Amazon is gearing up for a “blowout” holiday season with earnings in the fourth quarter likely to beat Wall Street expectations, one noted technology analyst said Monday.
Daniel Ives of GBH Insights said in a research note that he believes Prime customers, those signed up to Amazon’s subscription service, are estimated to spend between 20-25 percent more this holiday season compared to the same period last year. This, coupled with growth in the number of U.S. and international Prime members is “setting the stage for a blowout holidays season,” he said.
As a result, Amazon could beat the Street’s fourth-quarter top-line estimate by 3 to 5 percent. Amazon is expected to report revenue in the three months to December of $59.7 billion, according to data from Thomson Reuters.
Ives raised his price target on the e-commerce giant’s stock from $1,185 to $1,270. If realized, this would represent a more than 12 percent rise from Friday’s close. Amazon shares are up more than 50 percent year-to-date.
“While shares have had an eye popping run to date, we believe there is more fuel left in the tank as Amazon only appears to be in the middle innings of an unprecedented growth cycle across both the consumer and enterprise segments,” Ives said.
The analyst said that the $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods will continue to help Amazon increase Prime membership and the cross-selling of products. Amazon has been cutting the price of Whole Foods items and integrating those products into its Prime offering. Ives called this a great “one-two punch” that should increase sales from Prime members for 2018 and is “still underappreciated by the Street.”
Further investment in new areas such as health care and pharmacy will also help Amazon tap new markets too, Ives said.
