Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) today announced financial results for
its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017.
Operating cash flow increased 7% to $18.4 billion for the trailing
twelve months, compared with $17.3 billion for the trailing twelve
months ended December 31, 2016. Free cash flow decreased to $8.4 billion
for the trailing twelve months, compared with $10.5 billion for the
trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2016. Free cash flow less
lease principal repayments decreased to $3.4 billion for the trailing
twelve months, compared with $6.5 billion for the trailing twelve months
ended December 31, 2016. Free cash flow less finance lease principal
repayments and assets acquired under capital leases decreased to an
outflow of $1.5 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with an
inflow of $4.7 billion for the trailing twelve months ended December 31,
2016.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-com-announces-fourth-quarter-210100782.html....
For those who wonder why retailers like Sears and Sam's Club shut down, this is part of the explanation.
Walmat and amazon's greater efficiency earned by cutting middle men out of their supply to distribution chain gives them an advantage making it difficult for rivals to compete in global markets. Old news. Nothing shocking about that.
Where things could get interested is, bitcoin's paradigm shift from "trust based" to "trustless" systems could have a similar effect. It could cut middle men out of bitcoin's infrastructure, making it more efficient and superior to classical financial systems like banks.
