SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon.com Inc’s message to investors has always been clear: trust in founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. But after more than a year of mostly disappointing quarterly results, that faith is being tested.

Some on Wall Street wonder if Amazon may have bitten off more than it can chew. After an unusually busy first half of the year that saw the online retailer spend on developing everything from mobile phones and Hollywood-style production to grocery deliveries, investors are ready to see it curtail its ambitions and start delivering sustainable profits.

Or at least offer evidence that Bezos’ ever-increasing investments are going to soon generate appealing returns for its main online retailing business.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2014