AuctionBytes Blog
Covering auctions, collectibles and marketplace selling.

AuctionBytes Blog The AuctionBytes Blog has been giving a voice to online merchants since its launch in 2005. Named one of the world's top 30 blogs in 2008 by "Blogging Heroes." Weigh in with your thoughts on the joys and pitfalls of selling online.
Thu Jan 30 2020 16:38:25

Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

By: Ina Steiner

Sponsored Link

Amazon grew total worldwide sales 21% in the fourth quarter of 2019, it revealed on Thursday. North American sales, which excludes international and AWS, grew 22% for the quarter, year-over-year.

North American sales makes up 61% of total sales. (International makes up 27%, and Amazon's AWS technology/hosting service makes up 12% of total sales.)

Third-party sellers made up 53% of total worldwide paid units in Q4; Amazon pointed out this excludes the impact of Whole Foods Market.

The following is an excerpt of Amazon's press release announcing earnings.

Amazon.com Announces Fourth Quarter Sales up 21% to $87.4 Billion
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2019.

Operating cash flow increased 25% to $38.5 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $30.7 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2018. Free cash flow increased to $25.8 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $19.4 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2018. Free cash flow less principal repayments of finance leases and financing obligations increased to $16.2 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $11.6 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2018. Free cash flow less equipment finance leases and principal repayments of all other finance leases and financing obligations increased to $12.5 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $8.4 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2018.

Common shares outstanding plus shares underlying stock-based awards totaled 512 million on December 31, 2019, compared with 507 million one year ago.

Fourth Quarter 2019

Net sales increased 21% to $87.4 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with $72.4 billion in fourth quarter 2018. Excluding the $120 million unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales increased 21% compared with fourth quarter 2018.

Operating income increased to $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter, compared with operating income of $3.8 billion in fourth quarter 2018.

Net income increased to $3.3 billion in the fourth quarter, or $6.47 per diluted share, compared with net income of $3.0 billion, or $6.04 per diluted share, in fourth quarter 2018.

Full Year 2019

Net sales increased 20% to $280.5 billion, compared with $232.9 billion in 2018. Excluding the $2.6 billion unfavorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the year, net sales increased 22% compared with 2018.

Operating income increased to $14.5 billion, compared with operating income of $12.4 billion in 2018.

Net income increased to $11.6 billion, or $23.01 per diluted share, compared with net income of $10.1 billion, or $20.14 per diluted share, in 2018.

"Prime membership continues to get better for customers year after year. And customers are responding - more people joined Prime this quarter than ever before, and we now have over 150 million paid Prime members around the world," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. 

"We've made Prime delivery faster - the number of items delivered to U.S. customers with Prime's free one-day and same-day delivery more than quadrupled this quarter compared to last year. Members now have free two-hour grocery delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market in more than 2,000 U.S. cities and towns. 

"Prime members watched double the hours of original movies and TV shows on Prime Video this quarter compared to last year, and Amazon Originals received a record 88 nominations and 26 wins at major awards shows. A huge thank you to teams across Amazon for their dedicated work to build, innovate, and deliver for customers this holiday."

See the Amazon Investor Relations website for the full press release including fourth-quarter highlights, charts, and guidance.



Share

Comments (10) | Permalink

Readers Comments

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

by: FeelingFroggy This user has validated their user name.

Thu Jan 30 16:45:40 2020

I hear the Ebay CEO's are investing heavily in kleenex.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

by: Frank Abagnale This user has validated their user name.

Thu Jan 30 17:27:04 2020

I think if you look hard enough in Amazon's financial report, you will see an expense entry for taking ebay out for lunch.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

by: Silver Ice King This user has validated their user name.

Fri Jan 31 03:45:21 2020

Its funny how all these competitors of Ebay continue to show double digit gains while Ebay continues to sputter along while losing 2% in the 4th quarter and 1% loss for the entire year.  If they didn't convince some sellers to give away their money through Promoted Listings and forcing so many Sellers into Mangled Payments I am sure they would have shown negative growth in a quarter where they should have easily shown growth if they had continued their war with their sellers.

Schenkle or what ever his name is, has not had one original idea since he became temporary CEO.    I don't believe Ebay is really in a hurry to replace him with a qualified individual because most of the BOD is in agreement with all the stupid changes that Wenig was making because they also have no idea how to run an Ecommerce site.  

Search is still broken and last i heard they have pulled all of the programmers off of fixing anything over to working on getting Mangled Payments prepared for the massive conversion they are hoping will be their saving grace.  They dont understand that they will not need Mangled Payments if they don't fix the platform so that buyers can find what they want to buy, not what Ebay wants them to buy and from whom they want them to buy items (those already in Mangled Payments).  Once again its all about short term fix rather than looking down the road as they try and make as much money off of each sale now rather than fix issues that continue to cause problems for both Buyers and Sellers.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

by: RL15 This user has validated their user name.

Fri Jan 31 11:42:46 2020

Great job Amazon, keep up the good work.

fleecebay keeps looking more pathetic.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

This user has validated their user name. by: CanBrit

Fri Jan 31 13:23:56 2020

@Silver Ice King
And the degradation of the site continues on......

Listed a new item. Doesn't show up. Not on my counts (I should be at 214, not 213). I can search for the listings and there it is. Try to look at all the listings....there it's not.
Yesterday, I was listing an item. Looked at the preview then I went back to post the listing. All the description reverted back to the sell similar listing I was working with.
They have ruined the site to the point there is no coming back. Someone should have thought about restore points. Someone should have thought about not making system changes live so the users can test it for them.Someone is going to have to build a new site because that is the only way eBay is going to exist in the future.

Unfortunately, that someone doesn't exist.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

This user has validated their user name. by: Bill

Sat Feb 1 00:13:47 2020

I am sorry but eBay is run by a bunch of incompetent fools.
Why do people keep buying this stock when it should be worth $25.00 or less.
When I look for funds to invest my money in if I see they have eBay I drop them and look for something else.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

This user has validated their user name. by: toolguy

Sat Feb 1 00:27:22 2020

ROTFLMAO

A thread about Amazon and everyone mentions eBay!

Amazon is HUGE and you would think they make huge profits but in reality they make very little for how big they are!

As where little eBay makes HUGE amounts of money for how small they are!

I support eBay, not Amazon!

PS: The label on Lysol says it kills coronavirus, pick up a can while you still can. . . .

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

This user has validated their user name. by: CanBrit

Sat Feb 1 17:25:29 2020

@toolguy

Maybe the conversation swerved towards eBay because of the huge black hole in competency between the two company's. Amazon is like a thermometer. When they go up, everyone in the same field (if they are doing the right things) should go up as well.

This made it blatantly obvious that eBay is not on the same path, road, or even planet.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

by: Snapped This user has validated their user name.

Sat Feb 1 19:06:45 2020

“ When they go up, everyone... should go up.”

Indeed. A rising tide lifts all boats.

Except for the those already on the bottom.

Perminate Link for Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter   Amazon Sales up 21 Percent in Fourth Quarter

This user has validated their user name. by: CanBrit

Mon Feb 3 11:32:06 2020

@Snapped

I like that!



Login is required to post comments.
To sign in to leave a comment, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page.

Login for AB Verify
Be sure and use your email address and password to log in.
 
Email:
Password:
 
 Forgot Your Password?
 Even though you are signed in with the AuctionBytes Blog, you will have to sign in to the EcommerceBytes blog. But you can sign in with your existing AB Verify info.