Wed Sep 25 07:15:00 UTC 2024: ## Amazon Stock Sees Mixed Signals: Institutional Investors Make Moves While Insiders Sell

**Seattle, WA -** Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) saw mixed signals in the market last quarter. While some institutional investors increased their holdings in the e-commerce giant, others, including Empirical Finance LLC, reduced their positions. Notably, several insiders, including VP Shelley Reynolds and Jeffrey P. Bezos, also sold significant amounts of stock.

Empirical Finance LLC decreased its Amazon stock holdings by 0.7% during the second quarter, selling 2,379 shares. Despite this, Amazon remains the firm’s fourth-largest position, comprising 3.8% of its portfolio.

Meanwhile, other institutional investors, such as Cooksen Wealth LLC, Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc, Clarity Asset Management Inc., Steph & Co., and Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC, purchased new positions in Amazon during the last year. Currently, 72.20% of Amazon’s stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

However, insider activity painted a different picture. VP Shelley Reynolds sold 3,791 shares on August 21st, while Jeffrey P. Bezos sold 1,228,993 shares on July 8th. Over the past three months, insiders have sold a total of 6,104,317 shares, valued at $1,220,621,322.

Despite these insider sales, Amazon’s recent earnings report showed strong performance. The company reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, exceeding analysts’ expectations by $0.18. Revenue for the quarter reached $147.98 billion, falling slightly short of analyst estimates.

Analysts remain largely optimistic about Amazon’s future. UBS Group raised its price target, while Stifel Nicolaus and Cantor Fitzgerald reissued “Buy” ratings. However, Itau BBA Securities downgraded Amazon to a “Market Perform” rating.

Overall, Amazon’s stock performance reflects a mixture of positive and negative signals. While institutional investors are actively engaging with the company, insider selling raises questions about future prospects. The company’s strong earnings and positive analyst sentiment offer some reassurance, but further monitoring of market activity is recommended.

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