Maplebear Plans To Shut Its Caper Cart Business, With $55 Million To $80 Million In Charges Expected
Instacart's parent expects most of the pre-tax charges in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the wind-down due to wrap up by mid-2027.
Maplebear, the parent of Instacart, expects pre-tax charges of about $55 million to $80 million after its board voted Sunday to wind down Caper Cart, its smart-cart operation, the company said in an 8-K filed Monday. Most of the hit is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Where the charges land
The company put the board's decision on October 25 and said it was meant to re-align resources behind its strategic priorities. It expects the wind-down to be substantially completed by the end of the second quarter of 2027.
The estimated charges break into three pieces:
- $21 million to $36 million for ending contractual obligations.
- $22 million to $27 million for impairments of long-lived assets tied to Caper Cart operations.
- $12 million to $17 million for employee termination costs.
Of the total, $30 million to $50 million is expected to turn into future cash spending. Maplebear cautioned that actual costs, including cash amounts, and their timing may differ materially, citing assumptions and local law requirements in various jurisdictions.
What Instacart's parent does
Maplebear does business as Instacart and makes the technology that lets shoppers order groceries online for delivery or pickup. Its main products are the Instacart Marketplace app, the Enterprise platform that powers retailers' own storefronts and in-store technology, and Instacart Ads, which lets brands advertise to shoppers.
As of December 31, 2025, the company said it enabled more than 2,200 retail banners and had about 3,600 full-time employees, according to its annual report.
Adjusted EBITDA and reinvestment
Maplebear plans to exclude the restructuring costs from Adjusted EBITDA, its adjusted earnings measure, consistent with how it has presented such costs in the past. It also intends to reinvest any savings from the wind-down into strategic growth initiatives.
The fourth-quarter 2026 results are where most of the Caper charges are expected to be recorded.
Sources
- 8-K Filing — Maplebear Inc. (CART) — SEC EDGAR
