Amazon Surpasses Walmart in Revenue

And it's phone-free February!

Author

Matt Davis
February 07, 2025

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Illogical, Captain!

Vulscombe is a soft, handmade, fresh, pasteurized goat’s milk cheese produced near Tiverton in England by Joyce and Graham Townsend. It sounds a bit like “Vulcans,” the fictional race from “Star Trek.” Today’s cheese pun is, in fact, based on something Mr. Spock said in a 1960s TV show, via a goat’s cheese. As JFK once said, we don’t do these cheese puns because they are easy, but because they are hard. Today’s cheddlines begin with the illogical news that Amazon stock is worth more than Walmart’s, despite the fact that Walmart’s revenue has beaten the Seattle giant’s for decades. It makes no sense!

Today's Cheddlines You Need2Know

Live long and cheddar,

 —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor

Quote of the Day

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You couldn't think of a better artist than Shaboozey.

Should You Check Your 401(k) Today?

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(yep)

Online giant Amazon has edged past Walmart’s annual revenue for the first time in history. The company Jeff Bezos famously started in his garage now not only leads Walmart in market capitalization but has overtaken the brick-and-mortar behemoth in earnings, too.

Amazon’s earnings yesterday unveiled a whopping $187 billion in revenue. Walmart, set to report its own figures on February 20, is forecasted to trail behind with projected sales of $180 billion.

The surge in Amazon's revenue isn't solely attributed to an uptick in the sales of physical goods. In fact, Amazon has moved ahead primarily because of the increase in its web-based services. While the retail sales figures of Amazon and Walmart are comparable, Amazon's expansion into web services — including cloud computing and AI — has driven its substantial growth.

While Walmart doesn’t have a directly comparable entity to AWS, it isn't completely out of the technology race. Walmart's Cloud Native Platform is an in-house supply chain and distribution technology, and in efforts to compete with the online shopping experience, Walmart has introduced “Realm” — a “fully immersive 3-D shopping experience.” Basically, you can go online and feel like you’re at Walmart. It’s like “The Matrix” but far less imaginative and a lot more depressing. You’ve been dull-pilled, dude.

For consumers, the message is clear: convenience, variety, and technology integration are the pillars of modern retail success…as is a strong anti-unionization effort, of course, according to reports on both companies’ muscular efforts in that regard. Amazon’s stock was trading at $237, and Walmart’s at $102 yesterday.

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With the world spinning at an incredibly fast pace and the constant pinging of our smartphones, it's no wonder many of us feel tethered to our devices. This February, a new movement is encouraging us to break free from the screens. The "Phone Free February" initiative isn't about completely abandoning our mobile companions but reducing our reliance on them.

It's backed by a global sustainability think tank that admits smartphones have become central to our lives. The downside is their addictive nature, which can lead to a host of issues like obesity, sleep disturbances, and mental health problems.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Making even small changes in our screen time can reverse some of these effects and significantly enhance our quality of life. Try disabling nonessential notifications and converting your display to grayscale. Take screen breaks. Start with 15 minutes and progressively increase the duration. Try dopamine replacement therapy — engaging in enjoyable, screen-free activities like walking, reading, or other hobbies. The key is to find fulfillment outside of your digital life. Keep reading Cheddar’s daily newsletter, of course because you Need2.

From @cheddar

The Trump administration has agreed to restrict the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from having access to the Treasury Department's sensitive payment systems, in response to legal challenges concerning data privacy.

The move comes after union members and retirees filed a lawsuit arguing that DOGE's access violates federal privacy laws. A temporary legal order has been set to prevent the sharing of payment records with unauthorized entities, albeit with some exceptions under strict conditions.

The decision, aimed at protecting sensitive information, will remain in effect until a comprehensive legal review is completed. Trump defended Musk’s access to the files earlier this week, saying “he’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good, and it’s only if we agree with him.”

The Super Bowl is known for its iconic commercials, and this year, Nerds Gummy Clusters is making a splash by partnering with multi-talented artist Shaboozey. Fun fact: When you Google “Shaboozey,” (as I just did, because I had, possibly, not heard of him in quite the way one might expect me to have done) his result comes up in Google all tilty as if you were drunk. Lols. I should stress that I don’t think I’m the target market for Nerds Gummy Clusters, and I think that Shaboozey probably is quite a big deal with the kidz.

Shaboozey, as we all know (thanks, Wikipedia!), is the stage name of Collins Obinna Chibueze, an American singer who blends hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana into his music, as he did in last year’s hit song, “Tipsy.”

Greg Guidotti, the Chief Marketing Officer at Ferrara Candy Company, which owns Nerds, talked with us about the company’s exciting collaboration with Shaboozey.

"With Nerds Gummy Clusters, it's all about unleashing your senses,” he said. “You couldn't think of a better artist than Shaboozey. He’s a guy who is multi-dimensional; he's layered. He is so dynamic. He spans genres and music."

Never mind Pablo Picasso or Frieda Kahlo. In many ways, Shaboozey sounds sort of like, I imagine, Jesus Christ.

Super Bowl 59 is set to be a momentous event in NFL history, not merely for the clash of titans as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s team and the Philadelphia Eagles go head-to-head in New Orleans but also due to the expected attendance of President Donald Trump.

The pres’s pres-ence will be historic, marking the first time a sitting commander-in-chief has witnessed the pinnacle of professional American football live. A significant undercurrent to this year's game is the NFL's removal of the "End Racism" message from end zones — replaced with phrases like "Choose Love" (while you’re being a racist?) and "It Takes All of Us" (but, you know, not all of us?).  

The subtle linguistic shift aligns with Trump's executive order last month, which denounced "radical DEI" initiatives. The league's chief commissioner, Roger Goodell, continues to defend the NFL's diversity policies, meanwhile. Perhaps one of the most heated moments of Trump's interaction with the league was during former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's protest over racial inequality and the oppression of Black Americans. Trump vehemently criticized the kneeling protests. Kaepernick has been out of the league for almost a decade now.

The NFL maintains strict rules about political messages during games. Yet, some players, like Nick Bosa, faced fines and backlash for vocally supporting Trump and his campaigns. Trump has also made his mark on the NFL's cultural landscape with his signature dance. A simple back-and-forth arm motion, which he showcased during campaign rallies, found its way into the end zone celebrations of some NFL players during the 2024–25 season. It’s not to be confused with other signature arm motions, of course, practiced more controversially by other people.

Despite the Chiefs striving for a "three-peat" and the Eagles looking for glory, Trump's attendance will add a layer of historical significance to this already renowned event in the annals of Super Bowl history. I can only imagine the security requirements. Hut-hut!

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