Web sales grow nearly 40% for Amazon in Q3

It was another strong top and bottom line performance for Amazon, the largest online retailer, in the third quarter.

 For the three months ended Sept. 30, Amazon, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, reported:

• Net sales increased year over year 38.7% to $7.56 billion from $5.45 billion.  
• North American net sales totaled $4.13 billion, up about 45% from $2.84 billion in Q3 2009.
• International net sales totaled $3.43 billion, up 32% from $2.60 billion in Q3 2009.
• Operating income grew year over year 14.6% to $401 million from $350 million.
• Net income grew year over year 16% to $231 million from $199 million in Q3 2009.
• Spending on marketing increased 61.7% to $241 million from $149 million in Q3 2009.
• Spending on technology and content increased 40.3% to $442 million from $315 million in Q3 2009. 
• Spending on fulfillment increased 45.9% to $680 million from $466 million in Q3 2009.
• General and administrative spending rose year over year to $117 million from $83 million, an increase of 41%.

For the first nine months, Amazon reported: 

• Net sales were $21.3 billion, a 42% increase from $15 billion in the first three quarters of 2009.
• North American net sales totaled $11.5 billion, up 47.4% from $7.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2009
• International net sales totaled $9.8 billion, up 38% from $7.1 billion in the first three quarters of 2009.
• Operating income grew year over year 33.3% to $1.3 billion from $975 million.
• Net income grew year over year 42.1% to $736 million from $518 million in the first three quarters of 2009.

Amazon expects net sales in the fourth quarter to range from $12 billion to $13.3 billion and operating income to range from $360 million to $560 million.