Amazon's impressive long-term growth

Published on: February 4, 2019 / Updated on: February 4, 2019 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

If there's one thing Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is famous for, it's his relentless focus on long-term growth. Bezos's willingness to sacrifice short-term gains for long-term success has proven successful for years, turning his company into a global powerhouse and making him the richest man in the world.

Amazon has not only consolidated its position as a leading online retailer in large parts of the world, but has also built an industry-leading cloud computing business, established itself as one of the main players in music and video streaming, and gained an early leading position in the booming market for smart speakers.

The company has achieved all of this by consistently reinvesting the majority of its earnings. However, in the last twelve months, Amazon's net income more than tripled, rising from $3.03 billion in 2017 to $10.07 billion in 2018. This is by far the largest annual profit, suggesting that even Jeff Bezos, with his infamous long-term vision, is running out of ideas for how to invest all the money his company earns. Our chart below illustrates Amazon's strategy by comparing the company's exponential revenue growth with its relatively modest profit growth.

If there is one thing that Amazon's founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is famous for, it's his relentless focus on long-term growth. Having ignored critics for years, Bezos' willingness to sacrifice short-term profits for long-term success has paid off big time, turning his company into a global powerhouse and making him the wealthiest man on the planet.

Not only has Amazon cemented its position as the leading online retailer in large parts of the world it has also built an industry-leading cloud computing business, established itself as a major player in music and video streaming and built an early lead in the booming smart speaker market.

The company has achieved all that by constantly reinvesting most of the money it earns. In the past twelve months, however, Amazon's net income more than tripled from $3.03 billion in 2017 to $10.07 billion in 2018. That is its biggest annual profit by far, indicating that even Jeff Bezos with his notorious long-term vision is running out of ideas to invest all of the money his company is making. Our chart below illustrates Amazon's strategy by contrasting the company's exponential revenue growth to its relatively modest profit growth.

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