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Amazon Crossed $2 Trillion In Market Capitalization For The First Time

Amazon reported a market capitalization of $2 trillion for the first time, becoming one of the few companies in the world to pass the milestone.

KEY FACTS

  • Amazon‘s market capitalization surpassed $2 trillion on Wednesday after its shares hit a record high of $193.
  • The online commerce giant joins Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia and Alphabet as the only public companies in the world worth $2 trillion or more.
  • Bank of America raised its price target on Amazon shares from $210 to $220, suggesting another 12% upside for the stock and a market capitalization of $2.3 trillion.

FORBES ASSESSMENT

The net worth of Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and chairman, grew by nearly $6 billion on Wednesday, according to Forbes. Bezos’ net worth of $209 billion is the second largest in the world, trailing only Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s net worth of $219.2 billion. Bezos, who owns about a tenth of Amazon’s capital, is $35 billion richer than he was at the end of 2023.

KEY STORY

Bezos’ growing wealth came on the heels of a rally in Amazon’s stock. Shares are up 27% year-to-date and 130% since the start of last year. Now led by CEO Andy Jassy, ​​Amazon is among the most profitable companies in the first quarter, with a net income of $10.4 billion, a huge improvement from a loss of $3.8 billion in the first quarter of 2022 and a profit of 3.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023. In addition to Amazon’s growing profit, its stock is also getting a boost from broader investor interest in AI, with Amazon Web Services among the most recognizable AI products on the market. Amazon’s market value is set to grow by more than $400 billion in 2024, outpaced by Microsoft and Apple’s gains of more than $500 billion, respectively, and Nvidia’s $1.8 trillion hit.

UnitedHealth Removes DEI Mentions From Website Amid Growing Shift In Corporate Policies

UnitedHealth Group has significantly reduced its public focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by removing related content from its website. 

The reasons for these changes remain unclear, and it’s uncertain whether the removal signals a shift in the company’s policies or simply a change in the language used. A UnitedHealth spokesperson, Tyler Mason, commented that the company continues to support a collaborative environment and mutual respect, which remain integral to its culture and mission to expand access to healthcare services.

The move coincides with a broader trend among major corporations, especially in the tech industry, retreating from DEI programs. This shift is partly in response to executive orders from the Trump administration targeting DEI initiatives in companies receiving federal funding. Some tech giants, including Google and OpenAI, have already scrubbed DEI-related content from their sites.

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