Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) vs Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) 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 | CART | 11.0% revenue growth vs MUSA's -6.0% |
| Value | MUSA | Lower P/E (15.6x vs 15.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | CART | 14.1% net margin vs MUSA's 2.4% |
| Stability / Safety | MUSA | Beta 0.14 vs CART's 0.66 |
| Dividends | MUSA | 0.5% yield; 4-year raise streak; CART pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CART | -8.7% vs MUSA's -16.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CART | 11.3% ROA vs MUSA's 10.0%, ROIC 21.9% vs 18.1% |
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
Murphy USA operates a chain of retail gasoline stations and convenience stores primarily located near Walmart stores across the southern and midwestern United States. It generates revenue from fuel sales — which account for roughly 90% of total revenue — and from merchandise sales inside its convenience stores. The company's key advantage is its strategic real estate footprint adjacent to Walmart's high-traffic locations, creating a built-in customer base and significant cost advantages in site acquisition and operations.
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.
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
MUSA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). CART leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
MUSA is the larger business by revenue, generating $19.4B annually — 5.3x CART's $3.6B. CART is the more profitable business, keeping 14.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MUSA's 2.4%. On growth, CART holds the edge at +10.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $19.4B | $3.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $996M | $646M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $471M | $514M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $239M | $880M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +5.6% | +74.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +3.7% | +15.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +2.4% | +14.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.2% | +24.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.7% | +10.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +8.2% | +21.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 16.2x trailing earnings, MUSA trades at a 32% valuation discount to CART's 23.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, MUSA's 9.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CART's 15.4x.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.3B | $10.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $9.6B | $8.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.21x | 23.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.64x | 15.70x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.43x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.66x | 15.39x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.36x | 2.95x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.69x | 3.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.62x | 15.99x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MUSA delivers a 75.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $75 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 MUSA's 2.82x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CART scores 7/9 vs MUSA's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +75.5% | +14.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +10.0% | +11.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +18.1% | +21.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +21.0% | +13.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.82x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.3B | -$1.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $47M | $1.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.4B | $26M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 9.50x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MUSA five years ago would be worth $31,698 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,131 for CART. Over the past 12 months, CART leads with a -8.7% total return vs MUSA's -16.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MUSA at 15.8% vs CART's 3.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -3.4% | -14.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.2% | -8.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +55.4% | +11.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +217.0% | +11.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +527.1% | +11.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +15.8% | +3.6% |
Risk & Volatility
MUSA is the less volatile stock with a 0.14 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CART's 0.66 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MUSA currently trades 74.7% from its 52-week high vs CART's 70.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.14x | 0.66x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $523.09 | $53.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $345.23 | $32.73 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +74.7% | +70.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 42.8 | 55.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 267K | 4.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MUSA as "Hold" and CART as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 26.7% upside for CART (target: $48) vs 15.5% for MUSA (target: $451). MUSA is the only dividend payer here at 0.45% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MUSAMurphy USA Inc. | CARTInstacart (Mapleb… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $451.25 | $47.54 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 26 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.77 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.1% | +14.1% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Oct 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) | 100 | 123 | +23.0% |
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | 80 | 112.18 | +40.2% |
Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) returned +217% over 5 years vs Instacart (Maplebea… (CART)'s +11%. A $10,000 investment in MUSA 5 years ago would be worth $31,698 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) | $12.7B | $20.2B | +59.4% |
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | $1.5B | $3.4B | +128.7% |
Murphy USA Inc.'s revenue grew from $12.7B (2015) to $20.2B (2024) — a 5.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) | 1.4% | 2.5% | +78.8% |
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | -4.7% | 13.5% | +385.5% |
Murphy USA Inc.'s net margin went from 1% (2015) to 2% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) | 11.9 | 20.8 | +74.8% |
Murphy USA Inc. has traded in a 10x–24x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) | 4.02 | 24.11 | +499.8% |
| Instacart (Maplebea… (CART) | -0.25 | 1.58 | +732.0% |
Murphy USA Inc.'s EPS grew from $4.02 (2015) to $24.11 (2024) — a 22% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Murphy USA Inc. generated $390M FCF in 2024 (-16% vs 2021). Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) generated $623M FCF in 2024 (+376% vs 2021).
MUSA vs CART: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MUSA or CART a better buy right now?
Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) offers the better valuation at 16.2x trailing P/E (15.6x 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 — MUSA or CART?
On trailing P/E, Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) is the cheapest at 16.2x versus Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) at 23.7x. On forward P/E, Murphy USA Inc. is actually cheaper at 15.6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MUSA or CART?
Over the past 5 years, Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) delivered a total return of +217.0%, compared to +11.3% for Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART). A $10,000 investment in MUSA five years ago would be worth approximately $32K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MUSA returned +527.1% 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 — MUSA or CART?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.14β versus Instacart (Maplebear Inc.)'s 0.66β — meaning CART is approximately 392% more volatile than MUSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 3% for Murphy USA Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MUSA or CART?
Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) (CART) is the more profitable company, earning 13.5% net margin versus 2.5% for Murphy USA 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 3.7% for MUSA. 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 MUSA or CART more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) trades at 15.6x forward P/E versus 15.7x for Instacart (Maplebear Inc.) — 0.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CART: 26.7% to $47.54.
07Which pays a better dividend — MUSA or CART?
In this comparison, MUSA (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. CART does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is MUSA or CART better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.14), +527.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MUSA: +527.1%, CART: +11.3%), 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 MUSA and CART?
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. In terms of investment character: MUSA is a small-cap deep-value stock; CART is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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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