Amazon (AMZN, Financial) sees its price target lifted to $250 by Oppenheimer, implying 19.2% upside, as analyst Jason Helfstein keeps a “Buy” rating on the stock and cites a brighter trade outlook and solid margins.
Helfstein boosted Amazon's e-commerce gross margin forecasts to 9.1% for fiscal 2025 and 10.5% for fiscal 2026, attributing the gains to “lower trade costs” and noting that his estimates now align more closely with Street consensus.
He left AWS projections unchanged but flagged a likely capacity-driven ramp in H2 2025 once new data centers come online.
Helfstein points to Amazon's continued outperformance versus the broader e-commerce sector and highlights CEO Andy Jassy's AI-led strategies—ranging from automation in fulfillment centers to relocating thousands of corporate staff closer to hubs in Seattle, Arlington, and Washington, D.C.—as key drivers of cost control and margin expansion.
Why It Matters: The target uptick underscores a shift toward more efficient cross-border operations and growing confidence in Amazon's ability to leverage AI and automation to bolster profitability.
That said, the chart shows analysts plotting Amazon's 12-month targets around an average of $242, roughly 15.6% above today's $209 level. At the bullish end, a few see upside toward $305, signaling nearly 50% potential gain on positive AI and cloud catalysts. On the flip side, the most conservative view pegs a low near $188, about 10% below current levels if trade headwinds persist.
