year growth of 280% and 10%, indicating strong financial performance.
- User Stickiness: Instacart's 'sticky subscriber base' provides a competitive edge against Amazon, as consumers show reluctance to switch to more convenient subscription services, thereby strengthening its market position.
- Growth Drivers: Instacart's partnerships with retailers for inventory and logistics, along with its collaboration with ChatGPT, are seen as underappreciated growth drivers that are expected to yield significant short-term benefits.
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Amazon Shuts Down Go and Fresh Stores, Adjusts Grocery Strategy
- Strategic Shift: Amazon's decision to close its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores in favor of expanding successful fast delivery services and increasing Whole Foods Market locations aims to optimize its grocery business layout and enhance market competitiveness.
- Market Reaction: Following the announcement, Amazon's stock rose by 2.5%, while other grocery stocks like Instacart and Kroger fell over 6% and 2.5%, respectively, indicating a positive market response to Amazon's new strategy alongside concerns about intensified competition.
- Investor Concerns: Bank of America noted that Amazon's strategic shift could intensify competition in urban markets, particularly affecting Walmart in the near term, while Costco's bulk-focused model may limit its exposure, highlighting market sensitivity to different business models.
- Analyst Ratings: Bank of America maintains a 'Buy' rating on Amazon with a price target of $286, suggesting approximately 17% upside from current levels, reflecting confidence in Amazon's future growth potential.
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