DoorDash in Advanced Talks to Buy Instacart, Deal Could Close This Week
Key Facts
DoorDash is in advanced talks to acquire rival Instacart, in a development that could lead to a deal as soon as this week, Investing.com reported, citing people familiar with the matter, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Progress in the talks does not mean a final agreement has been reached, and the report said the talks could fall apart. It did not provide a potential deal price or terms. The development comes as Instacart faces slowing growth and competition from DoorDash, Uber and Amazon. Instacart shares rose in Monday trading, while DoorDash shares fell the same day, according to the report published on 26 October 2026.
Instacart shares rose 4% on Monday, extending gains of 9% on the previous Friday, while DoorDash shares fell 5% on Monday, according to Investing.com. The differing moves in the two stocks reflect the market reaction described in the report, but do not by themselves determine how the talks will end. In EL7 data, DoorDash closed at $179.38 on 23 October 2026, the latest close listed in the supplied data record. That data does not include the stock’s trading range during the session. Friday’s close also precedes Monday’s report and does not in itself explain DoorDash’s share move that day.
Instacart was valued at about $12 billion before reports related to a sale, according to Investing.com, at a time when the report said its growth had slowed since its 2023 public listing. The company delivers groceries, and DoorDash competes with it in the sector alongside Uber and Amazon. The report did not say that the cited valuation represents a price for the potential deal. Nor did it state the value of an offer from DoorDash or an agreed payment structure. The $12 billion figure therefore provides context on Instacart’s value before the reports, rather than a confirmed valuation for the acquisition under discussion.
The two companies’ talks date back to 2021, when they discussed an acquisition of Instacart at a reported valuation of between $40 billion and $50 billion, according to the report. Those talks ended partly because of regulatory concerns, putting competition review in the background of the current effort. The report said a potential deal could face significant antitrust scrutiny because the companies’ food and grocery delivery businesses overlap. Reuters said combining two major U.S. food delivery platforms could increase industry concentration and add to its wave of consolidation. Neither source reported the outcome of a regulatory review or the position of the relevant authorities on a deal that has yet to be finalized.
The Information had previously reported on preliminary sale talks involving DoorDash and Uber, according to a Bloomberg report published via Yahoo Finance. But Bloomberg said Uber had withdrawn and the two parties were no longer in talks, quoting the phrase "the two parties are no longer in talks." That places DoorDash’s current path after an earlier development in the sale discussions, without establishing that Instacart has chosen a buyer or that the new negotiations have reached an agreement. In the context of DoorDash’s operations, the company recorded 3.2 billion orders in 2025, up 23% from 2024, according to its annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Marketplace transaction value reached $102 billion in 2025, up 27% year over year, while revenue rose to $13.717 billion from $10.722 billion in 2024, a 28% increase.
Reuters notes that a potential acquisition could combine Instacart’s established marketplace and retailer relationships with the buyer’s broad delivery network and customer base. This describes what the combination of the businesses could enable, not an objective announced by either company. With the talks still uncertain, the report said a deal could come as soon as this week, without confirming an announcement or closing date. The overlap in food and grocery delivery also puts potential antitrust scrutiny among the main issues facing any agreement. The report provided no subsequent update resolving the negotiations or specifying the deal terms.