Key Takeaways
- AMZN shares reached their highest point since November 2025, trading just 1.4% beneath the all-time closing record of $254.
- Truist Securities boosted its price objective to $285, forecasting 25% AWS revenue expansion in Q1 powered by artificial intelligence demand.
- TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge maintains a Buy rating with a $300 target, anticipating Q1 figures will surpass expectations.
- Street consensus projects Q1 earnings per share of $1.63 alongside revenue of approximately $177.15 billion, reflecting 14% annual growth.
- The e-commerce giant announced plans to purchase Globalstar for roughly $12 billion and established a satellite partnership with Apple.
Amazon’s shares have been climbing steadily. The stock has finished in positive territory for nine out of the last 10 trading days and has surged 20% throughout April. For the year, shares are up 8.6%, positioning the company within striking distance of its historic peak.
Shares ticked up 0.3% on Friday to settle at $250.56, marking the strongest close since early November 2025. The company’s record closing price stands at $254 — a gap of less than 1.4%.
As the company prepares to report first-quarter results on April 29, analyst optimism is intensifying. Wall Street forecasts earnings per share of $1.63, representing a modest increase from $1.59 in the prior-year period, while total revenue is projected to climb 14% to approximately $177 billion.
Truist Securities analyst Youssef Squali elevated his price objective on Friday from $280 to $285 while maintaining his Buy recommendation. His forecast calls for AWS revenue to expand 25% in Q1, accelerating from the 23% growth recorded in Q4. According to Squali, this momentum stems from an expanding roster of AI collaborations — featuring OpenAI and Anthropic.
Squali also anticipates North America marketplace revenue will increase roughly 10% on a year-over-year basis, characterizing macroeconomic challenges such as elevated fuel prices as “manageable” — provided they remain temporary.
Street Sentiment Positive Before April 29 Report
TD Cowen’s John Blackledge, who holds a 5-star analyst ranking, recently reaffirmed his Buy stance with a $300 price objective — suggesting approximately 20% appreciation potential from present levels. His projections place Q1 revenue marginally above consensus forecasts, with operating profit running about 4% higher than Street estimates.
Blackledge identifies high-margin segments like advertising and AWS as primary profit catalysts, complemented by ongoing improvements in logistics efficiency.
Looking ahead to Q2 2026, his revenue and operating income projections exceed Wall Street consensus by 1.5% and 5%, respectively, signaling continued AWS momentum.
The Street maintains a Strong Buy consensus rating on AMZN, supported by 42 Buy recommendations against only 3 Hold ratings. The mean price objective stands at $284.77 — approximately 14% above current trading levels.
During Q4 2025, AWS delivered 24% year-over-year revenue growth. CEO Andy Jassy characterized it as the division’s “fastest expansion in 13 quarters.” Market watchers now anticipate this trend will persist through Q1.
Satellite Connectivity Expansion
Beyond quarterly results, Amazon has been actively pursuing strategic transactions. Earlier this week, the company revealed plans to acquire Globalstar at an equivalent price of $90 per share, placing the satellite operator’s valuation near $12 billion.
This strategic acquisition enables Amazon to develop its own orbital broadband infrastructure — a sector presently led by Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Additionally, Amazon finalized an arrangement with Apple to deliver satellite connectivity capabilities for existing and upcoming iPhone and Apple Watch models. This partnership leverages a pre-existing Globalstar contract Apple had previously secured.
The S&P 500 advanced 1.2% on Friday, while the Dow Jones climbed 1.8%. AMZN’s 0.3% gain appeared relatively subdued in comparison, though the stock’s extended upward movement heading into earnings has captured significant analyst attention.
The average Wall Street price target of $284.77 implies roughly 14% upside potential from the stock’s latest closing price of $250.56.
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