Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Monday that DoorDash is in exclusive or advanced talks to buy Instacart, but people familiar with the matter warned the talks could still fall apart.
- Sources said the potential deal could value Instacart at about $17 billion and might be announced as soon as this week, though no agreement has been confirmed.
- Neither company has publicly confirmed the discussions; Instacart declined to comment and DoorDash did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
- Markets reacted quickly after the reports, with Instacart shares rising roughly 8 percent and DoorDash shares falling about 6 percent, reflecting investor uncertainty.
- Analysts say the combination would pair Instacart’s retailer relationships and grocery marketplace with DoorDash’s delivery scale, but the deal could face renewed antitrust and political scrutiny given past 2021 talks that collapsed on price and regulatory concerns.