Evaluating Amazon.com Against Peers In Broadline Retail Industry

In today's rapidly changing and highly competitive business world, it is imperative for investors and industry observers to carefully assess companies before making investment choices. In this article, we will undertake a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating Amazon.com AMZN vis-à-vis its key competitors in the Broadline Retail industry. Through a detailed analysis of important financial indicators, market standing, and growth potential, our goal is to provide valuable insights and highlight company's performance in the industry.

Amazon.com Background

Amazon is the leading online retailer and marketplace for third party sellers. Retail related revenue represents approximately 75% of total, followed by Amazon Web Services' cloud computing, storage, database, and other offerings (15%), advertising services (5% to 10%), and other the remainder. International segments constitute 25% to 30% of Amazon's non-AWS sales, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

When closely examining Amazon.com, the following trends emerge:

• The Price to Earnings ratio of 34.99 is 0.83x lower than the industry average, indicating potential undervaluation for the stock.

• It could be trading at a premium in relation to its book value, as indicated by its Price to Book ratio of 7.46 which exceeds the industry average by 1.4x.

• The stock's relatively high Price to Sales ratio of 3.55, surpassing the industry average by 2.05x, may indicate an aspect of overvaluation in terms of sales performance.

• The company has a higher Return on Equity (ROE) of 5.79%, which is 1.13% above the industry average. This suggests efficient use of equity to generate profits and demonstrates profitability and growth potential.

• Compared to its industry, the company has higher Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) of $36.48 Billion, which is 5.35x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and robust cash flow generation.

• Compared to its industry, the company has higher gross profit of $78.69 Billion, which indicates 4.6x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and higher earnings from its core operations.

• The company is experiencing remarkable revenue growth, with a rate of 8.62%, outperforming the industry average of 6.14%.

Debt To Equity Ratio

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio provides insights into the proportion of debt a company has in relation to its equity and asset value.

Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company's financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making.

By considering the Debt-to-Equity ratio, Amazon.com can be compared to its top 4 peers, leading to the following observations:

• When comparing the debt-to-equity ratio, Amazon.com is in a stronger financial position compared to its top 4 peers.

• The company has a lower level of debt relative to its equity, indicating a more favorable balance between the two with a lower debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44.

Key Takeaways

For Amazon.com, the PE ratio is low compared to its peers in the Broadline Retail industry, indicating potential undervaluation. The high PB and PS ratios suggest that the market values Amazon.com's assets and sales highly. In terms of ROE, EBITDA, gross profit, and revenue growth, Amazon.com outperforms its industry peers, reflecting strong financial performance and growth potential.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.