Instacart saw its stock rise more than 14% after reporting robust fourth-quarter results that eased investor concerns over competitive pressures in grocery delivery. CEO Chris Rogers, who took over last year, called competitive threats “overblown” and highlighted the company’s points of differentiation.
The San Francisco-based company reported revenue above expectations, with gross transaction value (GTV) increasing 14%, the strongest quarterly growth in three years. Total orders reached 89.5 million, surpassing analyst estimates of 87.8 million. Instacart also issued an optimistic guidance for 2026, projecting GTV between $10.13 billion and $10.28 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million, above consensus estimates.
Instacart faces intensifying competition from retailers including Amazon and food delivery platforms such as Uber Eats and DoorDash. The company is investing in AI tools and technology to attract more customers and businesses, which analysts cited as a key factor supporting the stock’s strong performance. Analysts at Bernstein called the results a “solid rebuttal” to competition, while Barclays noted the clean beat-and-raise is rare this earnings season.
