Goodnow Investment Group Boosts Stake in Instacart as Brands Compete for Digital Shelf Space
Key Points
GOODNOW Investment Group, LLC bought 131,723 shares; estimated transaction value of $5.39 million (based on average closing price October–December 2025)
Quarter-end position value increased by $16.17 million, reflecting both trading and price changes
Transaction represents 0.5% of 13F reportable AUM
New stake totals 1,377,881 shares, valued at $61.98 million
Position accounts for 5.78% of fund AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings
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What happened
According to a recent SEC filing, GOODNOW Investment Group, LLC added 131,723 shares of Maplebear (NASDAQ:CART) during the fourth quarter of 2025. The value of the position at quarter-end increased by $16.17 million, which includes both the new shares acquired and changes in the underlying stock price.
What else to know
The fund raised its investment in CART, which now represents 5.78% of 13F AUM
Top holdings after the filing:
- NYSE:CVNA: $299.67 million (28.0% of AUM)
- NYSE:GDDY: $92.04 million (8.6% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:EXPE: $74.53 million (7.0% of AUM)
- NYSE:W: $63.55 million (5.9% of AUM)
- NYSE:APTV: $57.25 million (5.3% of AUM)
As of February 16, 2026, shares were priced at $36.30, down 27.4% over the past year and lagging the S&P 500 by 39.18 percentage points
Company overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price (as of market close 2/13/26) | $36.30 |
| Market Capitalization | $9.53 billion |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.63 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | $514.00 million |
Company snapshot
Maplebear, doing business as Instacart, provides online grocery shopping services to households in North America. Maplebear provides online grocery shopping and delivery services, connecting consumers with personal shoppers for food, alcohol, consumer health, pet care, and ready-made meals.
The company leverages a two-sided marketplace to connect consumers with personal shoppers, enabling rapid fulfillment of a wide range of household needs.
The company operates through a mobile application and website, facilitating rapid fulfillment of household needs.
What this transaction means for investors
Maplebear, known to consumers as Instacart, operates at the intersection of grocery retail, logistics, and digital advertising. The platform connects households with local grocery stores and uses independent shoppers to fulfill and deliver orders. While online grocery demand surged during the pandemic, it has since stabilized as shoppers return to stores. As a result, investor focus has shifted from delivery growth to the marketplace's underlying economics.
Many investors overlook that Instacart’s profitability now relies more on advertising than delivery fees. Consumer packaged goods companies pay to promote products within the app, placing sponsored listings in search results and product pages where shoppers make purchasing decisions. These placements reach customers at the point of purchase, so brands view Instacart as a digital shelf within grocery retail. Advertising offers significantly higher margins than delivery services, making it essential to earnings.
For investors, the key question is whether Instacart can strengthen its position in the grocery ecosystem. As more retailers join the platform and brands increase marketing spend, advertising inventory grows with transaction volume. If this trend continues, Instacart will rely less on delivery economics and gain value as a technology and advertising platform integrated into everyday grocery spending.
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Eric Trie has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Aptiv. The Motley Fool recommends GoDaddy, Instacart, and Wayfair. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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