v3.26.1
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments
The following summarizes our principal contractual commitments, excluding open orders for purchases that support normal operations and are generally cancellable, as of March 31, 2026 (in millions): 
 Nine Months Ended December 31,Year Ended December 31,  
 20262027202820292030ThereafterTotal
Long-term debt principal and interest$5,937 $13,583 $16,657 $11,076 $10,710 $145,575 $203,538 
Operating lease liabilities11,746 13,867 12,934 11,597 10,369 49,622 110,135 
Finance lease liabilities, including interest1,488 1,742 1,848 1,413 1,238 8,767 16,496 
Financing obligations, including interest (1)432 627 638 648 660 7,178 10,183 
Leases not yet commenced5,135 9,617 7,215 7,296 7,292 69,792 106,347 
Unconditional purchase obligations (2)19,143 15,825 8,482 7,327 7,330 45,661 103,768 
Other commitments (3)2,608 1,804 1,171 998 967 11,265 18,813 
Total commitments$46,489 $57,065 $48,945 $40,355 $38,566 $337,860 $569,280 
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(1)Includes non-cancellable financing obligations for fulfillment network and data center facilities. Excluding interest, current financing obligations of $358 million and $340 million are recorded within “Accrued expenses and other” and $7.8 billion and $8.2 billion are recorded within “Other long-term liabilities” as of December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026. The weighted-average remaining term of the financing obligations was 15.0 years and the weighted-average imputed interest rate was 2.9% and 3.1% as of December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026.
(2)Includes unconditional purchase obligations related to long-term agreements to procure energy, acquire and license digital media content, acquire property and equipment, and license software that are not reflected on the consolidated balance sheets. For those agreements with variable terms or subject to certain regulatory approvals, we do not estimate the total obligation beyond any minimum quantities and/or pricing, or termination penalties, as of the reporting date. Purchase obligations associated with renewal provisions solely at the option of the content provider are included to the extent such commitments are fixed or a minimum amount is specified. Energy agreements based on actual generation without a fixed or minimum volume commitment are not included. Certain of our energy agreements also provide the right to receive energy certificates.
(3)Includes asset retirement obligations, the estimated timing and amounts of payments for rent and tenant improvements associated with build-to-suit lease arrangements that are under construction, and liabilities associated with digital media content agreements with initial terms greater than one year. Excludes approximately $6.7 billion of income tax contingencies for which we cannot make a reasonably reliable estimate of the amount and period of payment, if any.
On April 13, 2026, Amazon entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Globalstar, Inc. (“Globalstar”), a Delaware corporation, for a mix of cash and stock consideration. Under the terms of the merger agreement, prior to closing, Globalstar stockholders will elect to receive, for each share of Globalstar common stock they own, either (i) $90.00 in cash or (ii) 0.3210 shares of Amazon common stock (with a value capped at $90.00 per share). The value of the total consideration will vary based on the price of shares of Amazon common stock and the elections of Globalstar stockholders. The total consideration is also subject to (i) a proration mechanism that caps aggregate cash elections to a maximum of 40% of total Globalstar shares, and automatically converts excess cash consideration into stock consideration on a pro rata basis and (ii) a downward adjustment of a maximum of $110 million in the event Globalstar does not meet certain operational milestones. As of the date of the merger agreement, the acquisition implied a value for Globalstar of approximately $10.9 billion, including its debt. On the date of the merger agreement, we also entered into agreements with Apple Inc. (“Apple”), Globalstar’s largest customer, to provide certain services after the acquisition and to redeem certain equity interests held by Apple in a Globalstar special purpose entity.
The acquisition is expected to close in 2027, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and Globalstar’s achievement of certain satellite replacement milestones.
Other Contingencies
We are disputing claims and denials of refunds or credits, and monitoring or evaluating potential claims, related to various non-income taxes (such as sales, value added, consumption, service, and similar taxes), including in jurisdictions in which we already collect and remit these taxes. These non-income tax controversies typically include (i) the taxability of products and services, including cross-border intercompany transactions, (ii) collection and withholding on transactions with
third parties, including as a result of evolving requirements imposed on marketplaces with respect to third-party sellers, and (iii) the adequacy of compliance with reporting obligations, including evolving documentation requirements. Due to the inherent complexity and uncertainty of these matters and the judicial and regulatory processes in certain jurisdictions, the final outcome of any such controversies may be materially different from our expectations.
Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved from time to time in claims, proceedings, and litigation, including the matters described in Item 8 of Part II, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data — Note 7 — Commitments and Contingencies — Legal Proceedings” of our 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by the following:
In May 2018, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and CF Dynamic Advances LLC filed a complaint against Amazon.com, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. The complaint alleged, among other things, that “Alexa Voice Software and Alexa enabled devices” infringe U.S. Patent No. 7,177,798. The complaint sought an injunction, an unspecified amount of damages, enhanced damages, an ongoing royalty, interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs. In March 2023, the plaintiffs alleged in their damages report that in the event of a finding of liability Amazon could be subject to $140 million to $267 million in damages. In March 2024, the district court granted summary judgment ruling that the patent is invalid and dismissed the case. In April 2024, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal. In February 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s judgment. This decision is subject to appeal. We dispute the allegations of wrongdoing and will continue to defend ourselves vigorously in this matter.
In addition, we are regularly subject to claims, litigation, and other proceedings, including government inquiries and investigations that could lead to the foregoing and potential regulatory proceedings, involving patent and other intellectual property matters, taxes, labor and employment, competition and antitrust, privacy and data protection, consumer protection, commercial disputes, goods and services offered by us and by third parties, and other matters.
The outcomes of our legal proceedings and other contingencies are inherently unpredictable, subject to significant uncertainties, and could be material to our operating results and cash flows for a particular period. We evaluate, on a regular basis, developments in our legal proceedings and other contingencies that could affect the amount of liability, including amounts in excess of any previous accruals and reasonably possible losses disclosed, and make adjustments and changes to our accruals and disclosures as appropriate. For the matters we disclose that do not include an estimate of the amount of loss or range of losses, such an estimate is not possible or is immaterial, and we may be unable to estimate the possible loss or range of losses that could potentially result from the application of non-monetary remedies. Until the final resolution of such matters, if any of our estimates and assumptions change or prove to have been incorrect, we may experience losses in excess of the amounts recorded, which could have a material effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
See also “Note 7 — Income Taxes.”