Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares have been one of the best performing investments to own over the past two decades. Those who were savvy enough to buy the stock in September 2001 and continued to hold them for the next two decades have seen a return of 47,000%. That’s not a typo.
In the past five years alone, the stock has added more than 360%. And over the past 12 months, it has returned 8%.
But even after this impressive performance, I think Amazon shares still appear to offer value.
Growth potential
Over the past decade, Amazon’s grown from an online bookseller into one of the world most valuable and powerful companies. And it’s no longer just an online retailer.
The group owns one of the largest airlines and logistics networks in the world. It also operates one of the largest cloud computing businesses in the world and is fighting for market share with Facebook and Google in the digital advertising market.
As it’s entered new markets and double down on existing markets, Amazon has defied all of its doubters. I think this will continue.
Amazon has an excellent track record of innovation. It’s always looking for the next big thing and has the money and impetus to follow through with developments.
Sure, some projects, such as the Amazon phone, have failed spectacularly. But the company hasn’t let these failures hold it back. The company’s investments in logistics and technology have allowed it to outperform competitors. Some competitors are starting to fight back, but they’ve a lot to catch up on.
Still, as competitors fight for market share, I think Amazon’s growth will moderate, both at its retail and technology divisions. The company is a financial powerhouse, but so are Facebook and Google. They have the financial resources to fight back.
Competition authorities also pose a threat to Amazon shares. Policymakers could break up the company if they think it has too much market power. This might actually be a positive development for the group, as the individual businesses will have more flexibility.
Amazon shares are undervalued
Whatever happens to the company over the next few years, I think the organisation will remain a force to be reckoned with.
The stock also looks cheap compared to the company’s potential. It’s currently changing hands at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of just 4. To put that into perspective, other online retailers such as Etsy and eBay are selling at P/S multiples of 12 and 4.5 respectively.
Meanwhile, the company’s main competitors in the internet arena, Google and Facebook, are selling at a P/S ratio of 9 and 10 respectively.
These numbers suggest the stock’s cheap compared to its current situation and future potential. Based on this valuation and the company’s growth potential outlined above, I’d buy Amazon shares for my portfolio today as a long-term growth investment.
