Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Amazon Web Services is approaching a $10 billion-a-year business

AWS is growing fast and was Amazon’s most profitable segment last quarter.

Asa Mathat

Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing arm, continues to grow rapidly and is the company’s most profitable segment.

Amazon said today that AWS generated $2.6 billion in revenue during the first quarter, representing 64 percent year-over-year growth. That’s a slight deceleration from 69 percent growth during the fourth quarter and roughly in line with Wall Street’s expectations.

Amazon Web Services revenue growth chart

Over the past four quarters, AWS generated $8.9 billion in revenue for Amazon. That trailing-twelve-months figure is likely to pass $10 billion sometime this year.

AWS also continues to be a profit bright spot for Amazon. The segment’s operating income, after stock-based compensation, reached $604 million during the first quarter, up from $195 million during the year-ago quarter. That was better than the company’s North America commerce segment ($588 million operating income) or international ($121 million operating loss).

Stock-based compensation (“and other” expenses) for AWS reached $112 million during the first quarter, up from $70 million a year ago.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Technology
What happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputerWhat happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputer
Technology

How they’re using AI at the lab that created the atom bomb.

By Joshua Keating
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel