Maplebear (NASDAQ:CART) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Needham & Company LLC Analyst Says

Maplebear (NASDAQ:CART) had its target price boosted by investment analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $50.00 to $55.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC’s price target indicates a potential upside of 51.52% from the company’s current price.

CART has been the subject of a number of other reports. Cantor Fitzgerald lifted their price target on Maplebear from $45.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Maplebear from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, January 18th. BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on shares of Maplebear in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $41.00 price objective on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of Maplebear from $49.00 to $46.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Maplebear from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Maplebear has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $51.38.

Maplebear Trading Up 9.2%

Shares of CART opened at $36.30 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.83, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.00. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $41.19 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.81. Maplebear has a twelve month low of $32.73 and a twelve month high of $53.50.

Insider Activity at Maplebear

In other news, General Counsel Morgan Fong sold 4,914 shares of Maplebear stock in a transaction on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.21, for a total value of $222,161.94. Following the transaction, the general counsel directly owned 404,940 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,307,337.40. The trade was a 1.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 26.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of Maplebear by 51.2% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 131,789 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,256,000 after buying an additional 44,642 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its position in Maplebear by 71.6% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,673 shares of the company’s stock valued at $67,000 after acquiring an additional 698 shares during the period. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its position in Maplebear by 358.5% during the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,200 shares of the company’s stock worth $128,000 after acquiring an additional 2,502 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Maplebear by 17.4% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 390,711 shares of the company’s stock valued at $15,585,000 after purchasing an additional 57,879 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in shares of Maplebear in the first quarter valued at approximately $268,000. 63.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Maplebear

Here are the key news stories impacting Maplebear this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company outlook and volume trends lifted investor sentiment — management flagged continued GTV and engagement momentum and issued upbeat guidance that helped ease competition concerns, a major reason for the bullish move. Instacart shares soar as upbeat forecast tempers competition fears
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Needham raised its price target to $55 and maintained a Buy, signaling upside for investors who focus on Street revisions. Needham raises price target to $55
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call‑option flow — traders bought ~27,162 calls (≈247% above average), indicating bullish speculation or hedging that can amplify intraday upside and liquidity.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue growth was solid (revenue ~ $992M, +12% YoY and roughly in line/above estimates) even as profits and EPS showed pressure; mixed fundamental signal that could support longer‑term recovery if margins stabilize. Maplebear Q4 earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: EPS and profitability disappointed: GAAP EPS and net income declined year‑over‑year (EPS missed consensus), highlighting margin pressure despite higher revenue — a near‑term headwind for valuation. Quiver: Stock Rises on Q4 2025 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target (to $43) and moved to an equal‑weight stance, reducing near‑term Street support and contributing to volatility. Wells Fargo lowers price target to $43
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade(s) pushed the stock to a new 12‑month low in some sessions and insider selling activity noted by data providers may add to negative sentiment for cautious investors. Maplebear Hits New 12-Month Low After Analyst Downgrade

Maplebear Company Profile

Maplebear, Inc, doing business as Instacart, operates a leading online grocery and essentials marketplace that connects consumers, retail partners and personal shoppers through its digital platform. The company enables customers to order groceries, household items and specialty products for same-day or scheduled delivery, as well as in-store pickup. By integrating its technology with retailers’ existing inventory and point-of-sale systems, Maplebear streamlines the shopping experience and provides real-time availability and pricing.

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, Maplebear has grown from a regional startup to a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ under the ticker CART.