Amazon (AMZN) Stock: Prime Day Expands to 48 Hours With Record Sales Expected

TLDR

Table of Contents

Amazon (AMZN) receives buy rating from Jefferies analyst with price target raised to $255 from $250
Amazon Prime Day extends to 96 hours (July 8-11) compared to 48 hours last year
Adobe Analytics forecasts $23.8 billion in US online sales during Prime Day event, up 28.4% from last year
Consumer survey shows 73% have Prime membership versus 26% for Walmart
Clothing discounts expected to reach 24% while electronics discounts may dip to 22%

Wall Street analysts are showing renewed confidence in Amazon as the e-commerce giant prepares for an extended Prime Day event. Jefferies analyst Brent Thill raised his price target to $255 from $250 while maintaining a buy rating on the stock.

The analyst’s optimism stems from a proprietary survey of nearly 700 US consumers conducted in mid-to-late June. The survey revealed that Amazon remains resilient despite price increases related to tariffs.

Consumer spending patterns appear stable with 62% of shoppers spending the same or more in the past three months. However, cost-conscious behavior is emerging as 31% reported spending less during the same period.

Amazon’s Prime membership continues to dominate the loyalty landscape. The survey found that 73% of respondents hold Prime memberships compared to just 26% for Walmart.

The membership advantage extends beyond loyalty into operational benefits. Amazon maintains superior positioning in fast and free shipping, product selection, and competitive pricing according to the analyst.

Prime Day Gets a Major Expansion

This year’s Prime Day represents a strategic shift in Amazon’s approach to the annual shopping event. The company extended the sales window to 96 hours, running from July 8 to July 11.

Amazon is pulling out all the stops and capitalizing on consumers’ tariff fears to make this year’s July Prime Day event a smashing success. For the first time, Prime Day is being extended from two days to four. https://t.co/YCRLCBGH0k pic.twitter.com/M0nLhpGJAx
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 30, 2025

Last year’s event lasted only 48 hours and generated $14.2 billion in online sales. The extended format aims to capitalize on heightened price sensitivity among consumers.

Adobe Analytics projects total US online sales of $23.8 billion during the four-day event. This represents a 28.4% increase compared to the same period last year.

The forecast positions the event as equivalent to two Black Fridays in terms of shopping volume. Budget-conscious consumers are using generative AI to find deals and starting back-to-school purchases early.

Discount Patterns and Consumer Behavior

Clothing is expected to see the deepest discounts at 24%, up from 20% last year. Electronics discounts are projected to dip slightly to 22% from previous levels.

Shoppers are expected to trade up to higher-ticket items like electronics, sporting goods, and appliances. More affordable alternatives are gaining traction in categories like home and garden or groceries.

Back-to-school shopping is driving demand for specific product categories. Sales of backpacks, lunchboxes, and college essentials including headphones and computers are expected to increase.

Buy Now Pay Later usage is projected to rise slightly during the event. BNPL services are expected to account for 8% of overall online spending compared to 7.6% last year.

The extended Prime Day format spans 20 countries and targets incremental Prime memberships. The company is particularly focused on students and young adults aged 18 to 24 through six-month extended free trials.

Competitors including Walmart and Target are launching their own promotional events to compete. The expanded timeframe reflects the competitive pressure in the e-commerce space.

Thill ranks No. 109 among more than 9,600 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 67% of the time, delivering an average return of 15.2%.

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