ZACKS·2026-02-17 17:00Core Insights - Amazon and Alibaba are the two largest players in e-commerce and cloud computing, both investing heavily in AI and cloud infrastructure, making a comparison relevant for investors [1] Group 1: Amazon (AMZN) Overview - Amazon's Q4 2025 results showed net sales of $213.4 billion, a 14% year-over-year increase, driven by strong performance in North America, International, and AWS [2] - AWS reported a 24% revenue growth, its fastest in 13 quarters, with an annualized run rate of approximately $142 billion and a backlog of $244 billion, indicating strong demand [3] - Amazon's capital expenditures for 2026 are projected at $200 billion, primarily for AWS and AI infrastructure, reflecting confidence in long-term returns [4] Group 2: Alibaba (BABA) Overview - Alibaba's Q2 fiscal 2026 revenues reached RMB 247.8 billion, a modest 5% year-over-year increase, while non-GAAP diluted earnings fell 71% due to heavy investments [5] - The Cloud Intelligence Group achieved 34% revenue growth, with AI-related products showing triple-digit gains for nine consecutive quarters, but faces challenges from U.S. chip export restrictions [6] - Alibaba's quick commerce business grew revenues by 60%, but incurred significant losses, leading to a RMB 21.8 billion free cash flow outflow [8] Group 3: Valuation and Performance Comparison - Alibaba's stock increased by 28.3% over the last six months, outperforming Amazon's 14.1% decline, but this is attributed to recovery rather than fundamental strength [10] - Alibaba's price-to-sales ratio is 2.29x, significantly lower than Amazon's 2.61x, reflecting Amazon's superior market position and predictable cash flows [14] - Amazon's premium valuation is justified by its stronger growth prospects, lower regulatory risks, and better forward guidance compared to Alibaba [17]