greeksoup/ stock research

DoorDash, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 4 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Orders, Marketplace GOV and revenue grew: Total Orders rose 28% to 993 million, Marketplace GOV 36% to $33.9 billion and revenue 34% to $4.6 billion. Excluding Deliveroo, the growth rates were 17%, 23% and 23%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and net income rose: Net income attributable to common stockholders was $466 million, up 91% Y/Y. Adjusted EBITDA was 3.1% of Marketplace GOV, against 3.0% a year earlier and 2.8% in Q2 2026. Source
  • U.S. restaurant growth accelerated slightly: Restaurant Marketplace GOV growth accelerated slightly from Q2 despite a tougher prior-year comparison, which reflected strong Q3 2025 growth. Source
  • DoorDash to acquire Instacart at $65: The agreement values Instacart at $65.00 per share, about $17 billion of equity value, a 26% premium to its October 22, 2026 closing price. Source
  • Synergy target of $500 million: Synergies are framed as a multi-year path to $500 million or more annually, net of investments, aided by the combined reach of the two networks. Source

“We believe that, together with Instacart, our combined scale and complementary technologies will enable us to build the next generation of tools and services that will empower local merchants to thrive”

DoorDash, Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Marketplace GOV SourceQ4 2026$35.4 billion - $36.4 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceQ4 2026$900 million - $1,100 millionNew
Stock-based compensation expense Source2026approximately $1.2 billionLowered from $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion
Depreciation and amortization expense Source2026approximately $1.2 billion, inclusive of approximately $450 million of amortization of acquired intangible assetsRaised from $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion
Free Cash Flow, year-end merchant payment timing Source2026 versus end of 2025between $700 million and $800 million reductionKept
Synergies from Instacart SourceMulti-year$500 million or more of annual synergies, net of investmentsNew
Synergy reinvestment SourceFirst year after closemore than 100% of total synergies investedNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Q4 2026 Marketplace GOV and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were given. The second-quarter release gave ranges for Q3 2026 only. Source
  • Guidance lowered: 2026 stock-based compensation expense guidance is approximately $1.2 billion, down from a range of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: 2026 depreciation and amortization guidance is approximately $1.2 billion, up from a range of $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion. Source
  • Guidance kept: The year-end merchant payment timing effect on 2026 Free Cash Flow stays at $700 million to $800 million. Source
  • Ended: The company plans to stop reporting quarterly results excluding Deliveroo from Q4 2026, when the acquisition anniversary makes total results largely comparable. Source
  • New: DoorDash agreed to acquire Instacart for $65.00 per share, an equity value of about $17 billion. Source
  • New: Text DoorDash, a texting ordering product, was among the AI agents the company said it recently shipped. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Orders, Marketplace GOV and revenue grew: Total Orders rose 28% to 993 million, Marketplace GOV 36% to $33.9 billion and revenue 34% to $4.6 billion. Excluding Deliveroo, the growth rates were 17%, 23% and 23%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and net income rose: Net income attributable to common stockholders was $466 million, up 91% Y/Y. Adjusted EBITDA was 3.1% of Marketplace GOV, against 3.0% a year earlier and 2.8% in Q2 2026. Source
  • Revenue tracked Marketplace GOV growth: Net revenue margin, revenue as a share of GOV, was 13.6%, against 13.8% in Q3 2025 and 13.5% in Q2 2026. Source
  • Consumers and Deliveroo drove order count: The company attributed order growth to more consumers and the Deliveroo acquisition, and GOV growth to Total Orders plus higher average order value. Source

Demand and consumer trends

  • U.S. restaurant growth accelerated slightly: Restaurant Marketplace GOV growth accelerated slightly from Q2 despite a tougher prior-year comparison, which reflected strong Q3 2025 growth. Source
  • Sequential restaurant growth fastest since 2020: Measured quarter on quarter, U.S. restaurant Marketplace GOV growth in Q3 was faster than in any third quarter since 2020. Source
  • Mature and new consumers drove restaurants: Order-rate growth came from mature cohorts, and new consumers grew at an accelerated Y/Y rate in the U.S. restaurant category. Source
  • Grocery growth more than double restaurant pace: Grocery and retail Marketplace GOV growth stayed strong at more than twice the restaurant pace, after several new merchant partners were announced. Source

“The first nine months of 2026 was a period of excellent execution and solid financial performance.”

DoorDash, Inc., press release

International and Deliveroo

  • International GOV growth accelerated: Total Orders growth also accelerated at each international brand. The growth rate is constant currency, excludes exited countries and assumes Deliveroo was owned in all periods. Source
  • Deliveroo orders grew at twice prior pace: Deliveroo Total Orders growth in Q3 2026 was twice its Q3 2025 rate, measured before DoorDash owned the business. Source
  • Operating insights spread across international markets: The company said it is spreading operating insights and product innovations across the company to improve the efficiency of its international operations. Source

Instacart acquisition and grocery

  • DoorDash to acquire Instacart at $65: The agreement values Instacart at $65.00 per share, about $17 billion of equity value, a 26% premium to its October 22, 2026 closing price. Source
  • Holders choose cash, stock or mix: Each Instacart share can be exchanged for cash, DoorDash stock or a cash and stock mix. Stock is capped at 25% of total consideration, with proration if oversubscribed. Source
  • Cash portion funded by cash and debt: The cash portion is to be funded from cash on hand and proceeds from debt financing, and the transaction is not subject to a financing condition. Source
  • Synergy target of $500 million: Synergies are framed as a multi-year path to $500 million or more annually, net of investments, aided by the combined reach of the two networks. Source
  • Reinvestment of over 100% in year one: More than 100% of synergies is planned for reinvestment in the first year after close, with positive net synergies from year two onward. Source
  • DashMart fulfillment accuracy and speed: DashMart, where the company manages grocer inventory itself, was more than 10 minutes faster on average than other grocery orders, according to the release. Source

“Nonetheless, we continue to have significant work ahead of us to improve our existing services, complete the implementation of our new global technology platform”

DoorDash, Inc., press release

Strategy and new products

  • Focus is winning the battle for atoms: The company says it will compete as the physical network for real-world fulfillment rather than as a digital personal assistant, while still adding digital AI features. Source
  • Warehousing and autonomy investment: Investment is directed at warehousing capabilities and autonomous delivery, and at helping merchants win with unique demand and products such as the Instacart deal. Source
  • New AI agents including Text DoorDash: Ask DoorDash helps consumers find restaurants and build grocery baskets, and an MCP interface connects external AI agents, including corporate ordering tools. Source
  • DashPass cut transaction fees per order: Over two years, DashPass growth is credited with a 9% reduction in transaction fees per order in the U.S. restaurant category. Source
  • Reservations reached new consumers: Reservations were a recent addition in some cities. The measure counts consumers who had not yet ordered or booked on DoorDash before Q3 2026. Source

Costs and profitability

  • Cost of revenue ratio improved year on year: Cost of revenue was 6.4% of Marketplace GOV, down from 6.7% a year earlier and level with Q2. Dollar growth was attributed to Total Orders. Source
  • Sales and marketing ratio held steady: Sales and marketing dollars rose on advertising and personnel-related compensation, while the ratio held at 2.3% of GOV. Source
  • R&D ratio rose on personnel and software: Research and development dollars rose on personnel-related compensation and third-party software. The ratio was 1.5%, up from 1.4% a year earlier. Source
  • G&A ratio fell as share of GOV: General and administrative dollars rose on personnel-related compensation, while the ratio fell to 1.3% from 1.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Contribution margin rose year on year: Contribution Margin was 38.6% of revenue in Q3 2026, against 36.8% in Q3 2025. Contribution Profit was $1,780 million. Source
  • D&A and restructuring charges: Depreciation and amortization was $312 million in Q3 2026, against $169 million a year earlier. Restructuring charges were $1 million in the quarter and $51 million for nine months. Source

Cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow and Free Cash Flow: Q3 operating cash flow was $994 million and Free Cash Flow $787 million, compared with $871 million and $723 million in Q3 2025 as the release lists them. Source
  • Trailing Free Cash Flow reached $2.2 billion: Trailing twelve-month Free Cash Flow was $2,203 million at September 30, 2026, up from $1,992 million a year earlier. Source
  • Share repurchases total $1.0 billion YTD: Repurchases under the February 2025 $5.0 billion authorization total $1.0 billion year to date, leaving about $4.0 billion. The company may or may not repurchase any of the remainder. Source
  • Cash balance rose since year-end: Cash and cash equivalents were $5,053 million at September 30, 2026, up from $4,378 million at December 31, 2025. Short-term investments were $929 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 October 2026

  • Instacart deal expected to close: Closing depends on Instacart stockholder approval, expiry of the HSR waiting period, and other approvals including in Canada and Israel. Source
  • Synergy investment starts after close: More than 100% of total synergies is planned for reinvestment in the first year after close, with positive net synergies from year two. Source
  • Proxy statement mailed after S-4 effective: Instacart stockholders will receive the proxy statement/prospectus once the S-4 is declared effective; DoorDash intends to file the S-4 with the SEC. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total Orders Source993 million
Marketplace GOV Source$33.9 billion
Restaurant reservations growth Sourceover 340% Q/Q in existing geographies
DashMart fulfillment accuracy Source99%+

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cautions that consumer spending in any geography could fall short of the assumptions behind its guidance and drive results lower. Source
  • External: International expansion raises exposure to foreign-market, geopolitical and currency risk, which could affect results against guidance. Source
  • Regulatory: Legal, tax and regulatory expenses excluded from adjusted measures are unpredictable in timing and size, according to the company. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said international contributions to total profitability exceeded its expectations entering Q3 2026. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it expects to reinvest a portion of improved network efficiencies for all audiences, as it has historically done. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.