Jeff Bezos Sells $5.7 Billion in Amazon Stock Ahead of Earnings

Jeff Bezos has offloaded $5.7 billion worth of Amazon shares, completing a prearranged 10b5-1 trading plan that allowed him to sell up to 25 million shares. The sales, which began around his wedding in late June, culminated in a final transaction of 4.2 million shares for $954 million. Amazon's stock has surged 38% since its April low, providing an opportune moment for Bezos to execute his plan.

This latest sale adds to Bezos' long history of cashing out Amazon shares, bringing his total proceeds since 2002 to over $50 billion. Last year, he sold 75 million shares for $13.6 billion, while his only recorded purchase was a single share two years ago at $114.77.

Amazon faces heightened scrutiny as it prepares to report earnings on July 31. Analysts project $1.32 per share on $162 billion in revenue, reflecting 4% and 9% year-over-year growth respectively. These figures trail the 'Magnificent Seven' average of 15% earnings growth and 12% revenue growth. Meta, Microsoft, and Nvidia are leading the S&P 500 for 2025, while Apple lags due to concerns about its AI strategy.

The pressure is on Amazon to justify its significant AI investments. "The stock isn't getting much credit for AI," noted Brian Recht, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson. Investors remain skeptical about whether the tech giant's spending spree will yield tangible returns.