Here's a story about a very expensive breakup. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is getting ready to dramatically change how it gets packages to your door, and the U.S. Postal Service is about to feel the financial sting.
The e-commerce giant is preparing to slash the number of packages it hands off to USPS by at least two-thirds. This isn't a casual slowdown; it's a strategic shift timed ahead of a key contract deadline in October. The move comes as Amazon participates in a new competitive bidding process for last-mile delivery services introduced by the Postal Service, according to reports citing people familiar with the situation.
Think about that scale for a second. The USPS handled more than 1 billion Amazon packages last year. That massive volume accounted for roughly 15% of the Postal Service's total U.S. parcel business. For an agency that has been wrestling with persistent financial losses, that Amazon revenue wasn't just nice to have—it was a key pillar supporting its entire delivery network.
So, why is Amazon doing this? The company has been steadily building out its own delivery empire for years, from its fleet of vans to its air cargo network. Relying less on external partners like USPS gives Amazon more control over costs, timing, and the customer experience. But it's not a clean break. The Postal Service still plays a crucial, and arguably irreplaceable, role in one specific area: rural America. For deliveries to less densely populated areas, USPS still handles between 30% and 40% of Amazon's shipments. Completely walking away from that partnership isn't really an option.
This logistics reshuffling is happening alongside another big push from Amazon: speed. The company is aggressively expanding its one-hour and three-hour delivery options, now offering over 90,000 items for rapid delivery in many metropolitan areas. The goal is to turn online shopping into something more like a convenience store run, driving more frequent, impulse purchases.
Analysts are watching all this and still like what they see. Bank of America Securities analyst Justin Post maintained a Buy rating on Amazon with a $275 price target. His thesis hinges on Amazon's continued market share gains, strong engagement from third-party sellers on its platform, and the growth potential from faster delivery, AI tools, and its massive advertising business.
What Does the Chart Say?
Let's check Amazon's vital signs. The stock is currently trading 2.5% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) but remains 4.9% below its 100-day SMA. That paints a picture of short-term stabilization while the intermediate-term trend still has some work to do. Over the past 12 months, shares are up a solid 11.61% and are positioned closer to their 52-week highs than their lows.
The momentum indicators are telling a mixed story. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits at 52.07, which is right in neutral territory—not showing overbought or oversold conditions. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is at -1.8393, with its signal line at -2.8866. This configuration is technically bullish, suggesting that the recent downside pressure is easing, even though the MACD itself remains negative. In short: the momentum isn't screaming in one clear direction.
- Key Resistance: $220.50
- Key Support: $202.50
