Fuente: © Amazon
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Amazon.com Announces First Quarter Sales up 37% to $4.1 Billion; Electronics and Other General Merchandise Grows 56%; Media Grows 28%

/noticias.info/ SEATTLE, Apr 23, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Operating cash flow was $1.04 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $0.73 billion for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2007. Free cash flow increased 51% to $0.79 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $0.52 billion for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2007.

Common shares outstanding plus shares underlying stock-based awards outstanding totaled 435 million on March 31, 2008, compared with 430 million a year ago.

Net sales increased 37% to $4.13 billion in the first quarter, compared with $3.02 billion in first quarter 2007. Excluding the $0.18 billion favorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales grew 31% compared with first quarter 2007.

Operating income increased 36% to $198 million in the first quarter, compared with $145 million in first quarter 2007. Excluding the $14 million favorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, operating income grew 27% compared with first quarter 2007.

Net income increased 30% to $143 million in the first quarter, or $0.34 per diluted share, compared with net income of $111 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, in first quarter 2007.

"Our sales growth this quarter was driven by low prices and millions of in-stock items available for immediate shipment," said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. "We're grateful to our customers."

Highlights

-- Kindle selection continues to grow - with more than 115,000 titles now available, up from 90,000 at launch.

-- Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched Elastic IP addresses and the ability to provide compute instances in multiple Availability Zones, two new features that enable Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) developers to build even more powerful and fault-resilient applications in the cloud.

-- Over 370,000 developers have registered to use AWS, up more than 35,000 from last quarter.

-- The Company launched Amazon TextBuyIt (www.textbuyit.com), a service that lets customers use text messages to find and buy products sold on Amazon.com. With the addition of TextBuyIt to the existing mobile offering, customers can now shop, compare prices and buy from virtually anywhere they are with any mobile device.

-- The number of sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon increased by more than 50% compared with fourth quarter 2007.

-- North America segment sales, representing the Company's U.S. and Canadian sites, were $2.13 billion, up 31% from first quarter 2007.

-- International segment sales, representing the Company's U.K., German, Japanese, French and Chinese sites, were $2.01 billion, up 44% from first quarter 2007, and increased to 49% of worldwide net sales compared with 46%. Excluding the favorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, International sales grew 31%.

-- Worldwide Media sales grew 28% to $2.54 billion in first quarter 2008, compared with $1.99 billion in first quarter 2007.

-- Worldwide Electronics & Other General Merchandise sales grew 56% to $1.48 billion in first quarter 2008, compared with $0.95 billion in first quarter 2007, and increased to 36% of worldwide net sales compared with 31%.

Financial Guidance

The following forward-looking statements reflect Amazon.com's expectations as of April 23, 2008. Results may be materially affected by many factors, such as fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, changes in global economic conditions and consumer spending, world events, the rate of growth of the Internet and online commerce, and the various factors detailed below.

Second Quarter 2008 Guidance

-- Net sales are expected to be between $3.875 billion and $4.075 billion, or to grow between 34% and 41% compared with second quarter 2007.

-- Operating income is expected to be between $120 million and $160 million, or to grow between 3% and 38% compared with second quarter 2007. This guidance includes approximately $80 million for stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets, and it assumes, among other things, that no additional business acquisitions or investments are concluded and that there are no further revisions to stock-based compensation estimates.

Full Year 2008 Expectations

-- Net sales are expected to be between $19.1 billion and $20.0 billion, or to grow between 29% and 35% compared with 2007.

-- Operating income is expected to be between $740 million and $940 million, or to grow between 13% and 43% compared with 2007. This guidance includes approximately $285 million for stock-based compensation and amortization of intangible assets, and it assumes, among other things, that no additional business acquisitions or investments are concluded and that there are no further revisions to stock-based compensation estimates.

A conference call will be webcast live today at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET, and will be available for at least three months at www.amazon.com/ir. This call will contain forward-looking statements and other material information regarding the Company's financial and operating results.

These forward-looking statements are inherently difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including, in addition to the factors discussed above, the amount that Amazon.com invests in new business opportunities and the timing of those investments, the mix of products sold to customers, the mix of net sales derived from products as compared with services, the extent to which we owe income taxes, competition, management of growth, potential fluctuations in operating results, international growth and expansion, the outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, risks of inventory management, seasonality, the degree to which the Company enters into, maintains and develops commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, and risks of fulfillment throughput and productivity. Other risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to new products, services and technologies, system interruptions, significant indebtedness, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and subsequent filings. notas_de_prensa_archivo