Jeff Bezos sold more than $4 billion of Amazon shares last week, a tranche that caught some investors off guard after the company posted a 20 percent revenue jump in the second quarter. The sales were scheduled more than eight months ago, according to regulatory filings, meaning they reflect a pre-set plan rather than a verdict on the latest results.
The plan predates the print
The transactions were arranged well before Amazon reported that overall revenue rose 20 percent year over year in the June quarter, with Amazon Web Services accelerating to 37 percent growth. Cloud now accounts for more than a fifth of total revenue, while high-margin advertising climbed 26 percent and online stores grew 15 percent. Every reported segment expanded, most at double-digit rates.
AI and chips hit run-rate milestones
Amazon disclosed that its AI business and its custom-chip operation each crossed a $25 billion annual revenue run rate. They remain small slices of the total today, but the company argues that continued acceleration could turn them into material drivers. The source notes these are bonuses to the existing fundamentals, not pillars supporting the current valuation.
Robots, vehicles, and glasses
The March acquisition of Fauna Robotics added a humanoid-robot effort, while Zoox continues autonomous-vehicle testing in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Waymo remains the clear leader in that market. Amazon is also developing AI smart glasses to compete with Meta Platforms. The source frames these as long-term optionality rather than near-term catalysts.
What to watch
If growth accelerates from here, the current share price may look cheap in retrospect. The next few quarters will show whether the AI and chip run rates translate into reported revenue and whether the newer bets move beyond pilot scale.