Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ: CART), parent of Instacart, trades near $39/share, roughly flat over the past year. After a volatile debut, the company has shifted its focus from rapid expansion to sustainable profitability. Strong execution and cost discipline have allowed margins to improve even as overall order growth slows.
Recently, Maplebear reported stronger-than-expected earnings, driven by advertising revenue and new retail partnerships with Costco and Walmart. The company also introduced AI-driven personalization tools to help retailers optimize online grocery pricing and recommendations. These moves highlight management’s focus on deepening retailer relationships and improving the long-term profitability of its marketplace.
This article explores where Wall Street analysts think Maplebear could trade by 2027. We have combined consensus forecasts and TIKR’s valuation models to outline the stock’s potential path. These figures reflect current analyst estimates and are not TIKR’s own predictions.
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Analyst Price Targets Suggest Meaningful Upside
Maplebear trades near $39/share today. The average analyst price target is $57/share, which suggests about 44% upside from current levels, a meaningful potential return in analysts’ view. Forecasts show a moderate range, reflecting mixed but improving sentiment:
- High estimate: ~$67/share
- Low estimate: ~$40/share
- Median target: ~$58/share
- Ratings: 11 Buys, 4 Outperforms, 15 Holds, 1 Sell
For investors, this points to cautious optimism. The Street sees solid upside if Maplebear can sustain margin expansion and prove its advertising segment has durable growth potential. Continued partnerships with major retailers and improving operating efficiency could be key drivers that turn this upside into reality.
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Maplebear: Growth Outlook and Valuation
The company’s fundamentals appear balanced, showing progress on profitability but moderate top-line growth:
- Revenue is projected to grow around 9–10% annually through 2027
- Operating margin expected near 17%
- Shares trade at roughly 14× forward earnings
- Based on analysts’ average estimates, TIKR’s Guided Valuation Model using a 14× forward P/E suggests around $39/share by 2027
- That implies roughly (1%) total return, or about (0.7%) annualized
For investors, this indicates the stock may already be fairly valued under current growth assumptions. The valuation model suggests the market has priced in stable profitability but not much acceleration. Upside from here depends on whether management can deliver faster advertising growth, expand its logistics partnerships, and maintain cost discipline to lift earnings beyond consensus expectations.
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What’s Driving the Optimism?
Maplebear has shown that its business model can deliver steady profitability even as order growth normalizes. Advertising revenue continues to grow as retailers pay for visibility on the Instacart platform, while partnerships with large grocery chains like Costco and Walmart strengthen the company’s market position.
The company’s focus on automation and technology is also paying off. New AI-powered tools help retailers personalize product recommendations, which boosts engagement and order frequency. For investors, these developments show that Maplebear is not just a delivery company but a data-driven platform with growing monetization potential.
Bear Case: Growth Saturation and Competition
Despite these positives, Maplebear’s growth runway may be narrowing. Grocery delivery demand has stabilized, and competition from DoorDash, Uber Eats, and traditional grocers remains fierce. As the industry matures, maintaining customer loyalty and pricing power could become more difficult.
For investors, the concern is that even with solid margins, revenue growth may stay moderate. If new initiatives fail to reaccelerate user or order growth, the valuation could remain capped near current levels, limiting long-term returns.
Outlook for 2027: What Could Maplebear Be Worth?
Based on analysts’ average estimates, TIKR’s Guided Valuation Model using a 14× forward P/E suggests the stock could trade near $39/share by 2027. That represents roughly a (1%) total return, or about (0.7%) annualized.
However, analysts’ consensus price target of $57/share points to about 44% upside, which would require sustained earnings growth and continued margin expansion.
For investors, this means Maplebear is at a crossroads. The stock could outperform if advertising and logistics margins scale faster than expected, but limited top-line acceleration might hold the shares near current levels. At today’s valuation, Maplebear looks like a stable business with gradual upside potential rather than a high-growth story.
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