So far, November has been a disappointing month for Amazon (AMZN) stock. Surprisingly, from over $1,800 on November 4, the stock has fallen roughly -3.54% in the last two weeks. From November 11–15, the stock fell -2.16%. On a year-to-date basis, the stock has grown 15.5% in value with a market cap of $862 billion at the end of the week. Last week, Amazon’s overseas segments entered into some long-term deals that could strengthen its revenue streams. In the current week, the company contested the outcome of the Pentagon deal.
AWS Isn’t Happy About The Pentagon Deal
Amazon’s cloud segment has been eyeing the JEDI defense deal. AWS (Amazon Web Services) thinks that a negative political influence marred its chance to get the Pentagon contract. According to a CNBC report, an email from Amazon said that the results were impacted by “clear deficiencies, errors, and unmistakable bias.” As a result, the company thinks that steps should be taken to address the issue.
Amazon and the Seattle City Council
Amazon is facing political opposition in Seattle. Kshama Sawant, a city council member, is taking a strong stand to collect more taxes from large companies. Activists think that the tax could address issues with the city’s homeless population. However, the proposed taxes could increase the e-commerce company’s tax obligation. Amazon is based in Seattle. The company is the largest employer in the city. In a report by Reuters on November 11, the e-tailer funded $1.5 million to the city’s PAC (Political Action Committee) in a bid to promote Sawant’s opposition.
In April, Seattle PI reported that the company is shifting its operations out of the city. The source suggested that the company might move out of Seattle and head to Bellevue by 2023.
Alexa in Brazil Sees Fresh Competition From Google
Amazon hoped to establish a dominating market presence in Brazil. The company launched Amazon Music in September. In October, the company released Alexa and Amazon Echo. However, Google (GOOGL) (GOOG) is also venturing into Brazil. Google’s smart speakers, Google Nest, will compete head-to-head with Amazon’s Echo Smart. Overall, the Brazilian market has a lot of hidden opportunities for US tech titans. The companies might expand their cloud businesses in Brazil.
Amazon Grocery Stores
In a publication on the NASDAQ website, initially reported by CNET, Amazon is hiring employees in California for a new grocery store. However, the new store won’t be associated with the company’s whole foods business segment. A spokesperson said, “Amazon is opening a grocery store in Woodland Hills in 2020.” The new store won’t have technological facets like Amazon Go stores. Notably, the store will feature the traditional checkout mode with cashier counters.
Nike Will Sell To Consumers Directly
Nike (NKE) products won’t be available on Amazon anymore. The company decided to sell directly to customers. According to CNBC, Nike’s direct sales generated approximately $12 billion, which is 30% of the sales in the previous fiscal year. Randy Konik, an analyst from Jefferies, said that Nike generates enough traffic on its website to sell directly to consumers. He also said that connecting to consumers without a third-party source will add more to the brand value compared to selling through Amazon.com.
AWS Launches Data Exchange Portal
AWS launched AWS Data Exchange on November 13. The data exchange platform will showcase third-party data on its cloud servers. AWS Data Exchange will host Reuters, Dun & Bradstreet, TransUnion, Change Healthcare, and many more. The official press release stated that AWS members can subscribe using the Data Exchange application program interface or through its console. The subscriptions will be charged with monthly invoices. The new launch would improve the response to the data exchange portal, AWS, third-party data providers, and AWS customers.
Lionsgate Movies and Amazon Prime Video Deal
Lionsgate (LGF.A) movies and Amazon Prime Video have inked a content partnership agreement in the United Kingdom. The alliance will start at the beginning of 2020. The partnership will last for a few years. Prime Video subscribers in the United Kingdom will have access to many of Lionsgate’s movies on demand.
New Corporate Hub in Las Vegas
Amazon is starting a 30,000 square foot corporate office in Las Vegas. The company hopes to add 125 additional jobs in the city. The new office in downtown Las Vegas will be a hub for corporate human resource services. Since 2011, Amazon has created 3,500 jobs in Nevada. The company has invested more than $2.5 billion in the process.
Senior Executive Quits To Focus On Community Service
Reuters reported that Steve Kessel, Amazon’s senior vice president, decided to leave the company. He was actively involved in Amazon Kindle and Amazon Go stores. According to the report, Kessel wants to focus on “community service and not-for-profit work.” Dave Clark, the current senior vice president of global operations, will become Amazon’s senior vice president. Clark has years of experience with the company.
