Amazon reported first-quarter net sales of $181.5 billion. This total represents a 17% increase year-over-year. Earnings per share reached $2.78. This result significantly exceeded the analyst consensus of $1.62. A $16.8 billion pre-tax gain from an investment in the AI company Anthropic bolstered these earnings.
The Amazon Web Services (AWS) division generated $37.6 billion in sales. Cloud revenue surged 28% during the period. This growth signals robust demand for AI services. Investors monitored these results to gauge returns on substantial AI capital expenditures.
Amazon announced the results after the market close on April 29. The company forecasts second-quarter sales growth between 16% and 19%. Shares dipped slightly in after-hours trading as investors reviewed the report and ongoing investment plans.