The earnings statement is where most investors go first when ****** sing a company's financial results. On that score, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) looks like it had a breakout quarter in the second quarter of 2026, with earnings of $5.75 per diluted share, up from $1.68 in the same quarter of 2025. But there's a winkle here, and the story gets even more complicated when you step back and examine the cash flow statement.
Earnings are created by complying with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). They are, even at the best of times, just a hazy snapshot of a company's performance. That's highlighted by Amazon's $5.75 second-quarter earnings figure, which includes $69 billion in "other" income. That isn't likely to be repeated, as it is related to the company's investment in Anthropic. And if Anthropic's value declines, that benefit could actually reverse.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
But the presence of that number, which was actually larger than the company's $51.3 billion in operating income, highlights why investors also look at the cash flow statement. The cash flow statement shows where the company's cash is generated and how it is used. For years, large technology companies like Amazon generated huge amounts of cash, allowing them to amass large cash balances to fund their businesses, capital investment needs, and acquisitions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the cash flow story. Over the past 12 months, Amazon generated around $161.4 billion in cash, up 33% year over year, but spent $169 billion, meaning the company spent around $7.6 billion more in cash than its business generated. Those are very large numbers, with AI spending driving a significant share of the company's capital investment plan.
#cash #earnings
Earnings are created by complying with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). They are, even at the best of times, just a hazy snapshot of a company's performance. That's highlighted by Amazon's $5.75 second-quarter earnings figure, which includes $69 billion in "other" income. That isn't likely to be repeated, as it is related to the company's investment in Anthropic. And if Anthropic's value declines, that benefit could actually reverse.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
But the presence of that number, which was actually larger than the company's $51.3 billion in operating income, highlights why investors also look at the cash flow statement. The cash flow statement shows where the company's cash is generated and how it is used. For years, large technology companies like Amazon generated huge amounts of cash, allowing them to amass large cash balances to fund their businesses, capital investment needs, and acquisitions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the cash flow story. Over the past 12 months, Amazon generated around $161.4 billion in cash, up 33% year over year, but spent $169 billion, meaning the company spent around $7.6 billion more in cash than its business generated. Those are very large numbers, with AI spending driving a significant share of the company's capital investment plan.
#cash #earnings
16 days ago
