Amazon.com, Inc. engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. In addition, the company offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products in its stores; and programs that allow authors, independent publishers, musicians, filmmakers, Twitch streamers, skill and app developers, and others to publish and sell content. Further, it provides compute, storage, database, analytics, machine learning, and other services, as well as advertising services through programs, such as sponsored ads, display, and video advertising. Additionally, the company offers Amazon Prime, a membership program. The company's products offered through its stores include merchandise and content purchased for resale and products offered by third-party sellers. It serves consumers, sellers, developers, enterprises, content creators, advertisers, and employees. Amazon.com, Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Amazon.com, Inc.

(RTTNews) - Amazon (AMZN) said it plans an overall reduction in corporate workforce of approximately 14,000 roles. Amazon will offer most employees 90 days to look for a new role internally, and recruiting teams will prioritize internal candidates. Looking ahead to 2026, Amazon expects to continue hiring in key strategic areas while also finding additional places the company can remove layers, increase ownership, and realize efficiency gains.
"This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we've seen since the Internet, and it's enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before. We're convicted that we need to be organized more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership," said Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Amazon To Cut Approx. 14,000 Roles

Key Points
Amazon is reportedly set to eliminate a significant portion of its workforce.
CEO Andy Jassy is on the hunt for AI-driven profits.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) intends to slash as many as 30,000 corporate jobs, according to Reuters. The layoff announcements could come as early as Tuesday.
Amazon is one of the largest employers in the U.S., with over 1.5 million employees. The job cuts will reportedly reduce the e-commerce and cloud computing giant's corporate headcount by nearly 10% and overall employee base by about 2%.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Overexpansion has led to job cuts
Andy Jassy began working to shed costs soon after he became Amazon's chief executive officer in 2021. Prior to becoming CEO, he oversaw the company's fast-growing and highly profitable cloud infrastructure business, Amazon Web Services (AWS). After taking charge of the entire enterprise, Jassy quickly sought to instill financial discipline in the rest of Amazon's sprawling business empire.
Still, Amazon expanded aggressively during the early stages of the pandemic. The online retail colossus spent heavily to build more e-commerce fulfillment centers and strengthen its delivery network. But as pandemic-related sales began to slow, Amazon was forced to pare back some of its expansion plans. The expected spate of job cuts is likely aimed at streamlining Amazon's cost structure to better align with the company's current sales trends.
Jassy's pursuit of AI-driven efficiency gains
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are also likely playing a role in Amazon's staff reductions. In June, Jassy said he expected the company's workforce to shrink in the coming years as Amazon adopted more generative AI tools. Jassy believes AI will help the retail titan become more efficient and, by extension, more profitable. Job cuts are a method to harvest those savings.
Moreover, Jassy hates bureaucracy. Instead of acting like a lumbering goliath, Jassy wants Amazon to move fast to seize opportunities like a smaller start-up. His strategy, thus, calls for reducing layers of management that can stifle innovation.
AI-powered profits could fuel Amazon's cloud growth
If Amazon can demonstrate that its AI offerings are producing real savings, it could provide a much-needed boost to its cloud-computing operations. Many AI applications are delivered via cloud platforms like AWS.
AWS remains the clear market leader, with a 30% share of the cloud industry compared to 20% for Microsoft's Azure and 13% for Alphabet's Google Cloud, according to Statista. But Amazon's rivals have been growing faster. And Amazon recently suffered another black eye when an AWS outage took down a host of internet sites for several hours.
Investors can expect to receive an update on Amazon's cost-cutting initiatives and cloud performance metrics when it releases its third-quarter financial results on Thursday. Management plans to hold a conference call with analysts that same day at 5 p.m. ET.
Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity
Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.
On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:
Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $483,080!*
Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $49,950!*
Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $590,357!*
Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join Stock Advisor, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 27, 2025
Joe Tenebruso has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Amazon Prepares to Cut Up to 30,000 Jobs This Week. Here's What the Company's Largest Layoff in History Could Mean for the Future.

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – October 28, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Meta Platforms META, Alphabet GOOGL, Amazon AMZN and Snap SNAP.
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Will Higher Ad Revenues Aid Meta Platforms Stock in Q3 Earnings?
Meta Platforms’ third-quarter 2025 results, set to be reported on Oct. 29, are expected to reflect the benefits of higher advertising revenues.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Meta Platforms’ third-quarter advertising revenues is pegged at $48.5 billion, indicating growth of 21.6% year over year.
Meta Platforms’ earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 20.47%.
Click here to learn how Meta Platforms’ overall third-quarter performance is likely to be.
Strong Ad Spending to Aid META’s Q3 Top Line
META’s staggering reach and increasing ad impressions (up 11% year over year in the second quarter of 2025) make it one of the most important players in the digital ad sales market, apart from Alphabet, Amazon and Snap. According to eMarketer, global ad spending is expected to rise 7.4% to reach $1.17 trillion in 2025, with Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Amazon accounting for roughly two-thirds of new ad spending.
In the second quarter of 2025, Alphabet’s Google advertising revenues rose 11.7% year over year to $82.54 billion and accounted for 74% of total revenues, driven by Search and other revenues. Meanwhile, Amazon’s advertising business increased 23% year over year to $15.6 billion, benefiting from powerful network effects as more sellers and brands compete for visibility, driving higher pricing and improved margins. Snap’s advertising platform is evolving with commerce-driven ad volume growing 39% year over year in the second quarter, and newer ad formats such as Sponsored Snaps are delivering stronger conversion outcomes.
Meta Platforms’ focus on improving ad ranking and measurement by leveraging AI has been a key catalyst driving advertisers’ return on investment. META has been leveraging AI and machine learning to boost the potency of WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Threads. Effective usage of AI has been helping the company keep its users engaged.
AI-driven feed recommendations have been a key catalyst. Meta Platforms is committed to prioritizing user safety and well-being through initiatives to enhance parental supervision, messaging privacy and time management on its platforms. These factors are expected to have driven user base growth in the third quarter of 2025.
META’s Ad Revenue Estimates Show Strong Growth Trend
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for advertising revenues in Asia-Pacific is pegged at $9.66 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 20% in the third quarter of 2025. The consensus mark for advertising revenues in Europe, the United States and Canada, and the Rest of the World is pegged at $11.65 billion, $21.7 billion and $6.37 billion, respectively, indicating 24.5%, 24.8% and 25.1% growth.
The consensus mark for Family Daily Active People or DAP, defined as a registered and logged-in user who visited at least one of the Family products on a given day, is expected to be 3.49 billion for the third quarter of 2025.
Zacks Rank
Meta Platforms currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
https://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Meta Platforms, Alphabet, Amazon and Snap

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – October 28, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Microsoft MSFT, Apple AAPL, Alphabet GOOGL, Amazon AMZN and Meta Platforms META.
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Five of Seven Mega-Caps Report: Global Week Ahead
What’s happening across this Global Week Ahead?
· Renewed trade tensions and talks between Washington, Beijing and Canada will dominate a week, headlined by
· Central bank decisions in the United States, Canada, and Europe, while
· Argentina's voters head to the polls
Next are Reuters’ five world market themes, re-ordered by equity traders—
(1) Five of the Seven Mega-Cap Stars Report Their Q3 Earnings
Mega-cap tech and growth company earnings reports headline a massive week of U.S. corporate results that could shed light on the state of the effervescent "AI trade.”
Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platform — five of the "Magnificent Seven" mega-cap companies that dominate equity indexes — all report earnings.
Investors will also be scouring data for signs of the costs and impact of shifting U.S. trade policy. S&P500 companies are estimated to have increased Q3 earnings by 9.2% from the prior year, with a greater-than-typical number of companies beating profit estimates so far, according to LSEG IBES data.
(2) On Wednesday, Both Bond & Stock Traders Count on a 25-bps FOMC Cut
Markets are all but certain that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by a quarter-point when it concludes its meeting on Wednesday, and they are showing similar conviction for another trim in December.
Still, that year-end cut might be less clear if the government shutdown doesn't end, leaving data-guided policymakers driving blind without official economic indicators.
Meanwhile, Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday as part of a trip to Asia and on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit.
Their long-awaited rendezvous had been called into question following an escalation in trade tensions and a standoff over China's restrictions on rare earth exports, as well as U.S. curbs on technology exports amid Trump's threat to impose 100% tariffs, all of which remain a market vexation — and a consideration for the Fed.
(3) The ECB meeting ends on Thursday. They Likely Stay Pat. The Bank of Canada (BoC) Looks to Cut its Policy Rate for a 2nd Month.
That's right, the Bank of Canada is also expected to cut rates for a second month running on Wednesday with a pick-up in inflation not expected to stand in its way, although Trump's announcement that all trade talks with the country are terminated will cast a cloud.
And the European Central Bank (ECB) ends a meeting on Thursday, although it appears to be in "nothing to see here" mode, with a Reuters poll of economists predicting it is likely to leave rates unchanged at 2% for a third straight meeting and remain on hold until the end of the year. Traders see a roughly 65% chance of a quarter-point cut by mid-2026 given the downside risks to economic growth.
Headwinds are looming, however. Apart from trade tensions, there is still French political turbulence and an election in the Netherlands on Wednesday dominated by populist cross-currents. So, ECB chief Christine Lagarde may be pressed on whether the bloc remains in a "good place.”
(4) Also Thursday, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) Should Stay Put with Its Policy Rate
The Bank of Japan is likely to forgo a rate hike next Thursday in favor of a move in December or January, but not due to pressure from the country's dovish new premier.
Two-thirds of analysts polled by Reuters say fiscal and monetary dove Sanae Takaichi, who ascended to the top job on Tuesday, won't delay monetary tightening, although her oft-repeated view is that the central bank should be aligned with government policies.
Instead, analysts and traders point to BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda's consistently cautious tone, particularly on potential tariff fallout, even with his board performing a conspicuously hawkish pivot last month.
And his desire to see more data — including U.S. Christmas shopping trends — has most analysts eyeing a December hike at the earliest.
(5) Argentina’s Mid-term Elections Re-shape the Ruling Milei Era
Argentina's mid-term elections on Sunday gave President Javier Milei a convincing win in the country’s midterms, outpacing rival Peronists 41% to 24.5%. After Milei’s inflation-crushing economic reform program, the peso is up +10% upon his victory.
Deepening ties with Washington have delivered some of the best returns for emerging market investors since Milei took over in December 2023. U.S. President Donald Trump's unprecedented backing, including direct intervention in FX markets, a $20 billion central bank swap line and the prospect of another $20 billion loan to shore up government bonds hadn't previously stopped the peso's slide to record lows.
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
https://www.zacks.com
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Quantum Computing Stocks Set To Soar
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped the investment landscape, and its convergence with quantum computing could lead to the most significant wealth-building opportunities of our time.
Today, you have a chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this technological revolution. In our urgent special report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power, you'll discover the little-known stocks we believe will win the quantum computing race and deliver massive gains to early investors.
Access the Report Free Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms

Key Points
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a global game-changer that can add $15.7 trillion to the worldwide economy by 2030, according to one lofty projection.
Palantir's sustainable moat is the primary catalyst responsible for a nearly 2,800% gain in its shares since the start of 2023.
However, Palantir is facing an uphill battle against historical headwinds.
For the last three years, no innovation has captivated the attention of Wall Street and everyday investors quite like the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). Empowering software and systems with the tools to make split-second decisions without the need for human oversight is a game-changer for most industries around the globe, and a technological leap forward that can add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, according to the analysts at PwC in Sizing the Prize.
While Nvidia has been the clearest beneficiary of the AI revolution on a nominal-dollar basis – its market value has climbed by $4.2 trillion since the end of 2022 – the argument can be made that AI-data mining specialist Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) has knocked Nvidia from its pedestal.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Since 2023 began, shares of Palantir have surged by roughly 2,780%, with the company adding well over $400 billion in market value. It went from being a business of fringe importance in the tech sector to the 20th-largest publicly traded company on U.S. stock exchanges, as of the closing bell on Oct. 24.
With a move of this magnitude, you can be certain that Wall Street and investors are eagerly awaiting Palantir's third-quarter operating results, which the company will release after the close of trading on Monday, Nov. 3.
Although Palantir has a habit of leaping over the consensus earnings per share (EPS) forecast of analysts -- it's topped expectations by a double-digit percentage in three of the last four quarters -- it seems far likelier that Palantir will disappoint Wall Street come Nov. 3.
Palantir's competitive edge has been on full display
But before investors can look to the future and make predictions, a foundation has to be laid of how we got to a point where Palantir has become one of the most-influential AI stocks on the planet.
The primary catalyst fueling Palantir's outperformance is the company's sustainable moat. Specifically, its two core operating segments lack large-scale competition, which means Palantir doesn't have to concern itself with the idea of other companies siphoning away its contracts or subscriber base.
The historical breadwinner for Palantir is its AI- and machine learning-powered Gotham software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. Gotham assists the U.S. government and its allies with data collection and analysis, as well as military mission planning and oversight. This segment typically lands four- or five-year deals with federal governments that lead to highly predictable operating cash flow and consistent double-digit sales growth. Gotham is also the reason Palantir became profitable on a recurring basis well ahead of consensus expectations among Wall Street analysts.
The other core SaaS operating segment is Foundry, which caters to businesses. This is a subscription-based service that helps its enterprise clients make sense of their big data to improve supply chains and automate certain operations, to name a small snippet of this platform's uses.
Palantir is one of Wall Street's best examples of AI applications transforming and enhancing the capabilities of cloud-based software. But even with an eye-popping growth forecast and a knack for surpassing analyst EPS expectations, Palantir is likely sledding uphill as it prepares to unveil its third-quarter operating results.
Wall Street's AI darling has a nearly impossible task of impressing investors on Nov. 3
Palantir's biggest challenge boils down to one word: history.
History tells us that every game-changing innovation and hyped technology dating back more than three decades has navigated its way through an eventual bubble in the early stages of its expansion. Without exception, investors have consistently overestimated the adoption rate and early innings utility of next-big-thing trends, which leads to lofty expectations not being met. When next-big-thing bubbles burst, the companies on the leading edge of these trends often taken the brunt of the punishment.
The one thing Palantir has working in its favor is the relative predictability of its operating cash flow. Multiyear government contracts and a subscription-driven platform with Foundry would likely protect it from a revenue cliff in the event of an AI bubble-bursting event. But this doesn't mean Palantir's stock would be out of the woods.
Perhaps the bigger historical hurdle is Palantir's stratospheric valuation.
Prior to the bursting of the dot-com bubble, some of the most-influential internet businesses peaked at price-to-sales (P/S) ratios ranging from 30 to 40, with a little bit of wiggle room at the top end. Companies like Cisco Systems, Amazon, and Microsoft were unable to sustain P/S ratios this high over an extended period.
Keeping in mind that no megacap company has ever been able to maintain a P/S ratio above 30, Palantir Technologies closed out Oct. 24 with a P/S ratio approaching 136! There isn't a revenue or EPS guide imaginable that can satiate the optimism to support a P/S ratio of 136. It would take multiple years of 40%-plus ongoing sales growth just to get Palantir stock down to the P/S ratio range of 30 to 40 that prior bubbles have topped out at.
To make things more complicated, the federal government shutdown has extended well beyond three weeks, as of this writing. Palantir has historically been reliant on Gotham to do its heavy lifting and provide the lion's share of its operating income. The shutdown is stalling new deal potential in the near-term.
When a stock is priced for perfection, Wall Street and investors will expect nothing less. The problem is, even the best companies trip up or slow down from time to time. Palantir's astronomical valuation has its stock set up for disappointment come Nov. 3.
Should you invest $1,000 in Palantir Technologies right now?
Before you buy stock in Palantir Technologies, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Palantir Technologies wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $590,357!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,141,748!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,033% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 193% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 27, 2025
Sean Williams has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Prediction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Powerhouse Palantir Technologies Will Disappoint Wall Street on Nov. 3

Key Points
Dividend stocks have historically outperformed non-dividend paying stocks.
Sonoco Products has radically reshaped its business to focus on its core.
Target significantly improved its digital presence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investing in dividend stocks is one of the most popular and powerful strategies for generating a steady income stream, building wealth through the power of compounding and mitigating portfolio risk with historically more stable and resilient businesses. With all of that said, here are two excellent dividend stocks with yields topping 5%.
Better packaging. Better investment.
With a motto of "Better Packaging. Better Life." it seems fitting that Sonoco Products (NYSE: SON) might be the total package for income investors. Not only does it have a high-yield dividend at 5.4%, the company has delivered dividends to shareholders for 402 consecutive quarters, or for 100 years, and has increased its dividend for 42 consecutive years.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »
Throughout its 100-year history, Sonoco has collected a diverse portfolio of industrial and consumer packaging that includes reels and spools, rigid plastics, pallets, and composite containers, and serves consumer and industrial end markets across North America. Sonoco has two primary segments, consumer packaging and industrial packaging, and has reshaped its business over the past few years. The company now focuses more on a few core businesses and has divested from products such as high-density film and European contract packing, among others.
Further, the company has been busy expanding its food packaging portfolio while reducing its exposure to more cyclical industrial end markets with acquisitions. In 2022 Sonoco acquired Ball Metalpack for about $1.4 billion, and then in 2024 acquired Eviosys for roughly $3.9 billion. Both acquisitions will increase the company's exposure to the valuable metal food packaging industry. Another positive for income investors is that much of the company's sales are under contracts that include price escalators and help stabilize margins and indirectly drive dividends.
Competing digitally
Target (NYSE: TGT), serving as the nation's seventh-largest retailer, has built itself on a strategy to deliver a more gratifying in-store shopping experience with a wide range of apparel, home goods, and other household essentials that appeals to a more affluent customer base. What some investors aren't aware of, however, is the company's long history with dividends: This year's fourth quarter dividend will be Target's 233rd consecutive dividend paid since 1967 when it went public. The dividend also sits at a robust 5.1% dividend yield.
One reason for investors to be optimistic about Target's future is its recent past. One of the largest concerns facing investors has been Target's ability to combat digital retailers such as Amazon and omnichannel giants like Walmart. Target's investments in its stores and its digital prowess proved hugely important during the pandemic, helping power the company's sales from 2019 through 2022, as you can see in the chart below.
Target will have to keep investing in cost-saving initiatives, product innovation, and store renovations to keep up with the competition, both in-store and online. But its performance during the pandemic proves the company is capable of driving growth and its iconic brand combined with a better in-store experience should continue driving recurring foot traffic.
What they offer
Both Sonoco and Target are excellent options for income investors. They both offer a long, consistent history of delivering dividends, and both are finding ways to expand through acquisitions or organic and digital growth.
Should you invest $1,000 in Target right now?
Before you buy stock in Target, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Target wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $590,357!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,141,748!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,033% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 193% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 27, 2025
Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy With No Hesitation

(RTTNews) - Amazon (AMZN) is set to lay off up to 30,000 corporate employees starting Tuesday, according to Reuters sources. The move comes as the tech giant seeks to reduce costs and recalibrate its workforce after aggressive hiring during the pandemic boom.
The Job cuts represent nearly 10% of Amazon's approximately 350,000 corporate staff, marking its most significant workforce reduction since late 2022, when it eliminated around 27,000 roles.
The layoffs coincide with growing instability in the U.S. job market, which has shown signs of strain for several months—particularly affecting younger professionals in the tech sector. At the same time, concerns are mounting over the rise of generative AI, as many fear it could displace human workers in the long term. Companies are increasingly turning to automation as a cost-cutting strategy, fueling anxiety about the future of traditional employment.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Amazon To Slash 30,000 Corporate Jobs : Report

Key Points
Bought 18,686 shares; estimated trade size ~$8.70 million based on quarterly average price for Q3 2025
Transaction represents 0.2% of fund’s 13F reportable assets under management
Post-trade position: 104,361 shares valued at $50.62 million as of September 30, 2025
Now accounts for 1.19% of the fund’s U.S. equity holdings, outside its top five positions
Image source: Getty Images
On October 17, 2025, E. Ohman J:or Asset Management AB disclosed a buy of 18,686 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO), an estimated $8.70 million trade.
What happened
According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated October 17, 2025, E. Ohman J:or Asset Management AB acquired 18,686 additional shares during Q3 2025. The estimated value of the trade, based on average closing prices during the quarter, was approximately $8.70 million. The fund reported holding 104,361 shares at quarter-end, with a total position value of $50.62 million.
What else to know
The transaction was a buy and now represents 1.19% of E. Ohman J:or Asset Management AB’s reportable U.S. equity assets as of September 30, 2025.
Top holdings after the filing:
MSFT: $396.72 million (9.3% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
NVDA: $347.06 million (8.2% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
GOOGL: $305.56 million (7.2% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
AAPL: $262.11 million (6.2% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
AMZN: $235.95 million (5.6% of AUM) as of September 30, 2025
As of October 16, 2025, shares were priced at $536.78, down 9.3% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 24.3 percentage points.
Reported trailing twelve months revenue of $43.21 billion and net income of $6.58 billion as of June 28, 2025.
The fund reported 398 total positions and $4.25 billion in U.S. equity assets as of its 13F filing.
Company Overview
Revenue (TTM)
$43.21 billion
Net Income (TTM)
$6.58 billion
Dividend Yield
0.31%
Price (as of market close October 16, 2025)
$536.78
Company Snapshot
Thermo Fisher Scientific operates at global scale, providing critical tools and services for scientific research, diagnostics, and drug development. The company leverages its diversified portfolio and broad customer base to drive consistent revenue growth.
Its product offerings include life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, laboratory products, and biopharma services across global markets.
Thermo Fisher Scientific generates revenue through the sale of reagents, instruments, consumables, diagnostics kits, and laboratory services, supported by direct sales, e-commerce, and third-party distribution channels.
The company serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, clinical, academic, government, and industrial customers worldwide.
Foolish take
Thermo Fisher Scientific has seen its stock cool this year, but what looks like fatigue may instead be a reset for one of the market's most dependable compounders. Swedish fund E. Ohman J:or Asset Management increased its stake by nearly $9 million. This move reflects renewed conviction in the company that remains central in the life sciences industry.
Over the past year, Thermo Fisher's stock has eased after several strong years of growth. Investors have been cautious as biotech spending and lab equipment budgets soften, yet the company's fundamentals remain sound. Revenue stands above $43 billion over the past twelve months, and is supported by a portfolio that spans nearly every stage of drug development and diagnostics. Thermo Fisher's steady margins and pricing power give it the flexibility to reinvest in R&D and targeted acquisitions, thereby positioning itself to widen its moat in areas such as genetic testing and bioprocessing.
Markets can overlook the value of steady progress, and consistency is often what drives real compounding. For investors who are willing to look past the recent slowdown, Thermo Fisher still represents what disciplined growth looks like in practice, and its steady results make it a company worth holding through any market cycle.
Glossary
13F filing: A quarterly report by institutional investment managers disclosing their U.S. equity holdings to the SEC.
Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of investments managed on behalf of clients by a fund or firm.
Reportable assets: Investments that must be disclosed in regulatory filings, such as those required by the SEC.
Trailing twelve months (TTM): The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a company divided by its current share price, shown as a percentage.
Biopharma services: Specialized services supporting pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including drug development and manufacturing.
Consumables: Products used up during laboratory or industrial processes, such as reagents or testing kits.
Direct sales: Selling products or services directly to customers without intermediaries.
Third-party distribution channels: Independent companies or agents that sell products on behalf of a manufacturer.
Quarter-end: The last day of a company’s fiscal quarter, used for reporting financial results.
Estimated trade size: The approximate dollar value of a securities transaction, often based on average prices.
Where to invest $1,000 right now
When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,033%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 193% for the S&P 500.
They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 27, 2025
Eric Trie has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Thermo Fisher’s Pullback Is Setting Up Its Next Phase of Growth

Meta Platforms’ META third-quarter 2025 results, set to be reported on Oct. 29, are expected to reflect the benefits of higher advertising revenues.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Meta Platforms’ third-quarter advertising revenues is pegged at $48.5 billion, indicating growth of 21.6% year over year.
Meta Platforms’ earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 20.47%.
Meta Platforms, Inc. Revenue (TTM)
Click here to learn how Meta Platforms’ overall third-quarter performance is likely to be.
Strong Ad Spending to Aid META’s Q3 Top Line
META’s staggering reach and increasing ad impressions (up 11% year over year in the second quarter of 2025) make it one of the most important players in the digital ad sales market, apart from Alphabet GOOGL, Amazon AMZN and Snap SNAP. According to eMarketer, global ad spending is expected to rise 7.4% to reach $1.17 trillion in 2025, with Alphabet, Meta Platforms and Amazon accounting for roughly two-thirds of new ad spending.
In the second quarter of 2025, Alphabet’s Google advertising revenues rose 11.7% year over year to $82.54 billion and accounted for 74% of total revenues, driven by Search and other revenues. Meanwhile, Amazon’s advertising business increased 23% year over year to $15.6 billion, benefiting from powerful network effects as more sellers and brands compete for visibility, driving higher pricing and improved margins. Snap’s advertising platform is evolving with commerce-driven ad volume growing 39% year over year in the second quarter, and newer ad formats such as Sponsored Snaps are delivering stronger conversion outcomes.
Meta Platforms’ focus on improving ad ranking and measurement by leveraging AI has been a key catalyst driving advertisers’ return on investment. META has been leveraging AI and machine learning to boost the potency of WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Threads. Effective usage of AI has been helping the company keep its users engaged. AI-driven feed recommendations have been a key catalyst. Meta Platforms is committed to prioritizing user safety and well-being through initiatives to enhance parental supervision, messaging privacy and time management on its platforms. These factors are expected to have driven user base growth in the third quarter of 2025.
META’s Ad Revenue Estimates Show Strong Growth Trend
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for advertising revenues in Asia-Pacific is pegged at $9.66 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 20% in the third quarter of 2025. The consensus mark for advertising revenues in Europe, the United States and Canada, and the Rest of the World is pegged at $11.65 billion, $21.7 billion and $6.37 billion, respectively, indicating 24.5%, 24.8% and 25.1% growth.
The consensus mark for Family Daily Active People or DAP, defined as a registered and logged-in user who visited at least one of the Family products on a given day, is expected to be 3.49 billion for the third quarter of 2025.
Zacks Rank
Meta Platforms currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.
See "2nd Wave" AI stocks now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Will Higher Ad Revenues Aid Meta Platforms Stock in Q3 Earnings?

ServiceNow NOW is scheduled to release its third-quarter 2025 results on Oct. 29.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues is currently pegged at $3.35 billion, indicating 19.8% growth from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at $4.21 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days and indicates growth of 13.2% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter.
Consensus Estimate Trend
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ServiceNow’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 8.04%.
ServiceNow, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Let’s see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement.
NOW’s Q3 to Aid From Strong Subscription Revenue Growth
ServiceNow expects third-quarter 2025 subscription revenues between $3.26 billion and $3.265 billion, suggesting year-over-year growth in the range of 20%-20.5% on a GAAP basis on 19.5% on a constant currency basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2025 subscription revenues is pegged at $3.03 billion, indicating 20.2% year-over-year growth.
NOW’s workflows are gaining traction. In the second quarter of 2025, technology workflows won 40 deals worth over $1 million, including four over $5 million. ITSM, ITOM, ITAM, security and risk were all in at least 15 of the top 20 deals. CRM and industry workflows were in 17 of NOW’s top 20 deals, with 17 of those deals over $1 million. Core business workflows were in 16 of the top 20 deals, with seven deals over $1 million. The trend is expected to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter.
NOW ended the reported quarter with 528 customers generating more than $5 million in ACV. The number of customers contributing $20 million or more increased by more than 30% year over year. ServiceNow closed 89 deals greater than $1 million in net new ACV in the reported quarter, including 11 deals over $5 million. NOW’s have been benefiting from strong platform adoption, a trend that is expected to have continued in the fiscal third quarter.
However, NOW shares have suffered from a worsening macroeconomic environment due to higher tariffs and trade uncertainty. Slowing growth prospects in the U.S. public domain have been a headwind for ServiceNow.
NOW Shares Lag Sector, Beat Industry
NOW shares have dropped 12.2% year to date (YTD), outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s return of 25.9%. However, ServiceNow shares have outperformed the Zacks Computers – IT Services industry, which has declined 13% YTD.
NOW Stock’s YTD Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ServiceNow’s Value Score of F suggests a stretched valuation at this moment.
In terms of the forward 12-month price/sales (P/S), NOW is trading at 12.79X, higher than the sector’s 7.05X.
Valuation: NOW Shares Overvalued
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
NOW Benefits From Strong Portfolio, Rich Partner Base
ServiceNow is extensively leveraging AI and machine learning technologies to boost the potency of its solutions. The latest Zurich platform promises rapid AI adoption through the combination of multi-agentic AI development, enterprise-grade security and autonomous workflows. The launch of AI agents in ServiceNow’s Security and Risk solutions transforms enterprise security by enabling self-defending systems, improving response times and enhancing risk management in collaboration with Microsoft MSFT and Cisco.
A rich partner base that includes the likes of Alphabet, Amazon AMZN, Microsoft and NVIDIA NVDA is noteworthy. NOW has partnered with Amazon’s cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services, to launch a bi-directional data integration solution, enabling enterprises to unify data and trigger AI-powered workflows by connecting ServiceNow with Amazon Redshift.
NVIDIA and NOW collaborated to launch AI agents for the telecom industry. The AI agents were built with NVIDIA AI Enterprise software and the AI platform NVIDIA DGX Cloud. ServiceNow has expanded its partnership with NVIDIA to enhance agentic AI by integrating NVIDIA Llama Nemotron reasoning models and AI agent evaluation tools into the ServiceNow Platform for optimized business transformation.
Acquisitions have also played an important role in expanding NOW’s portfolio. In April 2025, ServiceNow announced the acquisition of Logik.ai, a company specializing in AI-powered and Configure, Price, Quote solutions. This move is set to bolster ServiceNow’s CRM offerings, particularly in sales and order management, by integrating advanced AI capabilities. The Moveworks acquisition combines ServiceNow’s agentic AI and automation strengths with Moveworks’ front-end AI assistant and enterprise search technology.
Conclusion
ServiceNow’s strong portfolio and rich partner base are expected to drive its subscription revenues in the long term. However, macroeconomic headwind is a major concern along with a stretched valuation.
ServiceNow currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which implies investors should wait for a favorable point to accumulate the stock. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.
See "2nd Wave" AI stocks now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Indicator	TTM Median
P/E	34.78 18.21
Price/Sales	3.53 0.65
P/B	7.41 1.75
P/FCF	78.61 14.46

Indicator	TTM Median
ROE	24.26 15.91
ROA	10.96 5.60
ROI	20.24 9.40
Net Worth	2.31K 0.91
Quick Ratio	0.85 0.91
Current Ratio	1.05 1.45

Indicator	TTM Median
Net Profit Margin	10.14 6.40
Operating Margin	11.02 8.93
Gross Margin	49.16 38.46
Return on tangible equity	26.50 23.70

Indicator	TTM Median
EPS	1.86 0.43
EPS Forecast	1.52 0.39
Revenue	155.67B 184.50M
Gross Profit	78.69B —
EBITDA	32.67B —

Amazon.com, Inc.

TTM metrics for the latest quarter under IFRS and their historical dynamics

Valuation

Debts

Efficiency

Other ratios

Revenue