Walmart Inc. agreed to pay $100 million Thursday to settle a lawsuit by the US Federal Trade Commission and a group of states alleging the company withheld tips and misrepresented wages to drivers who deliver orders as part of its Spark program.In a complaint filed in California federal court, the consumer protection agency said the company misled drivers about how it calculated their base pay, tips and special “incentive” earnings opportunities. The company also didn’t tell customers that tips wouldn’t be ...

Core Insights - Instacart, officially known as Maplebear Inc., is a leading technology-driven grocery delivery and e-commerce company connecting millions of customers to over 1,800 retail banners across nearly 100,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada [1] - The company went public in September 2023 [2] Financial Performance - Instacart reported Q3 2025 earnings with revenue of $939 million, surpassing consensus estimates of $934 million, and adjusted earnings per share of $0.51, exceeding the forecast of $0.49 [4] - The company experienced a 10% year-over-year increase in gross transaction value, driven by a 9% rise in total orders, and improved gross margins to approximately 31.5% [5] - Free cash flow was $56 million, with cash and cash equivalents at $2.15 billion, indicating strong liquidity for investments and expansion [6] - Advertising revenue now accounts for about 30% of net income, highlighting its growing contribution to profitability [6] Stock Performance - Following strong Q3 results, Instacart's stock (CART) posted a five-day gain of 9.7%, but remains nearly flat for the month at 4.3%, with a six-month decline of 8.4% and a 52-week return of -17.3%, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite which gained over 21% [3] Future Outlook - Instacart issued cautious guidance due to intensifying competition and changing consumer preferences, focusing on increasing order frequency, enhancing AI-powered personalization, and expanding partnerships with retailers and brands [7] - The company plans to maintain expense discipline while navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment to sustain growth momentum [7]