Instacart, the popular grocery-delivery platform, recently released its first earnings report since going public. Although the company reported a net loss of $1.99 billion in the third quarter, its sales surpassed expectations, and Instacart predicts “mid-single-digit” growth in the total value of transactions on its platform.
Financial Performance
Instacart’s net loss of $1.99 billion, equivalent to $20.86 per share, was primarily driven by significantly elevated stock-based compensation during its IPO. Despite this loss, revenue saw a 14% increase, reaching $764 million. Analysts anticipated a GAAP per-share loss of $15.07 cents on sales of $737 million, highlighting Instacart’s better-than-expected performance.
Growth Forecast
The company anticipates “mid-single-digit” growth in the so-called gross transaction value, which measures the total value of products sold. This positive forecast contributes to a nearly 4% increase in shares after hours on Wednesday.
Challenging External Factors
In a letter to shareholders, Instacart acknowledges several macroeconomic factors that pose challenges to the online grocery industry. These factors include the tapering impact of COVID-19 as a tailwind, reduced government aid for consumers, high interest rates, and persistent inflation. Despite these headwinds, Instacart remains confident in its position while recognizing that larger-scale companies like theirs are more affected than smaller, newer players. The company has faith in the long-term growth of online grocery adoption and believes in its competitive advantages.
Competition and Growth Concerns
While Instacart envisions a future where more people order groceries and basic necessities online, the company faces tough competition from major players in the food delivery industry, including Walmart Inc., Target Corp., and DoorDash Inc., which has expanded into grocery delivery. Additionally, Instacart heavily relies on its top three customers to drive demand. Instacart’s stock price has also dropped by 19.9% since its debut in September.
Instacart remains determined to navigate these challenges and leverage its market position to drive future growth and success.