National Pension Service Boosts Stake in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

The National Pension Service has enhanced its investment in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. According to recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the pension fund now holds a total of 17,083,851 shares of the well-known e-commerce company after acquiring an additional 163,325 shares in the quarter. This investment represents approximately 3.5% of the National Pension Service's total portfolio, making Amazon its fifth largest holding. As of the end of the latest quarter, the pension fund's stake in Amazon is valued at about $3,748,026,000, accounting for around 0.16% of the company's outstanding shares.

Several other institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in Amazon. For instance, Kellett Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in the company by 31.1% during the fourth quarter, now owning 7,464 shares valued at approximately $1,638,000 after acquiring an additional 1,770 shares. Similarly, Fjell Capital LLC made a new investment in Amazon shares worth around $3,064,000. Furthermore, Sitrin Capital Management LLC raised its holdings by 1.5%, bringing their total to 36,540 shares valued at $8,017,000, following a purchase of 545 shares. DMKC Advisory Services LLC also expanded its position, investing about $294,000 in Amazon. Finally, Weil Company Inc. significantly increased its stake by 65.5%, now owning 6,009 shares valued at $1,318,000 after purchasing an additional 2,379 shares during the previous quarter. Overall, institutional investors now hold about 72.20% of Amazon's stock.

Recent Analyst Ratings and Predictions

Analysts have recently provided updates on Amazon's stock. For example, Benchmark raised its price target for Amazon shares from $215.00 to $265.00, maintaining a "buy" rating as of February 4th. Similarly, Wolfe Research increased its target from $250.00 to $270.00 and rated the stock as "outperform" on January 3rd. UBS Group also raised its target from $230.00 to $264.00, endorsing a "buy" recommendation on December 16th. Additional analysts from Cantor Fitzgerald and Canaccord Genuity have reiterated their positive outlooks, each maintaining "overweight" and "buy" ratings, respectively. In total, two analysts have suggested holding the stock, while forty-two have provided a "buy" rating, and one analyst has labeled it a "strong buy." According to MarketBeat.com, Amazon currently shows a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy," with an average target price of $260.65.

Insider Trading Activity

In related news, there were some notable insider transactions at Amazon. CEO Douglas J. Herrington sold 5,501 shares on February 18th at an average price of $228.44, totaling $1,256,648.44. Following this sale, he now owns 505,318 shares, valued at around $115,434,843.92, indicating a 1.08% decrease in his holdings. Additionally, CEO Andrew R. Jassy sold 20,784 shares on February 21st, with an average sale price of $220.65, resulting in approximately $4,585,989.60. Post-transaction, he holds 2,118,886 shares, valued at around $467,532,195.90, reflecting a 0.97% reduction in his ownership. Over the past 90 days, insiders have sold a total of 102,298 shares valued at approximately $22,871,828, with corporate insiders currently holding about 10.80% of Amazon stock.

Amazon's Stock Performance

As of the latest trading session, shares of Amazon opened at $192.72, having experienced a 4.3% decline. The stock's 50-day moving average stands at $216.86, while the 200-day moving average is $208.87. Amazon has a market capitalization of $2.04 trillion, a PE ratio of 34.85, and a P/E/G ratio of 1.50. The company's stock has shown a 12-month low of $151.61 and a high of $242.52. Financial health indicators include a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18 and liquidity ratios of 1.06 and 0.87 for current and quick ratios, respectively.

Amazon released its quarterly earnings data on February 6th, reporting $1.86 in earnings per share, surpassing analysts' expectations of $1.52. The company exhibited a return on equity of 24.25% and a net margin of 9.29%. Analysts forecast Amazon.com, Inc. will post an EPS of 6.31 for the current fiscal year.

Overview of Amazon.com, Inc.

Amazon.com, Inc. operates primarily in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscription services through its online and physical stores worldwide. The company segments its operations into North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Additionally, Amazon develops and sells several electronic devices, including Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo smart speakers, and more while also producing media content.

Amazon, Investment, Stocks