Instacart explores potential sale to Uber or DoorDash

Instacart has entered preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale, holding talks with industry rivals Uber and DoorDash, according to reports from The Information. The grocery delivery company, which has a market valuation of approximately $12 billion to $13 billion, has reportedly engaged an investment bank to evaluate its options.

A potential acquisition could value Instacart between $16 billion and $17 billion, assuming a typical takeover premium of 30% to 40%. While a deal would combine Instacart’s retailer relationships with the delivery networks of Uber or DoorDash, such a move would likely face significant antitrust scrutiny due to the increased market concentration in the U.S. food delivery sector.

This follows previous failed acquisition attempts; in 2021, DoorDash held discussions to acquire Instacart at a much higher valuation of $40 billion to $50 billion, though those talks collapsed partly due to regulatory concerns. Instacart has declined to comment on the reports.