Amazon (AMZN -0.27%) is the world's second-largest retailer behind Walmart (WMT 1.18%). The e-commerce giant generated $575 billion in total revenue in 2023.
The company is briskly increasing its revenue and could overtake Walmart as the world's largest retailer as early as 2024. It's also a global leader in cloud computing. Amazon's growing sales have helped drive its stock price higher over the years, and the upward movement could continue.
You're probably contributing a fair share to Amazon's growing revenue, which might have you thinking about investing in the company. Here's a step-by-step guide on investing in Amazon stock, including how much it costs to buy shares of the top e-commerce company.
How to buy Amazon stock
How to buy Amazon stock
You can buy shares of Amazon from any brokerage account. If you still need to open one, these are some of the best-rated brokers and trading platforms. This step-by-step guide will show you how to buy Amazon stock through the five-star-rated platform Fidelity.
Fidelity makes it easy to buy stocks. Its website offers a video tutorial and a step-by-step guide. Here's a screenshot of how to place a stock trade with Fidelity.
Image source: Fidelity.
On this page, you'll fill in all the relevant information, including:
- The number of shares you want to buy or the amount you want to invest to purchase fractional shares.
- The ticker symbol (AMZN for Amazon).
- Whether you want to place a limit order or a market order. The Motley Fool recommends using a market order since it guarantees you buy shares immediately at the market price right at that moment.
Once you complete the order page, click the Place Order button at the bottom and become an Amazon shareholder.
Should I invest?
How much does it cost to buy Amazon stock?
For years, Amazon stock had seemed out of reach to many beginning investors because it traded at a high price per share. However, the e-commerce giant completed a 20-for-1 stock split in 2022.
The split reduced the share price from its pre-split level of about $2,300 per share to a post-split price of $115 per share. In reducing the stock's cost, Amazon made buying shares more accessible to beginning investors.
The share price has increased a bit since its split in 2022. However, purchasing one share is still within the reach of most people just starting their investing journey. In mid-2024, Amazon's stock was slightly over $150 per share.
If $150 per share is still too high for you, don't fret. You have another option that will allow you to buy shares of Amazon with little money.
Many brokerage platforms enable users to invest in fractional shares. A fractional share is less than one full share. (Here are some of the best brokers for fractional share investing.) Many of those brokers let you invest in Amazon and other companies for as little as $1, allowing you to steadily invest money in Amazon stock as you add cash to your portfolio.
How much should I invest?
How much should I invest in Amazon stock?
The amount you invest in Amazon stock is up to you. However, here are some basic stock market guidelines for investors:
- Before investing in Amazon (or any other stock), pay off high-interest loans like credit cards and build up an emergency fund that can cover several months' worth of expenses.
- Only invest money you won't need in the next three to five years.
- Build a diversified portfolio. The Motley Fool recommends that investors expand their portfolios to about 25 stocks without allocating more than 10% to any one position. Although Amazon will likely start as a larger allocation, you should aim to diversify by investing in other high-quality companies in different stock market sectors.
- Understand the risks of investing in Amazon, including the possibility that the shares could lose value. Don't invest more money in Amazon than you could afford to lose.
- Limit your investment in Amazon to a comfortable level so you don't stress out if shares decline in value.
So, if you have $1,000 to invest right now, a good rule of thumb is to start by investing about $100 into Amazon stock.
Due Diligence
Due diligence is the process of evaluating a deal, including the risks, before entering into a legally binding contract.
ETF options
How to make a stockless investment in Amazon through ETFs
Many people don't have the time to invest directly into buying individual stocks like Amazon. However, they still want to invest in the company but in a more passive way.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be a great way to invest passively in Amazon stock. ETFs trade like stocks but hold shares of many companies, making them an easy way to gain broad exposure to the entire stock market or a specific stock market sector. You can buy ETFs just like you'd purchase shares of Amazon's stock, using the ETF's ticker instead of Amazon's.
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, allows investors to buy many stocks or bonds at once.
According to ETF.com, 459 ETFs held 773.3 million shares of Amazon in mid-2024. The (SPY 0.52%) owned the most shares of Amazon, at 110.5 million. Amazon was that ETF's fourth-largest holding, with a 3.4% portfolio weighting.
Many other ETFs have even larger portfolio allocations to Amazon. The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY 0.68%) had a more than 21% portfolio weighting to Amazon stock in mid-2024, making it an even better way to gain meaningful stockless exposure to Amazon and the consumer discretionary sector.
Related investing topics
The bottom line on investing in Amazon
Amazon is the world's second-largest retailer. It has its sights set on eventually overtaking Walmart at the top, which could drive its stock price higher.
Thanks to the company's recent stock split and the increasing availability of fractional share investing, it doesn't cost much to invest in Amazon. Also, given the ease and convenience of ETFs, you don't have to invest directly in Amazon if you don't have the time. That makes it even easier to invest in the e-commerce giant these days.
FAQ
FAQ on investing in Amazon stock
Can I invest directly in Amazon?
Yes, you can invest directly in Amazon. To invest money in Amazon, you'd need to:
- Open and fund a brokerage account.
- Fill out the order page, including:
- The correct ticker symbol (AMZN for Amazon).
- The number of shares you wish to buy or the dollar amount you want to spend if you're buying fractional shares.
- Whether you want to place a market or limit order.
- Submit your trade.
Is it a good idea to invest in Amazon?
Amazon stock has historically been a very good investment. As of mid-2024, Amazon shares have delivered more than double the average annual total return of the S&P 500 over the last decade (26.5% versus 10.6%). While past success is no guarantee of future returns, Amazon's growing e-commerce and cloud businesses should increase its revenue and profits. The growth could continue driving its share price higher.
How much is $10,000 invested in Amazon 10 years ago?
A $10,000 investment in Amazon stock a decade ago would have been worth nearly $105,000 in mid-2024. That's almost four times what someone would have if they had invested $10,000 in an S&P 500 index fund ($27,500).
How much does it cost to buy a share of Amazon?
It costs a little over $150 to buy a single share of Amazon stock in mid-2024. However, some brokerage accounts also allow you to invest in fractional shares, so you can purchase less than one share of Amazon (with some brokers allowing an investment of as low as $1).
John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Matt DiLallo has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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