Hedge Fund Incline Global Sold Its Entire Stake in Instacart Parent Maplebear Worth $15.5 Million. Is the Stock a Buy or Sell?

By Robert Izquierdo – Mar 9, 2026 at 4:32PM ESTKey PointsIncline Global Management LLC sold 422,576 shares of Maplebear; estimated transaction value was $15.53 million based on quarterly average pricing.This change represented 5.31% of the fund’s 13F reportable assets under management (AUM).After the trade, Incline Global Management LLC held zero shares of Maplebear.The position previously accounted for 4.6% of fund AUM as of the prior quarter.What happenedIncline Global Management LLC fully exited its position in Maplebear (CART +2.11%), selling 422,576 shares during the fourth quarter of 2025, according to an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026.The estimated value of the trade was $15.53 million, calculated using the quarterly average share price. As a result, the fund’s quarter-end holding in Maplebear was reduced to zero, with a corresponding $15.53 million decline in position value.What else to knowThe fund sold out of Maplebear; the position represented 4.6% of 13F AUM in the third quarter.Top holdings after the filing:NYSE:ASGN: $15.69 million (5.4% of AUM)NYSE:VRT: $15.55 million (5.3% of AUM)NYSE:NCLH: $15.15 million (5.2% of AUM)NYSE:GVA: $14.92 million (5.1% of AUM)NYSE:PRIM: $14.54 million (5.0% of AUM)As of February 17, 2026, shares of Maplebear were priced at $36.72, down 27.1% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 39.9 percentage points.Company overviewMetricValuePrice (as of market close February 17, 2026)$36.72Market capitalization$9.17 billionRevenue (TTM)$3.74 billionNet income (TTM)$438.00 millionCompany snapshotMaplebear, through its Instacart brand, provides online grocery shopping and delivery services, connecting consumers with personal shoppers for food, alcohol, consumer health, pet care, and ready-made meals.It operates a technology-driven platform that enables same-day delivery for a broad range of consumer products in North America.The company serves households and individual consumers seeking convenient, on-demand access to groceries and everyday essentials.Maplebear leverages a network of personal shoppers and partnerships with retailers to help consumers shop for and receive grocery products conveniently. Its focus on digital advertising and multiple revenue streams supports its position in the online grocery sector.What this transaction means for investorsHedge fund Incline Global Management exiting its position in Instacart parent Maplebear during the fourth quarter is noteworthy. The move suggests Incline Global has a bearish outlook towards the company.Incline Global’s sale came before Instacart stock experienced a drop in 2026. Shares eventually hit a 52-week low of $32.73 in February.Even so, Instacart wrapped up 2025 with a number of positives. Its full-year revenue of $3.7 billion was an 11% year-over-year increase. The growth was thanks to a 15% year-over-year rise in orders to nearly 340 million.But shares are down as Instacart estimated first quarter adjusted EBITDA of $280 million to $290 million compared to $244 million in the prior year. This forecast represented lower year-over-year growth compared to the 23% increase seen in Q1 of 2025, raising concerns on Wall Street that growth is slowing.With Instacart’s share price hovering not far from its 52-week low, this presents an opportunity to buy shares if you believe the company can continue to grow sales. But if you’re a shareholder, now is not the time to sell.About the AuthorRobert "Izzy" Izquierdo is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and communication services sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Izzy was head of product management at Target Media Partners, developing and launching multimillion-dollar software used by businesses such as Charter Communications. Prior to that, he worked at Yahoo! and startups on software products in connected TV, AI, consumer apps, and digital advertising. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from UCLA and is certified in software product management.TMFWryWriteStocks MentionedInstacartNASDAQ: CART$38.90(+2.11%)+$0.81*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.