Maplebear Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NASDAQ:CART)

Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ:CART) was the target of unusually large options trading on Friday. Traders bought 27,162 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 247% compared to the typical volume of 7,826 call options.

More Maplebear News

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Maplebear news, General Counsel Morgan Fong sold 4,914 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.21, for a total value of $222,161.94. Following the sale, the general counsel owned 404,940 shares in the company, valued at $18,307,337.40. This represents a 1.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 26.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in 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 in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Maplebear by 71.6% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,673 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 698 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its stake in shares of Maplebear by 358.5% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,200 shares of the company’s stock valued at $128,000 after purchasing an additional 2,502 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Maplebear by 17.4% during 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 bought a new stake in shares of Maplebear during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $268,000. 63.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on CART shares. BNP Paribas Exane assumed coverage on Maplebear in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $41.00 target price on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price objective on Maplebear from $45.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Maplebear from $65.00 to $50.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Maplebear from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $58.00 target price for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Maplebear from $49.00 to $46.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $51.38.

Maplebear Stock Up 9.2%

Shares of Maplebear stock opened at $36.30 on Friday. The company 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. Maplebear has a 12-month low of $32.73 and a 12-month high of $53.50. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $41.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.81.

About Maplebear

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.