...INTRODUCTION: Amazon.com opened for business in July 1995, nobody in that time was optimistic for this brand new business model. People still enjoy the physical store, and skeptical on online shopping. However, with more than a decade efforts, Amazon was named the world’s top brand ahead of common names like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and so on. Amazon and its online business model had creased more than $34 billion revenue, and equally 80 million people visit Amazon.com every month. In order to achieve greater success, Amazon need to overcome the challengeable external environment, strengthen organization structure, fulfill the product line, and leverage its brand strategy. CURRENT MISSION, GOAL, AND STRATEGY The current mission statement for the Amazon.com is “to be the Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavor to offer customers the lowest prices.” Amazon added 13 new fulfillment centers in 2010 and another 15 new center in the 2011 and company is planning to launch cloud technology in 2011 which allowed customers to store and access music. The company believed that in the nearly future this technology could bring the internal strength and competitive advantage for Amazon.com. INTERNAL ANALYSIS: See attached IFEM Amazon.com internally with an IFEM score of 3.25 FINANCE: Amazon is on strong financial position now; online sales reached $9.91 billion...
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...1. Introduction Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is an e-commerce company founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, a former vice-president of a Wall Street firm and also a graduate from Princeton University. The company is currently the largest online retailer in the US and also the world’s biggest retailer by market value. Under the leadership of Jeff Bezos, the company that started as a website that sold only books, Amazon.com would eventually grow to become a retailer that sells over 200 million products, categorised into 35 departments. The company is now seen as one of the most innovative and valuable brands in the world. (Forbes, 2015) 2. Measurement of Amazon.com Success For a business, the best way of measuring success would be to analyse the company’s financial status. Profitability might be the most important measurement of corporate success as it greatly affects the organisation’s competiveness and continuance of the organisation. But in this age of doing business, companies can no longer measure themselves based only on financial perspective. For this report, we will take a more qualitative view and also track the company’s non-financial measures such as brand image, market share, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction to better analyse the success of Amazon.com. 2.1 The Balanced Scorecard Balanced scorecard methodology is an analysis technique designed to translate an organization's mission statement and overall business strategy into specific, quantifiable goals...
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...Amazon.Com - Financial Analysis Case Study Name Institution Course Date Amazon.Com - Financial Analysis Case Study Introduction The bookselling business is one of the stable developing industries which have an estimated a total sale of $27 billion in 2006. The vending of the books mainly relies upon distinctive seasons. The business has different clients who purchase various types of books which also incorporates the professional books, trade books, college books, and mass business paper-back books. With solid competition from the corporate sector, the organizations are strongly concentrating on adopting distinctive ways and means to win more customers and getting a high market share in the company. Company Overview Amazon.com is thought to be the market player in the e-trade industry; that is, bookselling. The company was established by Jeff Bezos, who concentrated on upgrading the book shopping experience of buyers, with the development and better approaches to selling books via the web. One of the key players of the company is Noble and Barnes. Initially, the company began as an online bookshop that has transformed into one of the biggest online retailers offering items ranging from movies and music to furniture and artwork. As its website states, "it is by configuration that technological development drives the growth of Amazon.com to offer clients more different products, at lower prices, and even more conveniently." In this paper, we will review the financial...
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...Amazon.com - Financial Analysis Case Study Introduction The bookselling industry is one of the steady growing industries which have estimated the sales of $27 billion in the year 2006. The sales of the books highly depend on different seasons. The industry has diverse customers who buy different categories of books which includes the trade books, college books, professional books, mass market paper-back books. With stiff competition across the market, the companies are strongly focusing on adopting different ways and means so as to attract more and more consumers and achieving high market share in the industry. Company overview Amazon.com is considered to be the market player in the e-commerce industry (bookselling). Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos, who focused on enhancing the book shopping experience of consumers, with innovation and new ways to sell books online. One of the major players of Amazon.com is Barnes and Noble. Amazon.com started as an online bookstore that has turned into one of the largest online retailers selling items from music and movies to artwork and furniture. As the company website states “it is by design that technological innovation drives the growth of Amazon.com to offer customers more types of products, more conveniently, and at even lower prices.” In this paper you will learn the financial health of the company Amazon.com. The 9-step process written about by Professor Piper will be followed to assess how financially sound Amazon.com...
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...Amazon.com - Financial Analysis Case Study Introduction The bookselling industry is one of the steady growing industries which have estimated the sales of $27 billion in the year 2006. The sales of the books highly depend on different seasons. The industry has diverse customers who buy different categories of books which includes the trade books, college books, professional books, mass market paper-back books. With stiff competition across the market, the companies are strongly focusing on adopting different ways and means so as to attract more and more consumers and achieving high market share in the industry. Company overview Amazon.com is considered to be the market player in the e-commerce industry (bookselling). Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos, who focused on enhancing the book shopping experience of consumers, with innovation and new ways to sell books online. One of the major players of Amazon.com is Barnes and Noble. Amazon.com started as an online bookstore that has turned into one of the largest online retailers selling items from music and movies to artwork and furniture. As the company website states “it is by design that technological innovation drives the growth of Amazon.com to offer customers more types of products, more conveniently, and at even lower prices.” In this paper you will learn the financial health of the company Amazon.com. The 9-step process written about by Professor Piper will be followed to assess how financially sound Amazon.com...
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...stays ahead of the market trends, information system and globalization. This study will evaluate the success of both companies’ corporate-level strategies in terms of horizontal integration, vertical integration, strategic outsourcing and diversification, and will determine the type of strategy that contributed most effectively to the creation of a successful and profitable multibusiness model. Additionally, this paper will recommend an appropriate new strategy for each company that may maximize profitability and improved competitiveness in the industry. Yahoo!, Inc. Competitive analysis To better understand Yahoo’s internal and external opportunities and threats, in order to better estimate Yahoo’s ability to capture value, our starting point would be a quick analysis of operating and financial performance of Yahoo comparing to its peers in the industry during the last four years. We already studied around 10 on-line based service providers with AOL having the closest business model, size and shared markets. One of the most important industry features observed was the ability of taking the advantage of economies of scale, the larger the revenues a company can generate, larger profit margins could be realized and so more value created to shareholders. Although no...
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...Barnes & Noble Vs. Amazon To attain a competitive advantage over Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble needs to develop a proper strategy and implement a successful marketing plan. SITUATION ANALYSIS Barnes & Noble first must consider the issues and problems facing their company, and then perform an opportunity analysis to determine their strengths and weaknesses in relation to their customers, competitors, and company capabilities. In regards to the main concerns of Barnes & Noble, the company needs to worry about the uncertainties associated with the expected rapid growth of the Internet, the changing profile of Internet users, increased competition and indeterminate future developments in electronic retailing from publishers, wholesalers, and retailers, and intense price competition. By 2000, more than 80 million users will be on the World Wide Web, with an increase in females and a broader spectrum of education levels and age, changing the market demographics. Additionally, some book publishers, namely Simon & Schuster and Bertelsmann, have expanded online, while the national leading wholesaler, Ingram, is developing a website where wholesalers could ship directly to consumers. In the meantime, small publishers and universities have started to publish directly on the Web, avoiding print versions completely and thereby challenging the posterity of conventional books. Within the Barnes & Noble Corporation, their smaller traditional bookstores such...
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...Amazon.com - Financial Analysis Case Study Introduction The bookselling industry is one of the steady growing industries which have estimated the sales of $27 billion in the year 2006. The sales of the books highly depend on different seasons. The industry has diverse customers who buy different categories of books which includes the trade books, college books, professional books, mass market paper-back books. With stiff competition across the market, the companies are strongly focusing on adopting different ways and means so as to attract more and more consumers and achieving high market share in the industry. Company overview Amazon.com is considered to be the market player in the e-commerce industry (bookselling). Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos, who focused on enhancing the book shopping experience of consumers, with innovation and new ways to sell books online. One of the major players of Amazon.com is Barnes and Noble. Amazon.com started as an online bookstore that has turned into one of the largest online retailers selling items from music and movies to artwork and furniture. As the company website states “it is by design that technological innovation drives the growth of Amazon.com to offer customers more types of products, more conveniently, and at even lower prices.” In this paper you will learn the financial health of the company Amazon.com. The 9-step process written about by Professor Piper will be followed to assess how financially sound Amazon.com...
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...CANGO, INC ANALYSIS SENIOR PROJECT 2011 Final Report 10/16/2011 Christopher Planck Kesha Wilcoxson Ricci Cashwell Steven Thompson Table of Contents Item | Page # | Table of Contents | 2 | Executive Summary | 3 | SWOT | 4 | Market Analysis | 5-6 | Competitive Analysis | 6-7 | Financial Analysis | 7-10 | Financial Recommendations | 10-12 | Strategic Planning Recommendations/ Conclusion | 12 | Work Cited | 13 | Executive Summary Cango is an Internet startup that retails a variety of products and services, ranging from books and videos to online gaming services. To do away with the growing pains of a new e-business, there are numerous ideas on how Cango can be a long lived success in the online gaming industry. We will answer the following questions: * What should we do with the $130M received as a result of the IPO? * Should we go through with purchase of the Automated Storage & Retrieval System? * What should we do with the online...
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...AMAZON.COM Introduction Amazon.com, Inc. is an online retail store that offers products ranging from books, electronics, and clothing to movies, games, and beauty products. Incorporated in Washington State in 1994, it was reincorporated in Delaware in 1996. Since 1994, Jeffrey P. Bezos has been its Chairman of the Board and its Chief Executive officer since 1996, and with a brief interruption in 1999-2000, he has also been the President of Amazon.com, Inc. since its founding. Under the “AMZN’ symbol, its common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Amazon.com, Inc. began on the World Wide Web in 1995, with its main customer base being “consumers, sellers, enterprises, and content creators”. Amazon.com, Inc. is managed on a geographic basis with North America and International being its low operating segments. For its consumers, the website offers millions of products sold by Amazon.com itself and by third parties. As of December 31, 2013, Amazon.com employs over 117,000 full and part-time people. GAAP In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) of the United States, Amazon.com, financial statements and accompanying notes, the required estimates and assumptions that may affect the company’s reported assets and liabilities, and its revenues and expenses, are disclosed. However, free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure, is utilized by Amazon.com, as a long-term financial focus. Free cash flow is defined as “net cash provided...
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...ACT 410 10-K Annual Report Amazon.com, Inc. Miriam Batres Part I - 1. What is the purpose of the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A)? The Management Discussion and Analysis section of the company’s annual report is a report from management to shareholders that accompanies the firm’s financial statements. It explains the period’s financial results and enables management to discuss topics that may not be apparent in the financial statements in the annual report.[1] The MD&A section also emphasize on other parts of the company and explain what accounting methods they use. 2. Summarize the SEC requirements for the presentation of the MD&A. The SEC requires that the MD&A present the most important and relevant information to the investors or anyone who reads the MD&A. The SEC emphasizes that the MD&A shouldn’t be a recitation of financial statements in narrative form; it should come from management in terms that everyone can easily understand. The SEC emphasizes the following: overall presentation and focus of MD&A, an emphasis on analysis of financial information, known material trends and uncertainties, key performance indicators, including non-financial indicators, liquidity and capital resources, and critical accounting estimates. [2] Part II - 3. What types of investments does the company hold? According to the Annual Report, amazon invests in money market funds, corporate debt securities, U.S. government agency securities, asset backed securities...
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...The purpose of this report is to conduct a comprehensive business performance analysis using financial historical information/analysis of Costco. While Costco may not seem to have the revenue, assets and market share like similar and larger companies such as Wal-Mart and Target they are without a doubt a very profitable and successful company. What Costco lacks in high margins, they make up for in being a highly efficient company boasting high asset and equity turnover while maintaining optimum liabilities and debt to equity ratios. Costco is a great company that is seeing profitable success due to their business model that prioritizes quality for both its customers and employees. However, emerging with the 21st century are new ways of doing business. Online companies like Amazon.com are quickly taking market share not just from Costco but also their biggest competitors: Wal-Mart and Target. In order to stay relevant, Costco will need to maintain their business growth in the coming years and also find ways to compete against online retail giants like Amazon.com. 1. Company Background Costco is a multi-billion dollar warehouse company that operates on a global scale. Consumers can frequent Costco to find merchandise including but not limited to groceries, electronics, furniture and home goods, pharmaceuticals and gasoline. Costco specializes in purchasing its merchandise wholesale and re-selling to consumers. Consumers who frequent the warehouse club are required to pay...
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...powerhouse business that has grown to an outrageous size very quickly. In just twenty years, Amazon.com has revolutionized the Internet world by banishing geography, and allowing everyone with an Internet connection and a computer to browse a limitless universe of goods all in the comfort of their homes. Our team has evaluated and analyzed this company, and in doing so, have gone through theoretical fluctuations in its financial statements. For example, what would happen if Amazon experienced an increase in long-term debt of ten percent? Well, long-term debt consists of loans and financial obligations lasting more than one year. While a portion of long-term liabilities must be paid within the year, it would stand to reason that there is much more going on inside the company than an increase in long-term debt. Where did this increase come from? How has it benefited the company and its shareholders? Bonds are one of the most common types of long-term debt, and they are used to accomplish numerous objectives. The most common reason being is to bring in immediate income. This capital can go to any financial need such as; research expenses, advertising, license and permit fees, and to the purchasing of supplies and equipment. There are many good reasons why a company would incur long-term debt, but too much debt could obviously cause problems. One area of long-term debts that we observed is the analysis of the debt to equity ratio. The following includes an evaluation of the impact on the...
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...Amazon Strategy Analysis The strategic planning processes. Amazon and other large enterprises to build your organization with a view - from the view of the company’s mission, goals and objectives are developed. Many times during the life of an organization is necessary for the organization to redefine the objectives of the organization on the basis of profitability, customer concerns, and the internal, external and international challenges. • Value Chain • Resource Based View • Financial Analysis Using an Analysis of the Value Chain Amazon Amazon has developed an analysis of the value chain of its Competitive Advantage “own internal operationally better assess how you can add value and sustain competitive advantage have used the value chain model of Michael Porter,"Create and maintain superior performance. " Example of a Strategic Plan Model - Amazon Internal Analysis Tools, Strategic Planning, Strategic Planning Models Primary activities and support activities Primary activities are those needed to produce a product or service to the end customers. These activities generally include: • Inbound Logistics: receiving goods from suppliers, and store and move the good • Operations: Manufacturing or assembly of the product • Outbound Logistics: The shipment of goods to wholesalers, retailers or directly to the final customer • Marketing and Sales: Marketing involves customer needs understanding, communicating...
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...its self up for success. Amazon was allowed to plan, lead, organize and control by simply providing consumers with their demands in a fast effective way Internal Factors An analysis of the internal resources will show the organization whether they have a competitive advantage. Management will want to review areas such as human resources, marketing, operations, and other areas such as information systems. Once this is complete the company will have an idea of what their resources are. Resources fall into two categories; tangible and intangible. Tangible is something physical such as office furniture. Intangible is an intellectual asset such as logo or patent. The resources can give the company a competitive advantage in the market if they either bring customer value, are rare, difficult to reproduce, or are well organized (Bateman & Snell, 2009). External Factors An organization will analyze two distinct areas of its external environment; competitive environment and macro environment. According to Bateman and Snell (2009) the competitive environment will consist of buyers, rivals, new entrants, and suppliers as well as compliments and substitutes to their product. The macro environment will consist of the economy, social values, the law, technology, and demographics. A careful analysis of these two areas will allow the organization to determine its opportunities and threats to the company’s strategic plan....
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