**Amazon Stock Poised for a Long-Term Rally: Why Profit Margins and AI Are Key Drivers**
Amazon, the e-commerce giant, has been a long-term market outperformer, with its stock price rising by 29% this year and a staggering 125% over the past five years. This impressive performance is largely attributed to the company's growing profit margins and its strategic investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and advertising.
### Rising Profit Margins
Amazon's recent earnings reports have been nothing short of impressive. The company's operating margin climbed to 10.7% in the first quarter of 2024, a significant improvement from 7.8% in the previous quarter and surpassing its previous high of 8.2% in Q1 2021. This double-digit operating margin is a testament to CEO Andy Jassy's cost-cutting measures and the growth in higher-margin businesses such as advertising and cloud computing.
### Artificial Intelligence and Advertising
Amazon's push into AI is another significant factor driving its stock upward. The company has been investing heavily in AI services, particularly in its cloud business, where Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a leader. AWS revenue grew by 17% in Q1 2024, surpassing Wall Street's expectations, and by 19% in Q2 2024, indicating accelerating growth. This trend is expected to continue as demand for cloud computing and AI products increases.
Advertising revenue is also a major contributor to Amazon's growth. In Q2 2024, ad revenue reached $12.8 billion, marking a 20% year-over-year growth. This growth rate is higher than Alphabet's (GOOGL) ad network, where advertising sales increased by 11% year-over-year to $64.6 billion in Q2. The company's strong performance in advertising is driven by its ability to offer attractive profit margins due to the lower costs associated with running ads compared to delivering products.
### E-commerce Strength
Despite the focus on AI and advertising, Amazon's e-commerce business remains strong. Online sales increased 5% year-over-year in Q2 2024, while third-party seller services rose by 12% from a year ago. These segments generated a combined $91.6 billion of the company's $148 billion Q2 revenue, indicating continued growth in its core business.
### Valuation and Analyst Sentiment
Amazon's stock is currently trading