Key Highlights
- Amazon shares finished at $250.56, sitting only 1.4% beneath the record closing price of $254.
- AMZN has climbed 20% throughout April, posting gains in nine out of the past 10 trading days.
- Truist boosted its target to $285, anticipating 25% AWS revenue expansion in the first quarter.
- TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge maintained his Buy stance with a $300 target price.
- The e-commerce giant announced plans to buy Globalstar for approximately $12 billion and established a satellite partnership with Apple.
Amazon has been building momentum through one of its most impressive rallies in recent months. Shares settled at $250.56 last Friday — marking the highest closing price since early November 2025 — and now trade just 1.4% away from the company’s all-time closing record of $254.
The upward movement has been consistent and methodical. The stock has finished in positive territory for nine out of the previous 10 trading sessions and has jumped 20% during April. For the year as a whole, AMZN has advanced approximately 8.6%.
As the company prepares to report first-quarter results on April 29, investor focus has intensified. Wall Street’s consensus forecast calls for earnings per share of $1.63 — a slight uptick from the $1.59 posted in the same period last year — alongside total sales of approximately $177 billion, which would mark roughly 14% growth compared to the prior year.
Truist’s Youssef Squali upgraded his price objective on Friday to $285 from $280 while keeping his Buy recommendation intact. His forecast anticipates AWS revenue climbing 25% in Q1, representing an uptick from the 23% expansion seen in the fourth quarter of 2024, fueled by an expanding roster of AI collaborations with companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Squali is also projecting approximately 10% year-over-year growth for North America marketplace revenue, noting that macroeconomic challenges such as elevated fuel prices remain “manageable” assuming they don’t persist long-term.
Jim Cramer offered his perspective over the weekend, characterizing Amazon as “ascendant” while drawing a comparison to Microsoft, which he noted some view as a “chronic underperformer.” He positioned Amazon as the superior investment opportunity currently, citing its growth momentum against Microsoft’s decelerating revenue trends.
Wall Street Eyes $300 Target Price
John Blackledge from TD Cowen, recognized as a 5-star analyst, maintained his Buy recommendation alongside a $300 price objective — representing approximately 20% potential upside from Friday’s closing level. His outlook suggests Q1 revenue will marginally exceed consensus projections, with operating profit tracking roughly 4% ahead of expectations.
Blackledge identifies high-margin advertising income and AWS as primary profit catalysts, complemented by ongoing improvements in fulfillment operations.
Looking toward the second quarter of 2026, his projections sit 1.5% above consensus on revenue and 5% higher on operating income — indicating his expectation for further AWS growth acceleration.
Throughout the analyst community, Amazon commands a Strong Buy rating based on 42 Buy recommendations versus only 3 Hold ratings. The consensus price objective stands at $284.77, suggesting approximately 14% upside potential from present levels.
During the fourth quarter of 2025, AWS delivered 24% year-over-year revenue growth. CEO Andy Jassy highlighted this as the division’s “fastest growth in 13 quarters” — a metric that analysts are incorporating heavily into their first-quarter projections.
Strategic Satellite Acquisition Expands Amazon’s Reach
Beyond the upcoming earnings report, Amazon executed a significant strategic transaction this week. On Tuesday, the company revealed an agreement to purchase Globalstar at the equivalent of $90 per share — placing the satellite provider’s valuation near $12 billion.
This acquisition enables Amazon to develop its own satellite-based broadband infrastructure, placing it in direct competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the space internet market.
Additionally, Amazon finalized a partnership with Apple to deliver satellite connectivity capabilities for existing and upcoming iPhone and Apple Watch models. This collaboration builds upon an existing arrangement between Apple and Globalstar.
Wall Street’s average price target of $284.77 implies approximately 14% appreciation potential from AMZN’s latest closing price of $250.56.
