Jeff Bezos has filed plans with government regulators to sell 15 million shares of Amazon stock (AMZN) worth about $4.1 billion. The move came on Tuesday after Amazon shares hit an all-time high on Monday, pushing the company’s total market value past $3 trillion for the first time.
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Explore AMZO for 2X short leverage on AMZNThe planned sale caused Amazon stock to drop over 2% during Tuesday trading. According to Form 144 filed with the SEC, Bezos sold the shares through financial firm Morgan Stanley (MS). The stock dates back to 1994, when Bezos first received it as founder stock during the company’s startup days. Even after this sale, Bezos remains the company’s single largest individual shareholder, holding a major stake in the business.
Bezos Set Up a Schedule for Selling AMZN Shares
Bezos set up this sale months ago rather than reacting to recent stock price shifts. Filings show that Amazon’s management helped establish an official Rule 10b5-1 trading schedule back on November 14, 2025.
These plans give Amazon’s management a clear schedule for selling shares. Prearranging sales months ahead protects senior employees from insider trading claims when the stock moves higher.
Using an automatic plan allows executives to sell stock on a set calendar date while keeping investors informed. Bezos uses cash from these regular stock sales to fund outside projects, including his space exploration company, Blue Origin. Filings also show he donated 220,200 shares to non-profit groups in May.
Amazon’s Cloud Growth Has Driven the Rally
The decision to sell follows a big rise in Amazon shares sparked by strong second-quarter earnings results. Higher sales in Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud unit, showed investors that spending on artificial intelligence is bringing in stable revenue.
That earnings report pushed Amazon stock up about 20% for the year, beating the 12% gain of the broader S&P 500 market index. Market analysis firm TradingKey points out that setting up prearranged sales allows founders to take profits after a major stock rally. This process lets Amazon’s management stay focused on driving long-term growth. The sale does not signal any loss of faith in the company’s future growth.
Is Amazon Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on AMZN stock based on 39 Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average 12-month AMZN price target of $333.20 per share implies 20.1% upside potential. (See AMZN stock forecast).
