Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) vs Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AMZN | 12.4% revenue growth vs CART's 11.0% |
| Value | CART | Lower P/E (15.7x vs 27.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | CART | 14.1% net margin vs AMZN's 10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | CART | Beta 0.66 vs AMZN's 1.31, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMZN | -1.1% vs CART's -8.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CART | 11.3% ROA vs AMZN's 9.5%, ROIC 21.9% vs 14.7% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Instacart operates a digital marketplace that connects consumers with personal shoppers for same-day grocery delivery and pickup from retail partners. It generates revenue primarily through service fees, delivery charges, and advertising from consumer packaged goods brands — with its advertising business becoming an increasingly significant profit driver. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive retail partnerships — including exclusive deals with major grocery chains — and its first-mover scale in the North American online grocery delivery space.
Amazon is a global e-commerce and technology giant that operates online marketplaces, physical stores, and cloud computing services. It generates revenue primarily from online retail sales (~80% of total), Amazon Web Services cloud computing (~15%), and advertising/subscription services like Prime. Its key competitive advantage is an immense logistics network and data infrastructure moat—including AWS's dominant cloud position—that creates massive scale economies and ecosystem lock-in.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CART leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AMZN leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AMZN is the larger business by revenue, generating $716.9B annually — 197.3x CART's $3.6B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 14.1% (CART) to 10.8% (AMZN). On growth, AMZN holds the edge at +13.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.6B | $716.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $646M | $126.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $514M | $77.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $880M | $7.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +74.5% | +50.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.3% | +11.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.1% | +10.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +24.2% | +1.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.2% | +13.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.4% | +4.8% |
Valuation Metrics
At 23.7x trailing earnings, CART trades at a 19% valuation discount to AMZN's 29.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CART's 15.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AMZN's 18.4x.
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.0B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.6B | $2.32T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 23.74x | 29.29x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.70x | 27.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.05x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.39x | 18.38x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.95x | 3.14x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.51x | 5.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.99x | 292.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AMZN delivers a 18.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $19 in annual profit, vs $14 for CART. CART carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AMZN's 0.37x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CART scores 7/9 vs AMZN's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +14.1% | +18.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.3% | +9.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +21.9% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +13.4% | +15.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.37x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$1.4B | $66.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.4B | $86.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $26M | $153.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 42.78x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth $13,349 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,131 for CART. Over the past 12 months, AMZN leads with a -1.1% total return vs CART's -8.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMZN at 30.6% vs CART's 3.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.6% | -7.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -8.7% | -1.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +11.3% | +122.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +11.3% | +33.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +11.3% | +660.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.6% | +30.6% |
Risk & Volatility
CART is the less volatile stock with a 0.66 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMZN's 1.31 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMZN currently trades 81.2% from its 52-week high vs CART's 70.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.66x | 1.31x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $53.50 | $258.60 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $32.73 | $161.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +70.1% | +81.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 55.9 | 39.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.5M | 40.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CART as "Buy" and AMZN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 35.2% upside for AMZN (target: $284) vs 26.7% for CART (target: $48).
| Metric | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $47.54 | $283.97 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | 94 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +14.1% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | 100 | 112.18 | +12.2% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 100 | 187.67 | +87.7% |
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) returned +33% over 5 years vs Instacart (Maplebea… (CART)'s +11%. A $10,000 investment in AMZN 5 years ago would be worth $13,349 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | $1.5B | $3.4B | +128.7% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | $136.0B | $716.9B | +427.2% |
Amazon.com, Inc.'s revenue grew from $136.0B (2016) to $716.9B (2025) — a 20.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | -4.7% | 13.5% | +385.5% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 1.7% | 10.8% | +521.4% |
Amazon.com, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 11% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 188.6 | 32.2 | -82.9% |
Amazon.com, Inc. has traded in a 32x–189x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~29x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | -0.25 | 1.58 | +732.0% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 0.25 | 7.17 | +2768.0% |
Amazon.com, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.25 (2016) to $7.17 (2025) — a 45% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) generated $623M FCF in 2024 (+376% vs 2021). Amazon.com, Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (+152% vs 2021).
CART vs AMZN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CART or AMZN a better buy right now?
Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) offers the better valuation at 23.7x trailing P/E (15.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) a "Buy" — based on 26 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — CART or AMZN?
On trailing P/E, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) is the cheapest at 23.7x versus Amazon.com, Inc. at 29.3x. On forward P/E, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) is actually cheaper at 15.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CART or AMZN?
Over the past 5 years, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) delivered a total return of +33.5%, compared to +11.3% for Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART). A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMZN returned +660.0% versus CART's +11.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CART or AMZN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) is the lower-risk stock at 0.66β versus Amazon.com, Inc.'s 1.31β — meaning AMZN is approximately 97% more volatile than CART relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 37% for Amazon.com, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CART or AMZN?
Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) is the more profitable company, earning 13.5% net margin versus 10.8% for Amazon.com, Inc. — meaning it keeps 13.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CART leads at 14.5% versus 11.2% for AMZN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CART leads at 75.3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is CART or AMZN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) trades at 15.7x forward P/E versus 27.0x for Amazon.com, Inc. — 11.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMZN: 35.2% to $283.97.
07Which pays a better dividend — CART or AMZN?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is CART or AMZN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.66)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CART: +11.3%, AMZN: +660.0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between CART and AMZN?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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