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Morningstar Investment Management LLC Boosts Stock Holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Morningstar Investment Management LLC Boosts Stock Holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

  • 21.03.2025 11:01
  • etfdailynews.com
  • Keywords: Stock Holdings, Market Capitalization, Institutional Ownership, Earnings Per Share (EPS), Price Target, Analyst Ratings, Institutional Transactions, Insider Sales

Morningstar Investment Management LLC increased its Amazon.com holdings by 32.8% in the 4th quarter, adding 19,364 shares worth $17.2 million. Other major investors also boosted their positions, reflecting strong institutional interest in the e-commerce giant despite a slight stock decline. Analysts remain optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating and a price target of $260.65.

Amazon ReportsAmazon ServicesSTT/PGsentiment_satisfied

Estimated market influence

Morningstar Investment Management LLC

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Boosted stock holdings in Amazon.com by 32.8% in the 4th quarter, owning 78,397 shares worth $17,200,000. This indicates a positive sentiment towards Amazon's stock.

State Street Corp

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: —

Increased holdings by 3.3% in the third quarter, owning shares valued at $66,926,008,000, showing strong confidence in Amazon.

Geode Capital Management LLC

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Raised stake by 3.4% in the third quarter, owning shares worth $37,116,341,000, reflecting a positive investment sentiment.

UBS AM (distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC)

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Increased position by 3.6% in the third quarter, owning shares valued at $10,776,201,000, indicating a positive outlook.

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Boosted stake by 3.6% in the third quarter, owning shares worth $10,678,217,000, showing a positive investment strategy.

Franklin Resources Inc.

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Grew holdings by 0.5% in the third quarter, owning shares valued at $8,843,714,000, indicating a positive sentiment.

Amazon.com Inc.

Positivesentiment_satisfied
Analyst rating: N/A

Reported EPS of $1.86, topping estimates; stock price down 0.3%; market cap of $2.07 trillion; institutional ownership at 72.20%; positive analyst ratings with a 'Moderate Buy' consensus and increased price targets.

Context

Analysis of Morningstar Investment Management LLC's Stock Holdings in Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Market Trends

  • Morningstar's Increase in Holdings: Morningstar lifted its holdings in Amazon by 32.8% in Q4, purchasing an additional 19,364 shares, bringing total holdings to 78,397 shares.
  • Amazon's Market Cap: Amazon has a market capitalization of $2.07 trillion.
  • Stock Price Movement: Amazon stock opened at $194.95 on Friday and was down by 0.3%.

Business Impact

  • Morningstar's Portfolio Allocation: Amazon.com comprises 1.4% of Morningstar Investment Management LLC’s holdings, making it the firm’s 16th biggest position.
  • Holdings Value: Morningstar’s holdings in Amazon were worth $17.2 million as of its most recent SEC filing.

Competitive Dynamics

  • Institutional Buying Trend: Multiple institutional investors increased their stakes in Amazon during Q3:
    • State Street Corp: Increased by 3.3% to 359,179,990 shares valued at $66.926 billion.
    • Geode Capital Management LLC: Raised stake by 3.4% to 199,915,046 shares worth $37.116 billion.
    • UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC: Increased by 3.6% to 57,833,954 shares valued at $10.776 billion.
    • Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.: Boosted stake by 3.6% to 57,308,094 shares worth $10.678 billion.
    • Franklin Resources Inc.: Grew holdings by 0.5% to 47,156,540 shares valued at $8.843 billion.

Strategic Considerations

  • Analyst Ratings: Amazon has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $260.65.
  • Earnings Performance: Amazon reported EPS of $1.86, beating estimates, with a net margin of 9.29% and return on equity (ROE) of 24.25%.

Insider Transactions

  • Recent Insider Sales:
    • A senior vice president sold 19,212 shares for a total value of $4.178 million, reducing ownership by 27.78%.
    • A vice president sold 8,833 shares for $1.965 million, decreasing ownership by 6.87%.
  • Total Insider Sales: Insiders have sold a total of 102,298 shares worth $22.87 million over the last 90 days.

Ownership and Institutional Confidence

  • Institutional Ownership: 72.20% of Amazon’s stock is owned by institutional investors.
  • Insider Ownership: Corporate insiders own 10.80% of the company’s stock.

Financial Metrics

  • Key Financial Ratios:
    • Debt-to-equity ratio: 0.18
    • Current ratio: 1.06
    • Quick ratio: 0.87
    • PE ratio: 35.25
    • PEG ratio: 1.50
    • Beta: 1.19

Recent News and Analyst Activity

  • Analyst Price Targets: Several analysts have increased their price targets for Amazon, with JMP Securities setting the highest at $285.00.
  • Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect EPS of 6.31 for the current fiscal year.

About Amazon.com

  • Core Business Segments:
    • North America
    • International
    • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Product Lines: Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, eero.
  • Content Production: Media content development and production.

This analysis highlights the strategic importance of Amazon in institutional portfolios, its strong financial performance, and the positive sentiment from analysts.