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The major growth in Amazon‘s advertising unit means its revenue contribution is now 2.4 times larger than Snap, Twitter, Roku and Pinterest combined, and it’s growing 1.7 times as quickly, according to Loop Capital.
Amazon’s “Other” unit, which is primarily made up of advertising but also includes sales related to other service offerings, grew revenue a whopping 77% year-over-year to more than $6.9 billion in the first quarter, the company reported last month. And industry moves like Apple‘s recent software changes that make it easier for user to block advertisers from tracking them, look poised to add more fuel to Amazon’s growth.
“Performance ads on the ecommerce sites fueled by Amazon’s high-intent traffic and unparalleled user insights are providing significant value for sellers and brands,” Loop Capital analysts wrote in the Monday note.
They also cited the company’s presentation at the recent IAB NewFronts that discussed the company’s efforts in the streaming space. Amazon said early this month its ad-supported streaming video content now reaches more than 120 monthly users every month, driven by platforms like Twitch.
“With Amazon’s technology, scale, device reach and connectivity to the consumer, we think these newer efforts are positioned to become a very significant contributor in a relatively short amount of time,” the analysts wrote. “Given the margin profile of digital advertising services at Internet scale, we think this is not being adequately reflected in the stock.”
Amazon generated $22.4 billion in ad revenue in the past 12 months, up 65% year-over-year, according to Loop. That was 2.4 times the $9.3 combined revenue total of middle-cap ad platforms Snap, Twitter, Roku and Pinterest, which grew by 38% over that same timeframe.
Amazon is nearing a deal to acquire MGM Studios, the co-owner of the James Bond franchise and other film and TV series, for between $8.5 billion and $9 billion, CNBC reported Monday. A transaction could be announced as soon as Tuesday.
— CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed reporting.
