Buy Post-Earnings Dip, Amazon Is Still Top Pick: Analyst

Core Viewpoint - Amazon's cloud and AI sectors are experiencing significant growth, which is being overlooked by the market following a recent stock pullback. The company's strong performance in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and partnerships with firms like Anthropic and OpenAI are key drivers of this momentum [1][2]. Group 1: AWS Performance and Growth - AWS has reported its fastest growth in nearly three years during the third quarter, indicating a robust demand for its services [2]. - The backlog for AWS grew by 22% year-over-year to $200 billion, with more bookings in October than in the entire third quarter, showcasing strong future demand [7]. Group 2: Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives - Amazon is expanding its partnership with Anthropic through Project Rainier, doubling Anthropic's access to Trainium 2 chips from about 500,000 to over one million by year-end, which is expected to generate around $9 billion in annual AWS revenue [6]. - A newly announced partnership with OpenAI includes a $38 billion, seven-year commitment to scale workloads on AWS infrastructure, further solidifying AWS's market position [7]. Group 3: Upcoming Developments and Expectations - The upcoming re:Invent conference is anticipated to provide important updates on AWS's AI strategy, including the timing and performance of the Trainium 3 AI chip, which is projected to deliver 40% better price-performance than its predecessor [4][5]. - Anmuth expects AWS growth to accelerate in 2026, potentially surpassing Microsoft Azure in quarterly revenue gains starting early 2026 [8]. Group 4: Investment Outlook - JP Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth maintains an Overweight rating on Amazon, projecting a price target of $305, and recommends buying the stock following its post-earnings dip, viewing it as a top pick for the upcoming year [1][9]. - Fourth-quarter revenue is projected at $212.67 billion with an adjusted EPS of $2.76, indicating strong financial performance [10].