Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), often referred to as simply Amazon, is an American electronic commerce and cloud computing company with headquarters in Seattle, Washington. It is the largest Internet-based retailer in the United States. Amazon.com started as an online bookstore, later diversifying to sell DVDs, Blurays, CDs, video downloads/streaming, MP3 downloads/streaming, audiobook downloads/streaming, software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food, toys and jewelry. The company also produces consumer electronics—notably, Amazon Kindle e-book readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire Phone—and is the world's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services (IaaS). Amazon also sells certain low-end products like USB cables under its in-house brand Amazon Basics. Amazon has separate retail websites for United States, United Kingdom and Ireland, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Japan, China,India and Mexico. Amazon also offers international shipping to certain other countries for some of its products. In 2011, it professed an intention to launch its websites in Poland and Sweden. In 2015, Amazon surpassed Walmart as the most valuable retailer in the United States by market capitalization.
Amazon may face heat from margins, competition After a breakout 2015, is Amazon (AMZN) losing its luster? While its stock price is likely to tick higher, narrowing margins could weigh on investors, analysts told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Monday. At $593.19, shares of the tech-driven retailer are 12 percent lower so far this year after a January earnings report sent the stock tumbling. Now the company's dominance in cloud computing is facing more competition as industry laggard Google (GOOGL)poaches customers. Raymond James internet analyst Aaron Kessler downgraded the stock last month, calling for a price target of $655, down from more than $700. "We're still positive, but I would say we see the pace of margin expansion to slow," Kessler said Monday. While Amazon's disruption of the retail and cloud space has been "phenomenal," there are concerns, said Bob Peck, internet equity analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, who has a price target of $600 on the stock. "[Amazon CEO] Jeff Bezos has recently given you several quarters of margin expansion, letting it flow to the bottom line," Peck said. "Investors love to see that. If you look back historically, he then tends to reinvest ... you'll see margins under pressure as we go forward here." Peck values Amazon's cloud business, Amazon Web Services, at $100 billion and said his research shows that the business is positioned well in spite of competition. Still, Google and Facebook (FB) are Peck's top stock picks in the internet sector, while Kessler recently upgraded Twitter (TWTR). Amazon did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. "[Amazon is] going to see a little more competition on the AWS side, so I think just the perception of more competition could be a concern," Kessler said. LINK - http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amazon-may-face-heat-from-margins-competition/ar-BBrlAv8
Amazon to launch new Kindle with rechargeable case Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is betting on batteries to drum up more sales of its popular line of Kindle e-readers. In a first for the Seattle online retailer, Amazon will soon sell a higher-end Kindle with a rechargeable protective case for extended battery life, according to a person familiar with the matter. This removable cover will allow the Kindle to be thinner than earlier devices. Also under development is a separate Kindle case with a battery that can be charged using solar power. It is unlikely this case will be released in the immediate future, another person familiar with the matter said. Amazon's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, said Monday on Twitter that an "all-new, top of the line Kindle" is almost ready, and promised the company would reveal details next week. Pricing for the latest devices couldn't be learned. A spokeswoman declined to elaborate on Mr. Bezos's tweet. The new Kindle and case are code-named "Whiskey" and "Soda," respectively, and the solar-powered case is known internally as "Sunkiss" among engineers at Lab126, Amazon's Silicon Valley hardware development unit, one of the people said. The division is responsible for other Amazon devices including its Echo virtual assistant, Fire tablets and Fire TV set-top box. The latest devices would help to solidify Amazon's dominance in e-readers. Rivals like Rakuten Inc.'s Kobo and Barnes & Noble Inc.'s Nook have failed to gain significant traction, in part because of Mr. Bezos's stated commitment to selling devices at or near cost to keep prices low. Amazon has also tied e-books and e-readers into its popular Prime program, offering occasional discounts exclusively to members of the $99-per-year service. Today, for instance, Prime members can buy various Kindles with price cuts of as much as 38%, presumably to clear inventory for the new devices. The Kindle was Amazon's first consumer electronics device, released in 2007 for $400. As Amazon cut prices it has proven to be the company's signature gadget, with about a dozen different iterations including a large-screen version and the highest priced model, the $199 Voyage. Because the devices are durable, one challenge has been compelling readers to buy upgraded versions, according to people familiar with the matter, though Amazon says it is content to make money off e-book sales even for older model Kindles. The company has never released details about Kindle sales. The new Kindle device follows Amazon's rollout of voice-activated speakers last month known as Dot and Tap and an expanded lineup of thumb-sized devices allowing customers to summon specific products with the push of a button. The solar-powered case fits with a broader ambition at Amazon to reduce its environmental impact, though its overseas manufacturers may have different aims. Amazon's cloud computing AWS unit uses wind and solar power at several of its data centers. It has a stated goal of getting 40% of its power from renewable energy sources by year-end, from 25% last April. LINK - http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/tech...-new-kindle-with-rechargeable-case/ar-BBrpdOc
Amazon steps up Netflix fight with monthly Prime video subscription http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/18/amaz...ht-with-monthly-prime-video-subscription.html Amazon is breaking out its video-streaming service in the U.S. with a standalone offering with a monthly subscription, as it looks to step up its challenge to Netflix. U.S. customers will be able to buy an $8.99 per month subscription to Amazon Prime Video, the e-commerce giant announced on Sunday. Previously, the only way to get Prime Video in the U.S. was by buying annual Prime membership for $99, which would give users access to the video-streaming service as well as other services such as music-streaming and unlimited fast shipping. In the U.K., Amazon video is available on a monthly subscription basis for £5.99 ($8.50) a month. Its latest move is seen by analysts as the first steps in an international expansion for the streaming service. "This significant move underlines the company's commitment to video and we firmly believe that the next step is to launch the new service overseas," Paolo Pescatore, director of multiplay and media at CCS Insight, wrote in a note on Monday. "Its closest rival, Netflix, has done a phenomenal job of launching in many new markets within a short period of time and as a result, has a far greater reach and can benefit more from scale and of course early mover advantage. Offering video as part of Prime was holding Amazon back from launching into new markets, as there was little to choose from in terms of price." Jerod Harris | Getty Images for Amazon Studios Jeffrey Tambor Amazon is available in just a handful of countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan. In contrast, Netflix recently launched in 130 new countries and is by far the bigger player. Both companies' streaming services have been investing heavily in original content as well as improving technology capabilities such as focusing on so-called high-dynamic range (HDR) content. But Amazon has a larger number of services than Netflix, including its core e-commerce platform and devices such as the Kindle and Echo. Offering a standalone subscription could be a good ploy to cross-sell its other services. "This could present a great opportunity for Amazon to sign up new subscribers and eventually cross-sell other services to them including a Prime subscription. Amazon is certainly building a strong set of capabilities in both hardware and services to compete with Netflix and others," Pescatore said.
They def have the cash to do it. NFLX is all over the planet. If AMZN gets serious, NFLX might be in big trouble.
Until Amazon can offer anywhere near the quality of Netflix in terms of content, I'm not worried. NFLX selection absolutely destroys the pitiful selection that Amazon has (currently).
NFLX must have gotten better then...when I had it in the past, it sucked as far as movies...mostly "B" movies, and some decent movies thrown in. I liked the DVD rentals better from NFLX. At least I could watch what I really wanted, instead of some corporate guy making my decisions for me. Of course, AMZN is getting that way as well.
I guess I'm not really a huge movie watcher and watch a ton more TV shows, where NFLX definitely takes the cake. AMZN instant video right now has a real shit collection of TV shows, and movies for that matter.
Yeah, AMZN has some very old TV shows. Their movie selection is better than NFLX, but it's becoming like NFLX all the time. Soon, you won't be able to tell the difference, and we'll all suffer from the monopoly that NFLX & AMZN has created for themselves.
I might be too old-fashioned but I go to a cinema to watch decent movies. Others I just skip. I do agree that NFLX win in terms of series catalogue but this can change in the future.
I used to like going to the movies, but about 10 years ago, I got tired of hearing other people talking, phones ringing, large heads in the way, etc. I'd rather watch at home, and pause when I want something from the fridge, get a phone call, bathroom break, rewind if I missed something, or whatever. The experience of watching a movie at home is no competition with movie theaters, but it's more convenient for me. Some people love the movie theaters. I can wait till it comes out on amazon or TV. By waiting, I can also get opinions about what movies are actually worth watching, instead of paying for a ticket. To each is his own I guess.
I do appreciate watching something in HD at home too. I usually go to the movies to see something I know wouldn't disappoint or if the hype was too real.
Movies that I will watch at the cinema: Star Wars Moves I will watch at home: Everything else Seriously, with a big screen, good sound and unlimited popcorn, I will forego the strangers sitting around me, coughing, sneezing and texting while Im wathing the movie.
