Can Amazon's Logistics Expansion Further Boost Online Stores' Growth?

Amazon AMZN has been strengthening its delivery and logistics operations to improve customer experience and support online store and e-commerce sales. The company continues to benefit from its regional fulfillment network, which allows it to place inventory closer to customers. This has enabled faster deliveries, often in fewer packages and at lower delivery costs. In the first quarter of 2025, Amazon set new delivery speed records for Prime members and delivered more items the same or next day than in any other quarter in its history.

Amazon recently announced plans to expand the convenience and reliability of Same-Day and Next-Day Delivery to tens of millions of U.S. customers in more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities by the end of 2025. The company is investing more than $4 billion to triple the size of its delivery network by 2026, with a focus on expanding coverage in less densely populated regions. This move is aimed at improving access for rural customers and enhancing delivery speed for a wider customer base.

As of June 2025, the number of items delivered the same or next day in the United States rose more than 30% year over year. With the upcoming expansion of its delivery network, Amazon is positioned to increase the volume of ultra-fast deliveries even further. The plans are expected to support continued growth in shipping speed and reliability, reinforcing the company’s online store performance.

Amazon’s Online Stores segment generated $57.4 billion in revenues in the first quarter of 2025, up 5% year over year. This segment accounted for 36.9% of Amazon’s total quarterly revenues. Our model estimate for Online Stores’ revenues in 2025 is pegged at $263.8 billion, indicating 6.8% growth year over year.

AMZN Faces Stiff Competition in E-Commerce

Several players are competing with Amazon in the e-commerce logistics space in the United States, with Target TGT and Walmart WMT expanding rapidly.

Target has evolved from just being a pure brick-and-mortar retailer to an omni-channel entity. Target’s acquisition of Shipt to provide same-day delivery of groceries, essentials, home, electronics, as well as other products, is posing a serious threat to Amazon.

Walmart has been expanding e-commerce and accelerating delivery services. Walmart’s introduction of Express Delivery and its partnerships with Point Pickup, Skipcart, AxleHire and Roadie have been helping the company boost its conversion rates and strengthen its competitive edge.

AMZN’s Share Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

AMZN shares have lost 3.3% in the year-to-date (YTD) period, underperforming the Zacks Internet – Commerce industry and the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector’s growth of 4% and 2.1%, respectively.

AMZN’s YTD Price Performance

From a valuation standpoint, AMZN stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 3.10X compared with the industry’s 2.01X. AMZN has a Value Score of C.

AMZN Valuation

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.31 per share, which has remained steady over the past 30 days, indicating 6.5% year-over-year growth.

Amazon.com, Inc. Price and Consensus

Amazon.com, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote

The consensus mark for 2025 earnings is pegged at $6.22 per share, which has been revised upward by 3 cents over the past 30 days. The estimate indicates 12.48% year-over-year growth.

Amazon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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