Instacart (CART), which goes by the legal name Maplebear, has evolved into a dominant digital grocery marketplace in North America. It connects customers with supermarkets, warehouse clubs, specialty retailers, and even restaurants for same-day delivery or pickup. Today, however, the company is more than just a delivery marketplace. It is now a multi-layered grocery technology platform that has even integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into the shopping experience. While Instacart is turning into a mo ...

特朗普总统政府于周四采取行动，拟废除一项长期遭商界反对的劳工规则。该规则加大了企业将劳动者 归类为独立承包商而非正式雇员的难度，而正式雇员会给企业带来更高成本。 美国劳工部发布提案，拟撤销 2024 年出台的这项规则，称其存在法律缺陷，且剥夺了许多劳动者作为 独立承包商所享有的灵活性。 该规则要求，若劳动者在经济上 "依赖" 某公司谋生，依据联邦工资法，公司必须将其视为正式雇员。 特朗普去年上任后，劳工部已暂停执行该规则。此次提案将以商界支持的新标准取而代之 —— 新标准 聚焦于企业对劳动者的实际管控程度。 货运、零售等多行业将受益 废除该规则将惠及多个行业的企业，包括货运、医疗、零售，以及优步（Uber）、英斯达卡特 （Instacart）等依赖大量独立承包商的网约车与外卖平台。这些平台此前已在数十起诉讼中被指控为节 省成本而错误归类劳动者身份。 多项调查显示，正式雇员的用工成本比独立承包商高出约 30%，因为前者享有最低工资、加班费、失 业保险、费用报销及其他承包商无法获得的劳动保护。 过去十年，劳动者身份归类一直是最具争议的就业议题之一。此前国会共和党人试图阻止该规则的努力 受阻后，行业协会便大力游说， ...

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Stripe was valued at $159 billion in a tender offer for employees and shareholders, the fintech firm said ‌on Tuesday, a more than 70% jump from a ‌similar share sale a year earlier. Investors poured $274 billion into startups — the second-highest total on ​record — last year, as U.S. venture funding rebounded strongly, according to Crunchbase data. Most of the funding will come from existing investors, including Thrive Capital, Coatue and Andreessen Horowitz, while the company will ...

来源：环球网 【环球网科技综合报道】2月23日消息，据Forbes报道，近日微软宣布对其游戏部门进行大规模人事调 整。微软游戏首席执行官菲尔·斯宾塞将退休，微软游戏部门新任首席执行官是36岁的微软高管阿莎·夏 尔马。但当玩家们得知她之前的职位后，担忧之声立刻涌上心头。 夏尔马即将卸任微软 CoreAI 产品总裁一职，她于 2024 年加入该公司。在此之前，她曾担任 Meta 副总 裁、Instacart 首席运营官。 外媒称，对很多人来说，问题显而易见。夏尔马是一位相对新上任的员工，没有任何管理电子游戏相关 业务的经验。 外媒称，斯宾塞虽然为人友善，也是个资深玩家，但他所处的时代已经走到尽头，变革势在必行。夏尔 马显然在多个领域都颇有建树，为人亲切，并且渴望学习。然而，Xbox玩家并不希望在品牌陷入困境 之际，有人"渴望学习"就走马上任，因为扭转局面的时间已经不多了。人们需要更多关于未来计划的具 体细节，而不是几位高管空洞的商业术语。（思瀚） ...

Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (NASDAQ:CART) is one of the best debt-free mid-cap stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On February 12, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (NASDAQ:CART) delivered impressive fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results that affirmed accelerating growth and improving profitability. Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) in a Phase of Robust Growth and Improving Profitability The company delivered a 12.3% year-over-year increase in revenue in the fourth quarter to $992 million, while adjusted ...

Company Overview - Sprouts Farmers Market is one of the largest specialty health-food retailers in the U.S., founded in 2002, operating with a unique "healthy grocery store" layout that places fresh produce at the center of the store [3] - The company focuses on natural, organic, and "attribute-driven" products, curating approximately 70% of its inventory around specific consumer trends such as keto, plant-based, and non-GMO [10] Financial Performance - Over the past 10 years, Sprouts has achieved revenue and earnings CAGRs of 9.80% and 15.79%, respectively, indicating sustainable growth with manageable debt levels [1] - In the latest quarter, net sales increased by 13% year-over-year to $2.2 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) rising by 34.1% to $1.22, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.18 [6] - The company reported a cash balance of $322.42 million, which is higher than its short-term debt of $172.21 million, reflecting strong cash flow management [7] Expansion Strategy - As of early 2026, Sprouts operates over 450 stores across approximately 24 states and plans to grow its store count by 10% annually through 2027, with a pipeline of over 140 approved locations [2][12] - The company is executing a "smaller-format" expansion plan, opening stores at approximately 23,000 square feet, which requires less capital and allows for quicker profitability [12] Technological Integration - Sprouts has integrated AI into its operations, optimizing inventory management for high-turnover perishable items, which account for nearly 60% of its revenue, leading to a 60 basis points increase in gross margins [11] - The rollout of the Sprouts Rewards loyalty program in 2025 has enabled AI-driven personalized marketing, enhancing customer engagement and increasing average basket size [11] Market Position and Valuation - The current market capitalization of Sprouts is $6.6 billion, with the stock down 14% year-to-date [2] - Analysts have a "Moderate Buy" rating on SFM stock, with a mean target price of $105.92, indicating an upside potential of about 56% from current levels [14]

Core Insights - DoorDash CEO Tony Xu emphasizes that the company's grocery offering has a competitive edge over Amazon due to the variety of choices available to consumers [1][2] - DoorDash collaborates with existing grocery chains rather than owning its own brands, which allows it to provide a wider selection of products [2] - The company is expanding its services to retailers, including fulfillment through DashMarts, to help grocers compete with Amazon [4] Company Strategy - DoorDash has expanded partnerships with grocery chains, including Kroger and regional players like Schnucks, to enhance its grocery delivery service [2] - The company is focusing on fulfilling both small and large grocery orders, which is beneficial for grocers as they earn more from a diverse range of products [5] - DoorDash aims to make its retail and grocery business unit-economic positive by the second half of 2026, indicating a strategic focus on profitability [6] Market Position - Despite disappointing fourth-quarter earnings, DoorDash shares rose by as much as 14% in after-market trading, reflecting investor confidence in its grocery strategy [4] - The grocery delivery market is competitive, with Amazon expanding its same- and next-day delivery services, which has impacted shares of DoorDash and Instacart [1]

Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ:CART) is one of the best stocks under $50 to invest in. On February 13, Needham raised its price target for Instacart from $50 to $55 and maintained a Buy rating. The firm noted that the company’s ongoing execution serves as a positive indicator against competition concerns. On the same day, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered its price target on Instacart to $47 from $54 while keeping an Overweight rating. The firm noted that Instacart reported a record 14% GTV growth in Q4 2025 and exceeded ...

Investors and analysts alike swiftly recognized the disruptive potential of ChatGPT when OpenAI publicly released it in November 2022. Generative AI quickly transformed from a novelty to a genuine tool that helps people be more productive by simplifying workflows and providing analysis. But disruption can be difficult for affected industries. Much as ridesharing impacted the taxi industry or streaming services upended cable television, generative AI is threatening to draw revenue away from more establishe ...

Group 1 - Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ:CART) is the top stock pick of billionaire Daniel Sundheim, accounting for 9.52% of his portfolio, valued at $829.24 million [1] - Needham raised its price target for Maplebear from $50 to $55 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, reflecting optimism about the company's performance amid competitive concerns [1] - Benchmark analyst Mark Zgutowicz lowered the price target from $60 to $53 but reiterated a 'Buy' rating, citing favorable current multiples and growth drivers from the partnership with Toast [4] Group 2 - Maplebear Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with Toast to streamline operations for eateries and retailers, facilitating the transfer of inventory to the Instacart Marketplace [2] - The partnership allows Toast retailers to maintain real-time e-commerce availability and supports Maplebear's operational efficiency and revenue growth through same-day delivery services [3] - A pilot launch of the partnership is scheduled for early 2026, with a full rollout planned for later that year [3] Group 3 - Maplebear Inc. is recognized as a leading grocery technology platform in North America, providing B2B solutions for same-day delivery, inventory management, and marketplace integration [5]