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This Month’s Bonus Article

Amazon Now Delivery Push Could Boost Its 2026 Outlook

Submitted by Sam Quirke. Date Posted: 12/22/2025. 

Article Highlights

• Amazon Now aims to redefine convenience with near-instant delivery in dense urban areas, targeting spontaneous consumer purchases.
• The initiative leverages Amazon’s mature logistics infrastructure and offers optional upside without risking the broader business model.
• Analysts remain bullish on Amazon, viewing Amazon Now as a potential catalyst for breaking the stock’s current consolidation phase.

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) has rarely lacked ambition; its latest initiative is one of the most direct attempts yet to redefine everyday convenience. Amazon Now, launched in early December, aims to deliver near-instant orders in dense urban areas, narrowing the gap between online ordering and local retail. For investors, the key question is whether Amazon Now could move the stock heading into 2026.

Despite solid fundamentals and strong earnings, AMZN has traded mostly sideways over the past six months. Amazon Now arrives when the core business looks healthy, sentiment is constructive, and the market is waiting for a catalyst. Let’s take a closer look at whether this could be it.

What Amazon Now Changes in Amazon’s Model

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At its core, Amazon Now is about speed and frequency. Unlike traditional Prime delivery, which optimizes for next-day or two-day fulfillment at scale, Amazon Now is built for immediacy. The goal is to make Amazon the default choice not only for planned purchases but for spontaneous ones.

That strategic shift matters. Faster delivery can increase order frequency, deepen consumer spending habits, and strengthen brand loyalty. It also enhances the Prime value proposition beyond shipping savings, potentially pulling more everyday spending into Amazon’s ecosystem—especially in categories where convenience beats price.

Timing is favorable: Amazon’s logistics network is denser and more mature than ever in major metropolitan areas, giving the company a structural advantage few competitors can match. Ultra-fast delivery is costly, but Amazon is one of the few players with the scale to pursue it without upending its broader model.

Importantly, Amazon Now should be viewed as strategic upside rather than a business dependency. The company doesn’t need the initiative to be a runaway success for the overall business to thrive—an important point for risk-conscious investors.

Analysts Are Excited, Even If Proof Comes Later

Since the announcement, analysts have been quick to update their outlooks on the stock. Firms such as BMO Capital Markets, JPMorgan Chase, TD Cowen, and Jefferies have reiterated Buy or equivalent ratings on Amazon shares in recent weeks, and that momentum could continue into January.

Some recent price targets reach as high as $305, implying roughly 35% upside from current levels. At the same time, there have been no meaningful downgrades tied to margin concerns or execution risk related to the launch.

That absence of alarm bells matters. It’s hard to quantify how much Amazon Now will add to near-term earnings, but analysts’ reactions suggest confidence that the initiative fits Amazon’s long-term playbook. In short, while Amazon Now may not be the explicit driver behind every bullish call, the market tone indicates analysts view the move as a net positive.

Why Execution Could Unlock the Next Move Higher

The backdrop is a stock that has been consolidating for months. Amazon has traded in a relatively narrow range since July, with only a brief pop to new highs after November’s earnings report, which quickly faded. Meanwhile, many mega-cap peers sit near their highs.

That price action suggests investors are waiting for a catalyst: they aren’t rushing to sell, but they aren’t bidding the stock up aggressively either. Amazon Now introduces a clear variable that could change that balance.

If early adoption shows customers embracing the service without a disproportionate hit to margins, the market may reassess Amazon’s growth profile for 2026 and beyond. It doesn’t require perfection—just evidence that speed can scale without undermining profitability.

Conversely, if execution falters or costs balloon, the stock is likely to remain range-bound. With expectations reasonable and sentiment constructive, this urban delivery push could be the spark investors have been waiting for—if Amazon can execute.

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