Tuesday's Market Minute: Delivery Is The Future

Even as vaccination rates rise in the U.S. and lockdowns lift, more companies are investing into delivery services. DoorDash DASH announced partnerships with PetSmart PTESM and the grocery chain Albertsons ACI in the last few days. Uber said yesterday it will acquire the remaining stake in the grocery delivery start-up Cornershop in an all-stock transaction.

Both companies are under pressure to show a path to profitability; both have reported a loss per share each quarter. Uber UBER, especially during the pandemic, has seen more benefit from food delivery than ridesharing, so pivoting that way and expanding into groceries makes sense. But while there are already multiple same-day grocery delivery companies, that niche is open in more specific, though still-large chains like PetSmart.

If DoorDash’s partnership proves to be a success, will more companies follow? And how far will same-day delivery services expand in the next few years as Americans grow used to convenience?