Amazon to Axe 15,000 Corporate Jobs, Citing AI Efficiency Gains

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Amazon plans to cut 15,000 corporate employees, on top of 14,000 layoffs last year, attributing the job reductions to AI-driven automation in an internal letter. The company forecasts AI will reshape much of its workforce as it pursues doubling product selection by 2033 without expanding U.S. headcount.

1. Significant New Stake by Steinberganna Wealth Management

During the third quarter, Steinberganna Wealth Management initiated a position in Amazon.com, Inc. by acquiring 6,893 shares, representing an investment of approximately $1.5 million. This new holding now accounts for 0.7% of Steinberganna’s total portfolio and ranks as its 28th largest position. The move underscores growing institutional confidence in Amazon’s long-term growth prospects, particularly in cloud services and e-commerce, where the company continues to expand both market share and operating margins.

2. Robust Third-Quarter Earnings Performance

In its most recent quarterly report, Amazon.com delivered revenue of $180.2 billion, up 13.4% year-over-year, driven by double-digit growth in both North American retail and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Earnings per share came in at $1.95, surpassing consensus forecasts by $0.38, while AWS achieved an annualized run rate of $132 billion. Net margin expanded to 11.1% and return on equity reached 23.6%, reflecting improved operational efficiency across fulfillment and cloud infrastructure.

3. Analyst Upgrade Momentum and Price Target Revisions

A broad swath of Wall Street research houses has recently raised their outlook for Amazon.com. In the past quarter, five major brokerages lifted their price targets, with one increasing its objective from $250 to $300 and another boosting it to $350. As a result, the consensus target now stands at approximately $295, implying more than 25% upside from current levels. With 55 analysts maintaining a Buy rating and only four assigning a Hold, the consensus encapsulates growing optimism about Amazon’s secular growth drivers in AI-powered logistics and high-margin cloud services.

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