DoorDash may announce its purchase of Instacart as early as Thursday morning

DoorDash could announce a deal to buy Instacart as soon as Thursday morning, according to sources familiar with the matter. Talk of an agreement began last week after reports showed Instacart was looking into a sale and held talks with companies like Uber and DoorDash. Several outlets reported on Monday that DoorDash was in advanced talks to buy Instacart in a deal that could value the company at about $17 billion. Following the reports, Instacart's stock went up about 4% in extended trading on Wednesday. At the same time, DoorDash shares fell by less than 1%.

Context

Corporate acquisitions in the tech and delivery sector often happen when major platforms look to expand their market reach and combine services. When large delivery companies consider buying competitors, market shares and stock prices usually react quickly to the news. Major company deals of this scale typically require careful talks and regulatory checks before they are fully completed.