TenQ

21/36 against 27/36 checks · to 2026-09-11

AMZN vs JPM.

AmazonRuns the largest US online store and, more profitably, the AWS cloud.JPMorgan ChaseAmerica's largest bank: lending, markets, payments and wealth management.

→Amazon (AMZN) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) are within reach of each other at $2.77T and $946.9B, and on the filings JPMorgan Chase passes more, 27 checks of 36 against 21.

Which passes more checks?

widest gap first

→The two are furthest apart on Shareholder returns, where JPMorgan Chase passes 6 more of the six.

ValueGrowthQualityHealthReturnsTrendAMZN 21/36JPM 27/36
AMZNJPM
Shareholder returns0/66/6
Quality6/64/6
Value2/63/6
Trend2/63/6
Growth6/66/6
Financial health5/65/6
All checks21/3627/36

→Amazon turns over $775.7B to JPMorgan Chase's $199.4B, 3.9 times as much. Amazon keeps 17.4% of revenue as profit against 32.6% at JPMorgan Chase.

Amazon files as an operating company and JPMorgan Chase as a bank, so the measures each is judged on differ - net interest margin means nothing for one, funds from operations nothing for the other. The six axes still compare, because every company is scored on the checks its own filings support.

Which hands more back to owners?

→JPMorgan Chase pays 1.7% at today's price and Amazon effectively pays nothing, which is the clearest difference in what each hands back.

AMZNJPM
Dividend yield-1.7%
Payout ratio-26.6%
Years of unbroken dividend--

Which keeps more of each sale?

AMZNJPM
Gross margin50.8%-
Operating margin12.1%-
Return on equity24.5%17.4%

Which is cheaper?

→JPMorgan Chase is the cheaper of the two on earnings, 15.2x against 20.6x. Against their own histories, Amazon is below its 77.8x median and JPMorgan Chase is above its 9.1x.

AMZNJPM
Share price$256.78$356.23
Market cap$2.77T$946.9B
P/E20.6x15.2x
P/E, own median own 10-year median / own 11-year median77.8x9.1x
P/S3.6x4.7x
Free cash flow yield-0.4%-

Which is growing faster, AMZN or JPM?

→Amazon grew revenue faster over the last twelve months, +15.8% against +13.5% at JPMorgan Chase - 2 points apart. Over three years the order is reversed: JPMorgan Chase compounds at +12.3% against +11.7%.

AMZNJPM
Revenue (TTM)$775.7B$199.4B
Revenue growth, 1 year+15.8%+13.5%
Revenue CAGR, 3 years+11.7%+12.3%
Net income (TTM)$135.3B$65.1B
Free cash flow (TTM)$-11.6B-

Which balance sheet is stronger?

→Amazon carries much the lighter balance sheet, 0.24x of debt to equity against 1.23x - which matters most in the year a downturn arrives, not this one.

AMZNJPM
Debt / equity0.24x1.23x
Interest coverage28.1x-
Cash and short-term investments$123.0B$309.8B

Where they differ most

the checks behind the gap

Shareholder returns: JPMorgan Chase 6 ahead

  • Share count isn't climbing shares down 6.3% over 3 years
  • Buybacks outpace the stock issued to staff $31.7B bought back vs $3.9B of stock compensation
  • What it hands back fits inside its profits 75.3% vs 100.0%
  • Share count isn't climbing shares up 6.3% over 3 years
  • Buybacks outpace the stock issued to staff no buybacks against $19.3B of stock compensation
  • Hands cash back to owners no dividends and no buybacks in the last twelve months

Quality: Amazon 2 ahead

  • Better gross margins than its sector 50.8% vs 50.3% (sector 70th pct, n=47)
  • Runs leaner than its sector (operating margin) 12.1% vs 5.0% (sector 70th pct, n=58)
  • Actually profitable TTM net income $135.3B
  • Wider interest margin than its sector 2.0% vs 3.3% (sector 70th pct, n=310)
  • Credit costs stay contained 13.1% vs 2.4% (sector 30th pct, n=179)