Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
Amazon is a global giant that started as an online bookstore and now dominates everything from internet shopping to the cloud computing that powers the web.
Is Amazon.com, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Amazon is a global giant that started as an online bookstore and now dominates everything from internet shopping to the cloud computing that powers the web.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only; any dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Successful integration of new technologies like AI
Regulatory challenges or antitrust actions
What does Amazon.com, Inc. do?
Amazon makes its money in two main ways: by selling goods directly to shoppers through its website and by renting out its massive computer infrastructure, known as AWS, to other businesses. It is essentially a digital landlord for the internet, while also being the world's largest shop window. What matters most is how they balance the high costs of delivering parcels against the very profitable business of hosting data for other companies.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and momentum, and weakest on income.
- !Pays no dividend - the whole return rides on the share price
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 20% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 17% of sales into profit
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 31%)
- Growth screens high (83/100)
- Momentum screens high (78/100)
- Massive scale provides a significant competitive advantage
- Cloud computing business is highly profitable
- Strong track record of growing earnings
- Income screens low (16/100)
- Potential for increased government regulation
- Intense competition in both retail and cloud services
- Economic downturns could reduce consumer spending
What do Amazon.com, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Amazon.com, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Amazon.com, Inc. pay a dividend?
No - Amazon.com, Inc. doesn't currently pay a dividend, so the whole return would rest on the share price. Plenty of growing companies reinvest their profits instead of paying them out - neither approach is better or worse, they're just different.
When does Amazon.com, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Amazon.com, Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-29 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-30 | $1.83 | $5.75 | Beat +214% |
| 2026-04-29 | $1.64 | $2.78 | Beat +69% |
| 2026-02-05 | $1.95 | $1.95 | In line |
| 2025-10-30 | $1.56 | $1.95 | Beat +25% |
| 2025-07-31 | $1.32 | $1.68 | Beat +27% |
| 2025-05-01 | $1.36 | $1.59 | Beat +17% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Amazon.com, Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Consumer Cyclical
Booking Holdings
Expedia Group
eBay Inc.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
Yum! Brands, Inc.
Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Marriott International, Inc.
Casey's General Stores, Inc.What are the scenarios for Amazon.com, Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Amazon.com, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Massive scale provides a significant competitive advantage
- Cloud computing business is highly profitable
- Strong track record of growing earnings
- Does not pay a dividend to shareholders
- High reliance on complex and expensive logistics
- Share price can be more volatile than the average company
- Potential for increased government regulation
- Intense competition in both retail and cloud services
- Economic downturns could reduce consumer spending
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained drop in cloud computing demand
- A major shift in how governments regulate large tech companies
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.