Analyst Ratings February 19, 2026

Guggenheim Lowers DoorDash Price Target to $255 Citing Valuation Compression

Firm keeps Buy rating amid continued revenue growth and operational milestones despite multiple contraction in tech valuations

By Marcus Reed DASH
Guggenheim Lowers DoorDash Price Target to $255 Citing Valuation Compression
DASH

Guggenheim reduced its 12-month price target on DoorDash Inc. to $255 from $275 while keeping a Buy recommendation. The firm pointed to stronger-than-expected marketplace order trends and raised top-line forecasts but trimmed the target to reflect multiple compression across the tech sector. Management reiterated its 2026 margin guidance and outlined milestones for Grocery, Retail and International operations.

Key Points

  • Guggenheim cut DoorDash's price target to $255 from $275 but maintained a Buy rating; the target still implies significant upside from the recent $173.38 share price.
  • Management reported strong Marketplace Gross Order Value trends and expects Grocery/Retail unit economics and International contribution profit (ex-Deliveroo) to improve in the second half of 2026.
  • The valuation adjustment reflects multiple contraction across the tech sector despite solid revenue growth of 24.46% year-over-year and raised top-line forecasts.

Guggenheim has adjusted its 12-month price target on DoorDash Inc. (NASDAQ: DASH) down to $255 from $275 yet left its Buy rating intact. The revised target still implies material upside relative to DoorDash's most recent share price of $173.38 and sits within the broader set of analyst targets that range from $200 to $340.

The firm pointed to stronger-than-expected Marketplace Gross Order Value (GOV) trends in the fourth quarter and the company’s guidance for the first quarter as supporting evidence. Within the U.S. Restaurant segment, management reported the second-strongest growth rate in fifteen quarters, and Deliveroo exceeded the company's internal expectations - all factors Guggenheim cited in its assessment.

Revenue momentum remains notable: company data show DoorDash has delivered 24.46% revenue growth over the past twelve months, with analysts modeling continued sales gains in the year ahead. Against that backdrop, management reiterated a full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA margin outlook of flat to slightly up, excluding Deliveroo. The company said it expects margin expansion to accelerate materially in the second half of 2026 compared with the first half.

Operational milestones highlighted by DoorDash management include expectations that Grocery and Retail verticals will achieve unit-economic breakeven, and that International operations excluding Deliveroo will turn contribution-profit positive in the second half of 2026. Management also indicated that a new technology platform - characterized internally as the largest component of 2026 investment initiatives - should be largely complete by the end of 2026.

Guggenheim raised its top-line forecasts while leaving its profit estimates for 2026-2027 largely unchanged. The analyst house said the lowered price target primarily reflects multiple contraction consistent with patterns seen across the broader technology sector, rather than changes to the company’s underlying growth trajectory.

Valuation indicators underline the tension between growth and investor sentiment: the stock is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 98.49, even after a decline of more than 30% in the past six months. That high P/E ratio despite the recent share-price weakness is one of the factors driving the multiple-compression rationale.


Additional company performance metrics showed fourth-quarter gross order value and EBITDA modestly above prior street expectations by roughly 1%. DoorDash’s core operations, excluding Wolt, posted a 25% year-over-year increase in gross order value, maintaining the growth rate observed in the third quarter.

A number of sell-side firms have adjusted their price targets for DoorDash in response to strategic developments and near-term investment plans. Illustrative changes include:

  • Cantor Fitzgerald: lowered price target to $230 while keeping an Overweight rating, citing investment costs.
  • Needham: trimmed its target to $265 but retained a Buy rating, citing strong bookings momentum.
  • Bernstein SocGen: reduced its target to $270, noting that expansion into new verticals and regions is starting to display signs of profitability improvement.
  • Stifel: adjusted its target to $224, reflecting anticipated margin effects from the Deliveroo integration.

Competitive dynamics also factor into the outlook. A rival's initiative to waive delivery and service fees on orders over $50 has been flagged as additional pressure on DoorDash’s market position and consumer pricing dynamics.


Taken together, the mix of robust topline growth, targeted operational milestones and valuation-led multiple contraction is keeping analyst views mixed but generally constructive - as evidenced by continued Buy and Overweight recommendations alongside reduced price targets that account for sector-wide valuation pressure and near-term investment costs.

Risks

  • Valuation risk: A high P/E of 98.49 and recent share-price decline of over 30% indicate sensitivity to multiple contraction, impacting tech and growth-stock investors.
  • Investment and integration costs: Spending on the new technology platform and the Deliveroo integration could weigh on margins, affecting profitability in the technology and delivery sectors.
  • Competitive pressure: Rivals removing delivery and service fees on larger orders may intensify pricing competition, influencing the restaurant and last-mile delivery segments.

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