Amazon, and Qualcomm stocks sink following earnings, bitcoin plunges

Core Insights - The article discusses Amazon's significant increase in capital expenditures (capex), projecting it to reach $200 billion by 2026, which is substantially higher than previous estimates of around $140 billion and consensus estimates of approximately $146 billion [2][5][4] - The acceleration of Amazon Web Services (AWS) growth to 24% is highlighted as a positive aspect, exceeding market expectations of 21-22% [2][3] - The competitive landscape among major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Meta, is driving aggressive investments in compute resources to meet rising AI demand [7][19] Capital Expenditures - Amazon's capex for 2026 is projected at $200 billion, representing a 50% increase from 2025, which itself was a 60% increase from 2024 [3][4] - Analysts had previously estimated a much lower capex, indicating a significant upward revision in spending expectations [5][2] - The high capex is seen as necessary for Amazon to capture AI demand and maintain its competitive edge [4][19] AWS Growth - AWS growth has accelerated to 24%, which is a critical metric for evaluating the effectiveness of Amazon's increased spending [2][12] - Analysts expect AWS growth estimates to rise further due to the substantial capex commitment [12] - AWS margins have been solid, hovering around the mid-30% range, with potential for further improvement [12][13] Competitive Landscape - Major tech companies are competing for compute resources, which are essential for sustaining market advantages in the AI space [7][19] - Amazon's previous underinvestment in compute resources is acknowledged, emphasizing the need for increased spending to avoid falling behind competitors [9][19] - The demand for compute resources remains high, with companies like Nvidia experiencing sustained demand for their products [9][19] Long-term Outlook - The long-term growth potential for Amazon is supported by its high-margin businesses, including AWS and advertising, which are expected to drive significant operating margin expansion over the next 5 to 10 years [23][24] - Amazon is projected to exceed $1 trillion in annual revenue within the next decade, indicating substantial earnings potential [24] - The perception of Amazon as playing catch-up in the AI space is acknowledged, but the company is making progress in scaling its capabilities [25][28]