Exploring The Competitive Space: Amazon.com Versus Industry Peers In Broadline Retail

In the dynamic and fiercely competitive business environment, conducting a thorough analysis of companies is crucial for investors and industry enthusiasts. In this article, we will perform an extensive industry comparison, evaluating Amazon.com AMZN in relation to its major competitors in the Broadline Retail industry. By closely examining crucial financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to offer valuable insights for investors and shed light on company's performance within the industry.

Amazon.com Background

Amazon is the leading online retailer and marketplace for third party sellers. Retail related revenue represents approximately 75% of total, followed by Amazon Web Services' cloud computing, storage, database, and other offerings (15%), advertising services (5% to 10%), and other the remainder. International segments constitute 25% to 30% of Amazon's non-AWS sales, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

By analyzing Amazon.com, we can infer the following trends:

• A Price to Earnings ratio of 37.49 significantly below the industry average by 0.78x suggests undervaluation. This can make the stock appealing for those seeking growth.

• The elevated Price to Book ratio of 7.99 relative to the industry average by 1.38x suggests company might be overvalued based on its book value.

• With a relatively high Price to Sales ratio of 3.81, which is 2.08x the industry average, the stock might be considered overvalued based on sales performance.

• The company has a higher Return on Equity (ROE) of 5.79%, which is 1.13% above the industry average. This suggests efficient use of equity to generate profits and demonstrates profitability and growth potential.

• Compared to its industry, the company has higher Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) of $36.48 Billion, which is 8.77x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and robust cash flow generation.

• With higher gross profit of $78.69 Billion, which indicates 5.17x above the industry average, the company demonstrates stronger profitability and higher earnings from its core operations.

• The company's revenue growth of 8.62% exceeds the industry average of 7.72%, indicating strong sales performance and market outperformance.

Debt To Equity Ratio

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio indicates the proportion of debt and equity used by a company to finance its assets and operations.

Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company's financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making.

When evaluating Amazon.com alongside its top 4 peers in terms of the Debt-to-Equity ratio, the following insights arise:

• In terms of the debt-to-equity ratio, Amazon.com has a lower level of debt compared to its top 4 peers, indicating a stronger financial position.

• This implies that the company relies less on debt financing and has a more favorable balance between debt and equity with a lower debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44.

Key Takeaways

For Amazon.com, the PE ratio is low compared to its peers in the Broadline Retail industry, indicating potential undervaluation. The high PB and PS ratios suggest that the market values Amazon.com's assets and sales highly. In terms of ROE, EBITDA, gross profit, and revenue growth, Amazon.com outperforms its industry peers, reflecting strong financial performance and growth potential.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.