Amazon reported stronger-than-expected financial results for the second quarter of 2026, fueled by robust growth in its cloud computing division Amazon Web Services (AWS), advertising business, and continued momentum in e-commerce. The company posted record net sales of $200.6 billion, up 20% year over year, while operating income climbed 43% to $27.5 billion, exceeding Wall Street forecasts.
The biggest growth engine remained AWS, where revenue increased 37% to $42.2 billion, marking the division’s fastest expansion in more than 18 quarters. Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy said demand for cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence services continues to outpace available capacity, with Amazon’s AI-related business now generating revenue at an annual run rate exceeding $25 billion.
Amazon’s advertising business also delivered strong performance, with revenue rising 26%, while the company’s Prime delivery network reached new records for shipping speed. Amazon said it delivered more than 40% more orders on the same or next day during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
To support future growth, Amazon announced plans to increase its 2026 capital expenditures to approximately $220 billion. Most of the investment will be directed toward expanding data centers, AI infrastructure, custom-designed processors, and cloud computing capacity, representing one of the largest investment programs ever undertaken by a technology company.
Following the earnings announcement, Amazon shares rose in after-hours trading as investors welcomed the accelerating growth of AWS and the company’s strengthening position in artificial intelligence. Market analysts say Amazon continues to reinforce its role as one of the world’s leading AI and cloud computing companies, alongside Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia.
Sources: Amazon, Reuters, Associated Press.
