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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Why Prime Video Is One of Amazon's Most Underrated Assets
Key Points Prime Video is no longer a cost center. Prime Video has more than 200 million viewers. Commerce, content, and ads are converging for Amazon. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › Amazon(NASDAQ: AMZN) is best known for its sprawling e-commerce empire, dominant cloud infrastructure business, and its ever-growing Prime membership base. But quietly sitting inside this flywheel is a business with surprising strategic upside: Prime Video. For years, Prime Video was viewed as just another perk -- a nice-to-have feature bundled into the Prime membership. But that's changing. Between a new ad-supported model, a powerful position in connected TV (CTV), and seamless integration into Amazon's broader retail ecosystem, Prime Video is emerging as one of Amazon's most underrated growth engines. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Here's why smart investors should start paying closer attention. Prime Video's strategic shift from perks to platform When Amazon first launched Prime Video, it wasn't trying to compete directly with entertainment companies like Netflix or Disney. Instead, it used video content to increase Prime subscriptions, drive loyalty, and reduce churn. The focus was to delight its e-commerce customers, and that strategy worked. Happy customers became more engaged, spending more time and money on the e-commerce platform. But what started as a defensive move has become a strategic pillar. Today, in addition to getting free content as Prime members, customers can also subscribe to third-party channels offered by partners under the Amazon Channel. Besides, Amazon made another pivotal move in January 2024: it began running ads on Prime Video, instantly unlocking a massive audience of over 200 million globally to advertisers. The streaming arm is also increasingly investing in originals, live sports, and localized content across global markets. In other words, Prime Video is quietly building up its ecosystem of services, positioning it well to evolve from a cost-center to a hugely profitable entity of its own. Amazon Ads and Prime Video Amazon Ads is one of the next growth frontiers for Amazon, in which Prime Video is going to play a major role. By rolling out ads across Prime Video by default in key markets, Amazon steps up its monetization efforts of its gigantic Prime subscriber base. Prime members can pay a small monthly fee to go ad-free, but most don't, turning Prime Video into one of the largest ad-supported streaming platforms globally. To put the opportunity size into perspective, Netflix has 300 million subscribers, of which 94 million use the ad-supported service. On the other hand, Disney+ has 126 million global paid subscribers. With more than 200 million viewers, Prime Video is already among the biggest streaming services provided globally. But Prime Video doesn't run an ordinary advertising business. Its ad engine taps into its vast retail data, letting brands target viewers based on actual purchase behavior. A viewer watching an online video might see a relevant sponsored product ad and buy it on Amazon without ever leaving the app. It's a frictionless loop that few competitors can replicate. Owning the connected TV stack Prime Video isn't just a content platform -- it's Amazon's gateway to the living room. And through its connected TV (CTV) footprint, Amazon is building an end-to-end advertising and commerce engine few can match. Amazon Fire TV, now with over 200 million devices sold globally, gives the company direct control over the connected TV hardware and software stack. This integrated approach allows it to collect first-party data, control the user experience, and serve ads more effectively than most CTV players. While traditional media networks are still figuring out how to merge streaming, commerce, and advertising, Amazon already has all three pieces in place. The implications are enormous. Advertisers not only reach an engaged, high-intent audience on Prime Video, but they can also close the loop through Amazon's retail engine. That kind of direct attribution -- seeing a sponsored ad on Fire TV, clicking through, and buying the product on Amazon -- is a marketer's dream. With increasing demand for measurable, performance-based advertising, this positions Amazon as a formidable player in the future of CTV. In other words, Prime Video plays a strategic role in Amazon's expanding ecosystem, in which commerce, content, and advertising converge to form a defensible business model that strengthens both the parts and the whole. Now is the time to take a closer look at Prime Video Investors often think of Amazon in silos: retail, cloud, advertising, logistics, etc. But the company's greatest strength lies in how these pieces connect. Prime Video may have started as a "nice-to-have" feature bundled into Prime, but it's quickly becoming one of Amazon's most powerful strategic assets. By bringing together entertainment, commerce, and advertising into a seamless flywheel, Amazon is building a future where Prime Video not only entertains--but drives growth across the entire business. It's time investors gave this overlooked asset a much closer look. Should you invest $1,000 in Amazon right now? Before you buy stock in Amazon, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Amazon wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,820!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,019% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 178% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Lawrence Nga has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Netflix, and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Why Everyone Is Talking About Sirius XM Stock
Key Points Sirius XM generates recurring subscription revenue. Berkshire Hathaway owns over one-third of the company. However, Sirius XM faces challenges in expanding its reach. 10 stocks we like better than Sirius XM › Sirius XM (NASDAQ: SIRI) isn't often the center of attention, unlike some of its larger media peers, such as Netflix or Spotify. But that's starting to change. The stock has dropped more than 40% from its highs (as of this writing) in the last 12 months, drawing interest from value hunters and long-term investors alike. And beneath the surface, there's more to the story than meets the eye. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » So why is everyone talking about Sirius XM stock right now? Here's what investors need to know. Sirius XM operates a recurring revenue business model Sirius XM operates a subscription-based satellite and streaming audio service. Its core business revolves around delivering a broad range of audio content, including music, sports, news, talk shows, and entertainment, to users across North America. For a monthly fee -- depending on the plan -- subscribers gain access via factory-installed satellite radios in vehicles, the SiriusXM app, and smart speakers or other connected devices. Subscription revenue accounts for 76% of the company's total, making it the cornerstone of the business. Sirius XM also generates revenue from advertising (20% of revenue), mainly from users who subscribe to the ad - supported content, primarily through Pandora and podcasting. The remaining 4% of revenue comes from licensing and other hardware sales. In other words, Sirius XM is effectively a hybrid between legacy media and digital streaming, built around vehicle-based installations and habitual listening patterns. Sirius XM has huge backing from smart investors One reason the stock is making headlines is that Berkshire Hathaway owns 35.4% of Sirius XM -- a sizable bet, and not a recent one. Warren Buffett's team has been accumulating shares for years, suggesting long-term conviction. While we can only speculate why Berkshire Hathaway has purchased such a massive stake in the company, there are at least two likely reasons. First, Sirius XM's subscription business is sticky and recurring, with a loyal base of drivers who regularly tune in -- a strong foundation for cash generation, even amid modest subscriber losses. And that brings us to the second point, which is Sirius XM's disciplined capital allocation framework. Historically, the media company has shown restraint in deploying excess capital, focusing on returning cash to shareholders through buybacks and dividends rather than on flashy acquisitions. In the last five years alone, it has repurchased $4 billion worth of stocks. This mix of reliable cash flow and conservative capital use aligns well with Berkshire's investing philosophy. A cheap stock, but not without risk Sirius XM's recent poor stock performance has led to its attractive valuation. As of the time of writing, it has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 1, down from its five-year high of 3. Comparatively, Spotify trades at a P/S ratio of 8.3 times. The stock looks cheap, but there are real challenges: Sirius XM posted a net loss in 2024, a reversal from its history of profitability. While the loss was primarily due to one-time restructuring and impairment charges, it suggests that the company faces some challenges going forward. Revenue has declined from $9 billion in 2022 to $8.7 billion in 2024, signaling saturation in its core market. Paid subscribers are slipping -- down from 34.9 million in 2019 to 33.2 million in 2024. While Sirius XM remains highly profitable on the cash flow level, having generated $1 billion in free cash flow in 2024, its declining revenue suggests that it is struggling to compete against younger peers like Spotify in expanding its reach. Sirius XM is pinning hopes on its advertising and podcast business, including its acquisition of Pandora. But that turnaround remains a work in progress. Pandora remains far behind the category leaders, and competition in podcasting is fierce. Worse still, Panda's monthly active users have been declining over the last five years as well, down from 63.5 million to 43.3 million. In other words, while Sirius XM still has a loyal base of subscribers, this cohort is contracting over the years, with no sign of a turnaround anytime soon. What does it all mean? Sirius XM is a paradox: It's not growing, but it's still throwing off tons of cash. And while its audio subscription business model looks dated, it has the backing of one of the most respected investors of our time. Whether Sirius is a value trap or a misunderstood opportunity depends on investors' perspective. The company faces real risks, but if it can stabilize its subscriber base and revitalize Pandora, there could be meaningful upside from here. Either way, it's one worth keeping on your radar. Should you invest $1,000 in Sirius XM right now? Before you buy stock in Sirius XM, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Sirius XM wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,820!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,019% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 178% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
High stakes long weekend for go kart racing in Alberta
It's a high stakes long weekend for go kart racing in our province, with nearly 100 drivers from across Canada and the U.S. descending on Fort Saskatchewan for the Max Karting Group Canada Final. On the line: a chance to represent the country at the grande final this December in Bahrain. Our video producer Bob Grieve dropped by to check out the action.
