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Evercore Names Amazon (AMZN) Stock Its #1 Large-Cap Pick for 2026

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AMZN Stock Card

Key Takeaways

  • Evercore ISI maintains Outperform rating on Amazon (AMZN) with $285 price target intact
  • AWS revenue forecasted to reach $163B in 2026 (27% year-over-year increase) and $214B in 2027 (31% expansion)
  • Evercore designates Amazon as its top large-cap investment recommendation for 2026, noting stock trades at 3-year P/E trough
  • Firm increases total revenue and operating income projections by 2–3%, positioning estimates 4–5% above consensus
  • Capital expenditures anticipated to approach ~$250B by 2027, potentially resulting in ~$10B annual free cash flow deficits

Evercore ISI’s Mark Mahaney reaffirmed his Outperform stance on Amazon.com (AMZN) this Wednesday, maintaining his $285 price objective. With shares currently hovering around $208.76, this target represents approximately 37% potential upside.


AMZN Stock Card
Amazon.com, Inc., AMZN

Mahaney designated Amazon as his “#1 large-cap long idea for 2026,” pointing to attractive valuation levels, robust cloud computing expansion, and emerging business ventures as primary catalysts supporting his bullish outlook.

This recommendation follows Evercore’s updated assessment of Amazon Web Services, the e-commerce giant’s cloud computing arm. The firm now anticipates AWS will generate $163 billion in revenue during 2026, representing a 27% year-over-year increase, before accelerating to $214 billion in 2027 with 31% growth.

Regarding profitability metrics, Evercore forecasts AWS operating margins will reach 34% in 2026, with a modest contraction to 32% in 2027. These figures underscore the ongoing operational efficiency of the cloud platform.

Evercore has also upgraded its comprehensive Amazon financial projections. The firm’s revenue and operating income estimates increased by 2–3%, positioning them 4–5% higher than prevailing Street consensus forecasts. This represents a notable divergence from mainstream analyst expectations.

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Investment Case and Valuation Opportunity

A cornerstone of Mahaney’s investment thesis centers on Amazon’s current valuation discount—particularly relative to its own historical trading multiples. Shares are trading near a three-year low on a price-to-earnings basis, with the current P/E ratio at 29.11 and a PEG ratio of 0.98. This PEG metric suggests the market may be undervaluing the company’s anticipated growth trajectory.

Evercore highlighted emerging company programs, such as Project Leo and Perishable Checkout, as potential value catalysts that could deliver more substantial contributions throughout 2026.

BofA Securities maintains a Buy recommendation on the shares with a $275 target, following Amazon’s recent introduction of 1-hour and 3-hour delivery services across numerous U.S. metropolitan areas.

Capital Spending Represents Key Risk Factor

The primary concern centers on Amazon’s aggressive investment strategy. Evercore anticipates capital expenditures will escalate to approximately $250 billion by 2027, representing a significant financial commitment. The firm projects roughly $10 billion in free cash flow losses for both 2026 and 2027 stemming from this investment cycle.

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Capex intensity—calculated as capital expenditures relative to total revenue—is expected to reach its peak in 2026, though Evercore acknowledged this elevated spending could persist through 2027. This investment surge will meaningfully constrain near-term cash generation capacity.

Neverthstanding these headwinds, Mahaney contends this risk factor is already reflected in current share prices, with the overall risk-reward profile remaining attractive.

On the corporate finance front, Amazon recently secured $36.9 billion through a multi-tranche debt issuance, while also completing a €14.47 billion euro-denominated bond offering. Separately, Jeff Bezos is reportedly pursuing $100 billion in capital for a new investment vehicle focused on manufacturing enterprises and AI-powered automation technologies.

According to the latest analyst consensus data, 40 of 43 analysts covering AMZN maintain Buy ratings, with the average price target established at $280.00 per share.

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Crypto World

South Korea Tax Office Eyes Private Custody After Seized Crypto Loss

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South Korea Tax Office Eyes Private Custody After Seized Crypto Loss

South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) is moving to select a private custody provider for seized crypto assets after a February press release exposed a wallet recovery phrase and triggered the unauthorized transfer of confiscated tokens.

On Feb. 26, the NTS accidentally exposed a crypto wallet seed phrase in an official press release, resulting in the unauthorized transfer of crypto tokens valued at about $4.8 million. The release included an image of a Ledger cold wallet and a sheet of paper showing the mnemonic phrase without being blurred. 

Citing people familiar with the matter, ZDNet Korea reported that the agency is reviewing a plan to outsource custody of confiscated crypto and is drafting selection criteria for providers. The NTS is reportedly aiming to select a provider within the first half of 2026. 

The agency plans to evaluate candidates based on several factors, including security requirements, company size, and whether the firm holds insurance under South Korea’s Virtual Asset User Protection Act, ZDNet Korea reported. 

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The move shows South Korean authorities are trying to formalize custody of seized crypto after a series of handling failures exposed weaknesses in how confiscated digital assets are stored and managed.

New task force to oversee custody provider selection process

The custody selection will reportedly be led by a newly-formed task force focused on advancing digital asset management systems. 

The task force is reportedly working on several initiatives, including improving operational manuals covering the full life cycle of seized assets, from seizure to storage and liquidation. It would also conduct assessments and personnel training. 

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Related: South Korea opposition party pushes to scrap planned 22% crypto tax

The group is also preparing to establish a dedicated division to oversee crypto-related work.

An NTS official said that since crypto is relatively new, responsibilities are split across departments. However, preparations are underway to create a centralized unit, ZDNet Korea reported. 

NTS wallet seed leak prompts inter-agency probe

The NTS’s wallet leak and a separate custody failure in which Seoul’s Gangnam police allegedly lost 22 BTC seized prompted authorities to conduct an inter-agency review of seized crypto assets. 

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On March 1, South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Koo Yun-cheol, announced a cross-agency probe on how the government handles seized digital assets. 

Magazine: Metaplanet’s Japan Bitcoin bet, Bithumb ordered suspension: Asia Express