Bezos Laughs To The Bank, Despite Caution (AMZN)

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) posted earnings after already saying that this holiday season was a record.  Earnings for the Internet retailer were $0.52 EPS on $6.7 billion in revenue. Thomson Reuters (First Call) had estimates pegged at $0.39 in non-GAAP EPS and $6.44 billion in revenues. Amazon’s guidance was $145 million to $305 million in net income on revenue of $6 billion to $7 billion.

Bezos and friends see revenue in the coming quarter at $4.53 billion to $4.93billion.  But investors are disappointed that operating income is now being projected as $125 million to $210 million.  Next quarterestimates from First Call are $0.31 EPS and $4.57 billion in revenue.

Gross margin was 20%.  The company, which cited strong Kindle demand, said it also shipped more than 3 million units in Q4.

Shares closed down less than 0.5% at $50.01 in regular trading and itsinitial reaction looks like there is a monster short squeeze going on as sharesare trading north of $54.00 in after-hours trading.

Jon C. Ogg
January 29, 2009