The 2024 holiday season turned out to be a blissful one for retailers, as consumers demonstrated robust spending. As per the data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, core retail sales climbed 4% year over year to an all-time high of $994.1 billion. This impressive growth exceeded the National Retail Federation’s (“NRF”) forecast, which had predicted an increase between 2.5% and 3.5%.NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz highlighted the robust holiday performance as a clear sign of a rebound in consumer spendin ...

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Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN ) is in a sweet spot driven by solid performance across all three segments – North America, International, and AWS. The company remains focused on several initiatives that will result in lower cost-to-serve andStock analysis brought to you by the team at HedgeMix. The analysis is based on a careful review of the growth prospects of each company. For valuation purposes, we often use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model, sharing valuable insight on cash flow generation under dif ...

Amazon's Resumption of PERM Filings - Amazon has resumed the green card application process for foreign workers, planning to reopen PERM processing on January 6, 2025, after suspending it in 2023 and throughout 2024 [1][3] - PERM is part of the US Labor Department's permanent labor certification process, aiming to prove that hiring foreign workers won't negatively impact US job seekers [2] - The resumption of PERM filings may reflect Amazon's outlook for a more competitive job market and follows Trump's campaign vow to give green cards to foreign graduates of US colleges [3][8] Job Market Trends - Amazon has laid off at least 27,000 employees since late 2022, including 200 from its Fashion and Fitness group recently [4] - Resuming PERM filings indicates Amazon sees a potential "rebound" in the job market, according to immigration lawyer Richard Herman [4] - Companies previously suspended green card filings due to layoffs and the high cost and time of processing PERMs, but may now reconsider as labor market conditions improve [5][6] Tech Industry Hiring - HR software maker Karat reported a 12% year-over-year increase in average hiring targets for software engineer roles among US tech companies in 2024 [7] - Stripe laid off 300 employees but plans to grow its total headcount by roughly 1,000 this year [7] - Tech companies in the Bay Area are hiring more, indicating a positive outlook for the industry [7] Trump's Influence on Immigration Policy - President Donald Trump's campaign proposal to give green cards to foreign graduates of US colleges may be a factor in Amazon's decision to resume PERM filings [8] - There is a clash between pro-Trump tech leaders and the MAGA base over the legal immigration of skilled workers [10] - Companies may be trying to anticipate Trump's unpredictable behavior on immigration policy, given his past hard-line stance [11]

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Core Investment Strategy - Long-term investment in top companies driving global growth trends can build wealth and potentially outperform the broader stock market [1] - Technology is central to innovation, with fast-growing fields like AI, cloud computing, robotics, and software shaping the future [2] - Focus on companies' current capabilities and future potential rather than short-term specifics [2][3] Top 5 Technology Stocks for the Next Decade Nvidia (NVDA) - Leader in AI chips with projected 20% annual growth in the AI chip market, reaching over $300 billion by 2029 [4] - Expanding into new AI applications and end markets like robotics [4][5] - Recently announced a compact AI supercomputer for individual developers [5] Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) - Google's parent company with a highly profitable search engine and software ecosystem [6] - Promising developments in self-driving vehicles (Waymo) and quantum computing (Google Quantum AI) [7] - Operates the third-largest cloud platform (Google Cloud) and has in-house AI models (Gemini) [8] - Access to vast first-party data from Google users for AI training [8] Netflix (NFLX) - Streaming pioneer with approximately 283 million paid memberships [9] - Expanding beyond subscription models into advertising, mobile gaming, and live sports [10] - Highly popular content with global appeal, such as Squid Game [9] Amazon (AMZN) - Dominates US e-commerce with approximately 40% market share, despite e-commerce accounting for only 16% of retail spending [11] - Operates the world's largest cloud computing platform (AWS), holding over 30% of the global market [11] - Built a consumer ecosystem with over 200 million Prime memberships, including telehealth, video streaming, and smart home devices [12] - Growing digital advertising unit [12] Microsoft (MSFT) - Sprawling software empire including Windows, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Xbox, and GitHub [13] - Operates Azure, the world's second-largest cloud platform [14] - Aggressive investment in AI capabilities, with cloud services industry projected to grow 16% annually to over $2.7 trillion by 2034 [14]

Amazon's Growth Potential - Amazon's stock has risen approximately 180% since the start of 2023, indicating strong performance [1] - The company has significant growth potential driven by three key factors: advertising, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and improving profit margins [1] Advertising as a Growth Segment - Amazon's advertising division has become a major revenue driver, generating $14.3 billion in Q3, up 19% year-over-year [3] - Advertising revenue now surpasses subscription services, highlighting its importance to the company [3] - Amazon is expanding its ad services by allowing other retailers to advertise on its platform, creating a new growth lever [4] Amazon Web Services (AWS) Dominance - AWS is the largest cloud computing provider, benefiting from the shift from on-premises to cloud computing [5][6] - AWS contributes 60% of Amazon's total operating income, making it a critical profit driver [8] - Despite some challenges in 2023, AWS saw a resurgence in growth in 2024, with Q3 growth matching the best quarter in two years [7] Improving Profit Margins - Amazon's profit margins are rapidly increasing due to CEO Andy Jassy's focus on efficiency and the growth of high-margin businesses like advertising, AWS, and subscription services [9][10] - Earnings growth is outpacing revenue growth, leading to impressive stock returns since 2023 [11] - Wall Street analysts expect 11% revenue growth and 20% EPS growth in 2025, indicating continued strong performance [12] Conclusion - Amazon's strong performance in advertising, AWS, and profit margins positions it as a compelling investment opportunity [13]

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Amazon's DXT4 warehouse is seen in Laval, Quebec, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Credit: Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP Online retailer Amazon said Wednesday that it's closing all seven of its warehouses in the Canadian province of Quebec in the next two months. The e-commerce giant said the move would provide "even mo ...

Growth Stocks Overview - Growth stocks are known for delivering above-average revenue and earnings, making them popular among investors, including billionaires [1] - These stocks are favored due to their future growth prospects [1] Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) - Amazon is a strong investment choice due to its dominant position in e-commerce and consistent expansion, including initiatives like same-day delivery and pharmacy services [3] - The company is also a key player in AI and cloud computing through AWS [3] - Billionaire investors like Philippe Laffont's Coatue Management hold significant stakes in Amazon, with 11.27 million shares as of September 30, 2024, accounting for nearly 8% of the fund's portfolio [4] - Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway also holds a stake in Amazon, reflecting on his earlier missed opportunity to invest in the company [4] - As of reporting, Amazon's stock price was $234.36, up almost 2% in the last 24 hours and over 6% in 2025 [5] Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) - Microsoft is favored by billionaire investors due to its advancements in AI and cloud computing [7] - Stanley Druckenmiller, a renowned hedge fund manager, has highlighted Microsoft's potential in AI, comparing it to past technological breakthroughs like the rise of the internet [7] - Wall Street analysts, including Wedbush's Daniel Ives, have reiterated an 'Outperform' rating for Microsoft with a $550 price target, citing the company's AI initiatives [8] - Tiger Global Management, led by Chase Coleman, holds 5.34 million shares of Microsoft worth $2.3 billion as of September 30, 2024, making up 9.81% of its portfolio [8] - Microsoft's stock price was $441.42 at press time, up over 3% in the last 24 hours and 5% year-to-date [9] Investment Opportunities - Amazon and Microsoft offer strong investment opportunities based on their fundamentals and growth potential [11] - The fact that top investors favor these stocks is a significant vote of confidence, making them worth considering for a diversified portfolio [11]

Company Overview - Amazon (AMZN 1 62%) is recognized for having one of the best management teams among companies [1]