Amazon (AMZN): seasonality, best and worst months, and drawdowns
Consumer Discretionary · 29.5 years of daily prices, May 15, 1997 to Oct 29, 2026
Since 1997, AMZN has closed higher in 59% of months and 71% of calendar years. Its strongest month on average has been April (+7.9%), and its weakest February (-2.7%). Its deepest drop was -94%, from Dec 10, 1999 to Sep 28, 2001, and it was back to the old high by Oct 23, 2009.
Average return by calendar month
| Average | Up | Years | |||
| Jan | +3.8% | 55% | 29 | ||
| Feb | -2.7% | 45% | 29 | ||
| Mar | +4.6% | 72% | 29 | ||
| Apr | +7.9% | 69% | 29 | ||
| May | +1.7% | 62% | 29 | ||
| Jun | +4.4% | 63% | 30 | ||
| Jul | +4.6% | 67% | 30 | ||
| Aug | +1.5% | 50% | 30 | ||
| Sep | +5.3% | 53% | 30 | ||
| Oct | +2.8% | 55% | 29 | ||
| Nov | +6.7% | 72% | 29 | ||
| Dec | +0.5% | 41% | 29 | ||
"Up" is the share of years that month closed higher. Unfinished months aren't counted.
Best and worst
| Best | Worst | |
|---|---|---|
| Day | +34.5% Nov 26, 2001 |
-24.8% Jul 24, 2001 |
| Month | +126.4% June 1998 |
-41.2% February 2001 |
| Year | +966% 1998 |
-80% 2000 |
This year so far: +5.6%.
Drawdowns
AMZN has fallen 20% or more from a high 18 times and 10% or more 38 times since 1997. In a typical year it has dropped 28% from that year's high at some point, even in years it ended up.
How it moves
| Days that close higher | 50% |
| Typical daily move (1 std. dev.) | ±3.5% |
| Typical monthly move | ±16.1% |
| Moves beyond 3 std. dev. vs. a bell curve | 7.8× as often |
| Beta to the S&P 500 (5 yrs) | 1.52 |
| Price growth per year | +30.5% |
| ... missing its 10 best days | +20.1% |
Price only, before dividends.
See all of AMZN's stats
Monthly, weekly and daily return distributions against a bell curve, pivot tables and volatility facts, in Stock Stats. Free with a PitSavvy account.
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Start the free options lessons →Updated Oct 30, 2026 from daily closing prices. Educational information, not investment advice. Past patterns don't guarantee future results. All stock pages