The Nasdaq Composite index is in record territory. While that’s exciting news for some, it may be discouraging for those who have been on the sidelines.
But don’t let the market’s rise keep you from seeking out compelling investment opportunities. There are still some quality companies selling at attractive valuations.
If you’ve got $1,000 you’re ready to invest, then don’t look past Amazon (AMZN -2.42%). Here’s why it’s the ultimate growth stock to buy right now.
Sizable growth potential
Amazon generated $575 billion in net sales in 2023. That’s more than the GDP of some countries, like Ireland and Thailand. And it puts Amazon behind only Walmart on the Fortune 500 list.
To be clear, this revenue figure makes Amazon a colossal organization. But investors would be delighted to know that the business still has meaningful opportunities to expand, thanks to multiple growth tailwinds.
Amazon’s business was built on the expectation of the expansion of online shopping. Today, nearly 40% of all e-commerce spending in the U.S. happens on its website. There’s still a massive runway for online activity to take share from brick-and-mortar shopping, which should lift the business in the years ahead.
The popularity of Amazon Prime membership not only feeds into greater e-commerce sales, but it can also lead to Prime Video attracting more TV viewing time. Consequently, Amazon also benefits from the streaming trend.
Then there’s digital advertising, a segment that raked in $14.7 billion in revenue just in the last three months. That total was up 26% year over year. In the U.S., Amazon is behind only Alphabet and Meta Platforms in the industry, something most investors might not realize.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the equation is the cloud division, Amazon Web Services (AWS). While growth here has slowed due to macro headwinds, the industry-leading segment boasts a Q4 operating margin of 30%. And AWS gives Amazon a major avenue to introduce artificial intelligence innovations to its client base.
Pay the price
It’s not difficult to convince someone that Amazon is a great business. The facts speak for themselves. It’s no wonder shares have soared 8,300% in the last 20 years.
But even at a market cap of almost $1.9 trillion today, it still makes for a worthy investment candidate. That’s because Amazon shares trade at a price-to-sales multiple of just under 3.3 right now. Even after the stock soared 113% since the start of 2023, its valuation is about in line with its trailing 10-year average.
Paying that price for Amazon looks like the right move. This business possesses numerous competitive advantages that give me confidence in its ability to thrive far into the future. It has a scale and logistics footprint that rivals can’t match, particularly when it comes to better serving its customer base.
And even more importantly, Amazon continues to develop its data advantage. There are very few companies that can collect the massive amounts of data from its customers like Amazon can. And management can constantly find ways to glean insights that better drive marketing and product development efforts.
Investors have reason to be even more optimistic, though. After years of aggressive capital expenditures, executives are now focused on creating a more efficient organization, cutting costs across the board.
This means that Amazon, which saw its operating income surge 202% in 2023, could see accelerating bottom-line gains. And this can propel the stock even further.
Now looks like a good time for prospective investors to add Amazon to their portfolios.
Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
