Core Viewpoint - Apple and Amazon, both part of the "Magnificent Seven," have shown strong long-term returns, but current growth rates raise questions about their investment appeal [1] Group 1: Revenue Growth - Both Apple and Amazon have experienced relatively slow revenue growth, with each company growing less than 10% in their most recent quarter [3][5] - Apple's growth issues stem from a lack of innovative products and a lengthening smartphone turnover cycle, leading to less frequent consumer upgrades [6][7] - Amazon's e-commerce segments, while significant, are the slowest-growing parts of its business, impacting overall growth rates [8] Group 2: Profitability - Amazon's high-margin segments, such as AWS and advertising, are growing rapidly, with AWS generating 63% of operating profits despite only accounting for 19% of total sales [10] - In Q1, Amazon's operating profits increased by 20% year over year, significantly outperforming Apple's 6% growth in operating profits [11] - Amazon's profit growth is driven by its strong-performing segments, providing a catalyst for earnings growth that Apple currently lacks [12]

Core Insights - Amazon's e-commerce business is not the primary profit driver, with other segments contributing more significantly to profits [1] - AWS generates the majority of Amazon's operating profits, accounting for 63% of operating profits in Q1 with a 40% operating margin [3][10] - The advertising segment is the fastest-growing part of Amazon's business, with an 18% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 [6][10] Revenue Breakdown - Online stores generated $57.4 billion in Q1, growing 5% year-over-year, making up 37% of total revenue [2] - Third-party seller services brought in $36.5 billion, with a 6% growth, accounting for 23% of total revenue [2] - AWS revenue was $29.3 billion, growing 17% year-over-year, representing 19% of total revenue [2] - Advertising services generated $13.9 billion, with an 18% growth, making up 9% of total revenue [2] Profit Contribution - AWS and advertising services combined accounted for an estimated 86% of Amazon's operating profits in Q1 [10] - If advertising services are assumed to have a 30% operating margin, they would have generated approximately $4.2 billion in operating profits, contributing about 23% to total operating profits [9][10] Future Outlook - AWS is expected to continue strong growth due to the increasing demand for cloud computing, particularly in AI infrastructure [4][5] - Advertising growth may face challenges during economic downturns, but Q1 figures suggest resilience, and potential shifts in product pricing could lead to increased advertising needs [11][12]